Calculating the positive and negative representations of the regular continued fraction of a quadratic irrational
This program finds the positive and negative representations of the regular continued fraction expansion of a
quadratic irrational (u + t√d)/v, where d,t,u,v are integers, d >1 and nonsquare, t and v nonzero, as far as the end of the first period.
We use the continued fraction algorithm as described in K. Rosen,
Elementary Number theory and its applications, 379-381 and Knuth's
The art of computer programming, Vol. 2, p. 359.
The first reduced complete quotient ξi is located and this leads to the period ξi,...,ξi+j-1, which is printed in bold font.
We write (p,q) to denote (p + √d)/q.
(Also see MP313 lecture notes.)
Last modified 17th March 2009
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