On simple continued fractions with partial quotients in arithmetic progressions (Q1280853): Difference between revisions

Let \(t\) be a real number with the regular continued fraction expansion \(t= [a_0; a_1,\dots]\). The paper deals with the approximability by rationals of \(t\)'s of the form \((*)\) \(t= [a_0; a_1,\dots, (\underline{A}+ j\underline{B})]_{j=0}^\infty\), where \(\underline{A}\) and \(\underline{B}\) are \(m\)-tuples of non-negative integers. If all components of \(\underline{B}\) are 0, then \(t\) is a quadratic surd, whose approximability properties are known. Therefore it is supposed that among the components of \(\underline{B}\) at least one is positive. Continued fractions of the form \((*)\) are called Hurwitz continued fractions. Euler discovered the relation \(\tanh \frac 1n= [0;n, 3n, 5n,\dots]\) and deduced from it the continued fraction expansion of \(e\): \[ e= [2;1,2,1,1, 3,1,1, 5,1,\dots]= [2; \overline{1,2j,1} ]_{j=1}^\infty. \] The main result of the paper is the following: Theorem 1. Let \(p_r/q_r\) be the convergents of \((*)\), already in irreducible form. Set \(w_r(t):= | q_r(t)\cdot p_r| \frac{q_r\log q_r} {\log\log_r}\). Then we have for any component \(b'\) of \(\underline{B}\) which is different from 0, \[ w_r(t)= \frac{1}{b'} \#\{b>0\} \Biggl(1- \frac{\log\log r}{\log r}+ O\biggl( \frac{1}{\log r}\biggr) \Biggr). \] This gives an information also about the approximability of \(\tanh \frac 1m\) and of \(e\) by rationals. The proof is based on the classical relation in the theory of continued fractions stating that \(| q_{r^t}-p_r|= (q_r \zeta_{r+1}+ q_{r-1})^{-1}\), \(\zeta_{r+1}\) being the \(r+1\)-th complete quotient of the continued fraction expansion of \(t\), and on Stirling's formula.