Continued fractions and irrationality exponents for modified Engel and Pierce series (Q2329134)

The authors study continued fractions for the sum of a rational number and a Engel and Pierce series and the irrationality exponent of the resulting number. Starting with a sequence of positive integers \((x_n)\) with \(x_n|x_{n+1}\) for all \(n\), the Engels series is \[\sum_{j=1}^{\infty}\,\frac{1}{x_j}=\sum_{j=1}^{\infty}\,\frac{1}{y_1y_2\cdots y_j},\tag{1}\] where \(y_1=x_1\) and \(y_{n+1}=x_{n+1}/x_n\) for \(n\geq 1\) and the alternating sum of the reciprocals is the Pierce series \[\sum_{j=1}^{\infty}\,\frac{(-1)^{j+1}}{x_j}=\sum_{j=1}^{\infty}\,\frac{(-1)^{j+1}}{y_1y_2\cdots y_j}.\tag{2}\] It is assumed that the sequence \((x_n)\) is eventually increasing, i.e. for all \(n\) there is an \(n'>n\) with \(x_{n'}>x_n\), guaranteeing the convergence of the two series. The main results are extensions of previous ones by the first author [J. Integer Seq. 18, No. 8, Articlle 15.8.4, 10p. (2015; Zbl 1378.11075); Mon. Math. 182, 33--38 (2017; Zbl 1355.11075)]. Given a positive integer \(y_0\) (to be fixed later on), the authors introduce the two sequences \((x_n)_{n\geq 1}\) and \((y_n)_{n\geq 0}\) by the recurrence relation \[y_j=y_{j-1}(1+u_jx_j),\ x_{j+1}=x_jy_j,\hbox{ for }j\geq 1,\hbox{ with }x_1=q,\tag{*}\] where \((u_n)_{n\geq 1}\) is an arbitrary sequence of positive integers (the second requirement indeed leading to an Engel and pierce series). The main results are now: Theorem 2.1. Let \(\alpha\) be given by the series \[\alpha=\frac{p}{q}+\sum_{j=1}^{\infty}\,\frac{1}{x_j},\] for \((x_n)\) defined by \((\ast)\) with \[y_0=mq+q_{2k-1}+1,\] where \(q_{2k-1}\) is the denominator of the \((2k-1)\)th convergent of the continued fraction for \(p/q\). Then the continued fraction expansion of \(\alpha\) has the form \[\alpha=[a-0;a_1,a_2,\ldots]=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\,[a_0;a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n]=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\,\frac{p_n}{q_n},\] where the partial quotients \(a_j\) coincide with those for the continued fraction of \(p/q\) for \(0\leq j\leq 2k\), while \[a_{2k+1}=m+u_1y_0,\hbox{ and }a_{2k+2j}=x_j,\ a_{2k+2j+1}=u_{j+1}y_j,\ j\geq 1.\] Theorem 2.2. Suppose \(x_1=q>1\) and let \(\alpha\) be given by the series \[\alpha=\frac{p}{q}+\sum_{j=2}^{\infty}\,\frac{(-1)^j}{x_j},\] for \((x_n)\) defined by \((\ast)\) with \[y_0=mq+q_{2k-1}-1,\] where \(q_{2k-1}\) is the denominator of the \((2k-1)\)th convergent of the continued fraction for \(p/q\), and the restriction \(m\geq 1\) should be imposed if \(q_{2k-1}=1\). Then the continued fraction expansion of \(\alpha\) has the form \[\alpha=[a-0;a_1,a_2,\ldots]=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\,[a_0;a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n]=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\,\frac{p_n}{q_n},\] where the partial quotients \(a_j\) coincide with those for the continued fraction of \(p/q\) for \(0\leq j\leq 2k\), while \[a_{2k+1}=m+u_1y_0-1,\] and \[a_{2k+3j-1}=1,\ a_{2k+3j}=x_j-1,\ a_{2k+3j+1}=u_{j+1}y_j-1,\ j\geq 1.\] Theorem 2.4. Suppose \(x_1=q>1\) and let \(\alpha\) be given by the series \[\alpha=\frac{p}{q}+\sum_{j=2}^{\infty}\,\frac{(-1)^j}{x_j},\] for \((x_n)\) defined by \((\ast)\) with \[y_0=mq+q_{2k}-1,\] where \(q_{2k}\) is the denominator of the \((2k)\)th convergent of the continued fraction for \(p/q=[a_0;a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_{2k+1}]\), and the restriction \(m\geq 1\) should be imposed if \(q_{2k}=1\). Then the continued fraction expansion of \(\alpha\) has the form \[\alpha=[a-0;a_1,a_2,\ldots]=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\,[a_0;a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n]=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\,\frac{p_n}{q_n},\] where the partial quotients \(a_j\) coincide with those for the continued fraction of \(p/q\) for \(0\leq j\leq 2k+1\), while \[a_{2k+2}=m+u_1y_0-1,\] and \[a_{2k+3j}=1,\ a_{2k+3j+1}=x_j-1,\ a_{2k+3j+2}=u_{j+1}y_j-1,\ j\geq 1,\] with the den ominators of the convergents given by \[q_{2k+3j-2}=x_j,\ q_{2k+3j-1}=y_j-x_j+1,\ q_{2k+3j}=y_j+1,\ j\geq 1.\] Furthermore, the authors discuss irrationality quotients, leading to the interesting result: Theorem 3.4. For all \(\nu\geq (3+\sqrt{5})/2\) there are infinitely many \(\alpha\) defined by modified Engel or Pierce series with irrationality exponent \(\mu(\alpha)=\nu\).