Generalized Perron identity for broken lines (Q2199491)

Given a binary quadratic form \(f\) with positive determinant, Perron's identity relates the minimal value of \(|f|\) at integer points \(\not=0\) and the regular continued fractions of the slopes of linear factors of corresponding reduced linear forms. This identity was proved by \textit{A. A. Markoff} in his paper on minima of quadratic forms [Math. Ann. 17, 379--400 (1880; JFM 12.0143.02)]. See also [\textit{O. Perron}, Sitzungsber. Heidelb. Akad. Wiss. 1921, No. 4, 8 S. (1921; JFM 48.0193.01)] and [\textit{T. W. Cusick} and \textit{M. E. Flahive}, The Markoff and Lagrange spectra. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (1989; Zbl 0685.10023)]. The authors give a geometric interpretation of Perron's identity in terms of the sails of the form. The LLS (Lattice-Length-Sine) of a form \((Y-\alpha X)(Y+\beta X)\) with \(\alpha\ge 1\) and \(0\le \beta<1\) is the sequence \((\dots,a_{-2},a_{-1},a_0,a_1,a_2,\dots)\), where \(\alpha=[a_0,a_1,a_2,\dots]\) and \(\beta=[0,a_{-1},a_{-2},\dots]\) are the regular continued fractions for \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\), respectively. See [the first author, Math. Scand. 102, No. 2, 161--205 (2008; Zbl 1155.11035); Funct. Anal. Other Math., 2, No. 2--4, 221--239 (2009; Zbl 1246.11128)]. The authors introduce LLS sequences for broken lines and generalize Perron's identity, first for finite broken lines, next for asymptotic infinite broken lines.