Numeration and discrete dynamical systems (Q411444)

From the abstract: ``This survey aims at giving both a dynamical and computer arithmetic-oriented presentation of several classical numeration systems, by focusing on the discrete dynamical systems that underly them: this provides simple algorithmic generation processes, information on the statistics of digits, on the mean behavior, and also on periodic expansions (whose study is motivated, among other things, by finite machine simulations).'' Emphasis is put on continued fractions and on beta-numeration systems (extending the usual integer base systems). The usefulness of the dynamical approach is illustrated first for the description of the periodic orbits. Then, notions of ergodicity, chaoticity are presented for the Gauss map \(x\mapsto \{1/x\}\) related to continued fractions. Numerical simulations of dynamical systems are discussed by considering a floating-point version of the Gauss map. In the next section, Loch's theorem about the significance of classical decimal expansions (knowing the first decimals) versus continued fraction expansions (knowing the first partial quotients) is presented. Finally, allusion to a multidimensional framework (possible extensions of the Gauss map) is concluding this survey.