Mathematician Fritz Schweiger, whose academic affiliation is not provided, provides an introduction to a field of research that has seen remarkable progress in recent decades, concentrating on multidimensional continued fractions which can be described by fractional linear maps or equivalently by a set of (n + 1) x (n + 1) matrices. Addressing the question of periodicity, he refines the problem of convergence to the question of whether these algorithms give "good" simultaneous Diophantine approximations. He notes that these algorithms are not likely to provide such "good" approximations which satisfy the n-dimensional Dirichlet property. Also studied are the ergodic properties of these maps. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR

Traditionally a subject of number theory, continued fractions appear in dynamical systems, algebraic geometry, topology, and even celestial mechanics. The rise of computational geometry has resulted in renewed interest in multidimensional generalizations of continued fractions. Numerous classical theorems have been extended to the multidimensional case, casting light on phenomena in diverse areas of mathematics. This book introduces a new geometric vision of continued fractions. It covers several applications to questions related to such areas as Diophantine approximation, algebraic number theory, and toric geometry. The reader will find an overview of current progress in the geometric theory of multidimensional continued fractions accompanied by currently open problems. Whenever possible, we illustrate geometric constructions with figures and examples. Each chapter has exercises useful for undergraduate or graduate courses.

The Euclidean algorithm is one of the oldest in mathematics, while the study of continued fractions as tools of approximation goes back at least to Euler and Legendre. While our understanding of continued fractions and related methods for simultaneous diophantine approximation has burgeoned over the course of the past decade and more, many of the results have not been brought together in book form. Continued fractions have been studied from the perspective of number theory, complex analysis, ergodic theory, dynamic processes, analysis of algorithms, and even theoretical physics, which has further complicated the situation.This book places special emphasis on continued fraction Cantor sets and the Hausdorff dimension, algorithms and analysis of algorithms, and multi-dimensional algorithms for simultaneous diophantine approximation. Extensive, attractive computer-generated graphics are presented, and the underlying algorithms are discussed and made available.

This book presents the arithmetic and metrical theory of regular continued fractions and is intended to be a modern version of A. Ya. Khintchine's classic of the same title. Besides new and simpler proofs for many of the standard topics, numerous numerical examples and applications are included (the continued fraction of e, Ostrowski representations and t-expansions, period lengths of quadratic surds, the general Pell's equation, homogeneous and inhomogeneous diophantine approximation, Hall's theorem, the Lagrange and Markov spectra, asymmetric approximation, etc). Suitable for upper level undergraduate and beginning graduate students, the presentation is self-contained and the metrical results are developed as strong laws of large numbers.

Continued Fractions consists of two volumes -- Volume 1: Convergence Theory; and Volume 2: Representation of Functions (tentative title), which is expected in 2011. Volume 1 is dedicated to the convergence and computation of continued fractions, while Volume 2 will treat representations of meromorphic functions by continued fractions. Taken together, the two volumes will present the basic continued fractions theory without requiring too much previous knowledge; some basic knowledge of complex functions will suffice. Both new and advanced graduate students of continued fractions shall get a comprehensive understanding of how these infinite structures work in a number of applications, and why they work so well. A varied buffet of possible applications to whet the appetite is presented first, before the more basic but modernized theory is given.This new edition is the result of an increasing interest in computing special functions by means of continued fractions. The methods described in detail are, in many cases, very simple, yet reliable and efficient.

One of the most authoritative and comprehensive books on the subject of continued fractions, this monograph has been widely used by generations of mathematicians and their students. Dr. Hubert Stanley Wall presents a unified theory correlating certain parts and applications of the subject within a larger analytic structure. Prerequisites include a first course in function theory and knowledge of the elementary properties of linear transformations in the complex plane. Some background in number theory, real analysis, and complex analysis may also prove helpful. The two-part treatment begins with an exploration of convergence theory, addressing continued fractions as products of linear fractional transformations, convergence theorems, and the theory of positive definite continued fractions, as well as other topics. The second part, focusing on function theory, covers the theory of equations, matrix theory of continued fractions, bounded analytic functions, and many additional subjects.

Thirty years ago, Effros and Shen classified the simple dimension groups with rank two. Every such group is parametrized by an irrational number, and can be constructed as an inductive limit using that number's continued fraction expansion. There is a natural generalization of continued fractions to higher dimensions, and this invites the following question: What dimension groups correspond to multidimensional continued fractions? We describe this class of groups and show how some properties of a continued fraction are reflected in the structure of its dimension group. We also consider a related issue: an Effros-Shen group has been shown to arise in a natural way from the tail equivalence relation on a certain sequence space. We describe a more general class of sequence spaces to which this construction can be applied to obtain other dimension groups, including dimension groups corresponding to multidimensional continued fractions.

Elementary-level text by noted Soviet mathematician offers superb introduction to positive-integral elements of theory of continued fractions. Clear, straightforward presentation of the properties of the apparatus, the representation of numbers by continued fractions, and the measure theory of continued fractions. 1964 edition. Prefaces.

This reference - the proceedings of a research conference held in Loen, Norway - contains information on the analytic theory of continued fractions and their application to moment problems and orthogonal sequences of functions. Uniting the research efforts of many international experts, this volume: treats strong moment problems, orthogonal polynomials and Laurent polynomials; analyses sequences of linear fractional transformations; presents convergence results, including truncation error bounds; considers discrete distributions and limit functions arising from indeterminate moment problems; discusses Szego polynomials and their applications to frequency analysis; describes the quadrature formula arising from q-starlike functions; and covers continued fractional representations for functions related to the gamma function.;This resource is intended for mathematical and numerical analysts; applied mathematicians; physicists; chemists; engineers; and upper-level undergraduate and agraduate students in these disciplines.