The Golden Mean - Proportion /3

the greatest harmony existed
between the long and the short side

A similar test can be applied to rectangular shapes. A great number of people were shown a range of rectangles and asked to choose the one which they thought was the most perfect shape, that is to say in which the greatest harmony existed between the long and the short sides.

This diagram, left, shows what their answers were.

An overwhelming majority preferred one rectangle, or its immediate, very similar neighbours, to all the others, which makes one wonder what special qualities this favourite rectangle has. If you compare the ratio of the long to the short sides you will find it is the ratio of our divided line, on the previous page. It appears that this ratio is preferred by most people.