The formula for the Golden Ratio It is the ratio of a line segment cut into two pieces of different lengths such that the ratio of the whole segment to that of the longer segment is equal to the ratio of the longer … However, it is not merely a term, it is an actual ratio and it can be found in many pieces of art. It is denoted phi, or sometimes tau. The figure below shows the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens. The golden ratio, also known as the divine proportion, golden mean, or golden section, is a number often encountered when taking the ratios of distances in simple geometric figures such as the pentagon, pentagram, decagon and dodecahedron. (When it came to mathematics, physics, astronomy, philosophy, drama, and the like, those ancient Greeks sure did kick some serious butt.) ), the Golden Ratio (also known as the Golden Section, Golden Mean, Divine Proportion or Greek letter Phi) exists when a line is divided into two parts and the longer part (a) divided by the smaller part (b) is equal to the sum of (a) + (b) divided by (a), which both equal 1.618. The golden ratio is a famous geometry idea with a connection to ancient Greece. It appears many times in geometry, art, architecture and other areas. The Idea Behind It Golden ratio, also known as the golden section, golden mean, or divine proportion, in mathematics, the irrational number (1 + Square root of√5 )/2, often denoted by the Greek letter ϕ or τ, which is approximately equal to 1.618. The ratio is derived from something called … The golden ratio (symbol is the Greek letter "phi" shown at left) is a special number approximately equal to 1.618. The number phi, often known as the golden ratio, is a mathematical concept that people have known about since the time of the ancient Greeks. Putting it as simply as we can (eek! The Golden Ratio is a term used to describe how elements within a piece of art can be placed in the most aesthetically pleasing way. The golden ratio describes predictable patterns on everything from atoms to huge stars in the sky.