[Math] The sum of $n$ consecutive Fibonacci numbers.

fibonacci-numbersnumber theory

The sum of $8$ consecutive Fibonacci numbers is divisible by $3$.

How can I generalize this for the sum of $n$ consecutive Fibonacci numbers? For example,

$$1+1+2+3+5+8+13+21=54=3\times 18 \\ 1+2+3+5+8+13+21+34=87=3\times 29 \\2+3+5+8+13+21+34+55=141=3\times 47$$

Best Answer

You want to find the $\gcd$ of the numbers

$$F_1+\cdots+F_n,\quad F_2+\cdots+F_{n+1},\quad F_3+\cdots+F_{n+2},\quad F_4+\cdots+F_{n+3},\quad \cdots\cdots$$

Since $F_1+\cdots+F_n=F_{n+2}-1 \implies F_{1+k}+\cdots+F_{n+k}=F_{n+k+2}-F_{k+2}$, this is

$$F_{n+2}-F_2,\quad F_{n+3}-F_3,\quad F_{n+4}-F_4,\quad F_{n+5}-F_5,\quad \cdots$$

Notice how this is a new Fibonacci(-like) sequence, in which each term is a sum of the two previous terms. Therefore, not only does the $\gcd$ of the whole sequence divide the $\gcd$ of the first two terms (this holds generically for any sequence), but the $\gcd$ of the first two terms divides all of the other terms hence divides the $\gcd$ of the whole sequence. Therefore, the $\gcd$ of the whole sequence is equal to the $\gcd$ of the first two terms! Using the algorithm $(a,b)=(a,b-a)$, we can simplify: $(F_{n+2}-F_2,F_{n+3}-F_3)=(F_{n+2}-F_2,F_{n+1}-F_1)=(F_n-F_0,F_{n+1}-F_1)$.

Therefore, the generalization of $3\mid(F_{k+1}+\cdots+F_{k+8})$ for all $k\ge0$ is

$$\gcd(F_n,F_{n+1}-1)\mid(F_{k+1}+\cdots+F_{k+n}).$$

Note this holds for negative values of $k$ too.