Factorization and similarity in \(\text{GL}(2,\mathbb{Z})\) (Q5961700)

The author provides necessary and sufficient conditions for a pair of matrices \(A\), \(B\) in \(\text{GL}(2,\mathbb{Z})\) to be similar. (By definition \(A\), \(B\) are similar if and only if there exists \(C\in\text{GL}(2,\mathbb{Z})\) such that \(B=C^{-1}AC\).) It is proved that every matrix in \(\text{GL}(2,\mathbb{Z})\) is similar to one in ``standard'' form. Using the theory of continued fractions the author provides a solution to the similarity problem for ``standard'' matrices.