The ratio between a square and the rectangle that make up the original rectangle is known as what?

• A. Balance
• B. The Golden Rectangle/Mean
• C. Convergence
• D. Tenebrism

Answer: (B)

The concept here is the golden ratio, which defines a special proportion where a rectangle can be divided into a square and a smaller rectangle that has the same shape as the whole. In a golden rectangle, the ratio of the whole rectangle to the square is the same as the ratio of the square to the remaining rectangle, and both ratios equal about 1.618. This self-similarity is what gives the golden rectangle its balanced, harmonious feel, and it’s why the shape is called the Golden Rectangle or Golden Mean. The other terms refer to different ideas (balance as equilibrium, convergence as approaching a limit, tenebrism as a dramatic lighting technique) and don’t describe this proportional relationship.