On Gauss-Kuz'min statistics for finite continued fractions (Q950805)

The article is devoted to finite continued fractions for numbers \(a/b\) when integer points \((a, b)\) are taken from a dilative region. Properties similar to the Gauss-Kuz'min statistics are proved for these continued fractions. (author's summary) In more detail, in the present paper a similar problem to the one in the author's paper [J. Math. Sci., New York 137, No. 2, 4722--4738 (2006); translation from Zap. Nauchn. Semin. POMI 322, 186--211 (2005; Zbl 1072.11060)] is considered for a general region \(\Omega(R)\), which is the image of a fixed region \(\Omega_0\) under a homothety with ratio \(R > 1:\) \[ \Omega(R) = R\cdot\Omega_0 =\left\{(x, y): x, y > 0, \left(\frac xR,\frac yR\right)\in\Omega_0\right\}. \] The region \(\Omega_0\) is defined in polar coordinates \(\Omega_0 = \{(\rho, \phi): 0\leq \phi\leq \frac{\pi}{4},\, 0\leq \rho\leq r(\phi)\}\) and its area is \(V_0 =\frac 12\int_0^{\pi/4}r^2(\phi)\, d\phi.\) If the function \(r(\phi)\) is defined on the closed interval \([0, \pi/4]\) and satisfies the conditions \(r(\phi)\geq \varepsilon_0 > 0\), \(r'(\phi)\leq r(\phi) \arctan \phi\), then, for the sum \[ N_x(R) =\sum_{(a,b)\in\Omega(R)}s_x(\frac ab), \] the asymptotic formula with two significant terms \[ N_x(R) =\frac{2V_0}{\zeta(2)}R^2(\log(x + 1) \log R + C(x)) + O(R^{2-1/5} \log^3 R) \] is proved. This general result is more precise than that in the above cited paper and it shows that the principal term in the Gauss-Kuz'min statistics for finite continued fractions does not depend on the form of the region \(\Omega_0\) but only on its area.