Rational tangles (Q678611)

A proof of the following theorem is given: Two rational tangles are equivalent if and only if their associated fractions are equal. This is known as Conway's Basic Theorem on rational tangles and stated in \textit{J. H. Conway}'s paper [Comput. Probl. abstract Algebra, Proc. Conf. Oxford 1967, 329-358 (1970; Zbl 0202.54703)]. In order to show that tangles with the same fraction are equivalent and all fractions are realized, the authors use elementary deformation arguments and basic number theory. The proof that the fraction of a tangle is well-defined is given via linear skein theory of tangles (the fraction is a certain evaluation of the Kauffman brackets of denominator and numerator of the tangle). The presentation is elementary and self-contained (an introduction to the Kauffman bracket is included). Reviewer's remark: \textit{G. Burde} [Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 54, 199-224 (1984; Zbl 0557.57004)] gives an equally elementary and self-contained proof of Conway's theorem which, according to the reviewer's opinion, is even simpler. Burde does generalize Seifert's argument for the classification of two-bridge knots and links. Here the fraction is defined from the glueing homeomorphism of tori describing the Heegaard splitting of the two-fold branched covering of the 4-plat corresponding to the rational tangle.