On the quasi-palindromic \(p\)-adic Ruban continued fractions (Q6114137)

The authors study approximation properties in the situation where a number is approximated by the convergents of its simple continued fraction and for the generalization to the so-called \textit{backward simple continued fraction} (BCF) introduced by \textit{F. E. P. Hirzebruch} [Hilbert modular surfaces. Genève: L'Enseignement Mathématique, Université de Genève (1973; Zbl 1442.14003)]. This type of continued fraction is defined as follows for \(x\in\mathbb{R}\): \[ x=b_0-\frac{1|}{|b_1}-\frac{1|}{|b_2}-\frac{1|}{|\ \cdots}=:[[b_0,b_1,b_2,\ldots]], \] where \(x_0=x ,b_0=\lfloor x \rfloor+1, x_{i+1}=1/(b_i-x_i),\hbox{ and }b_i=\lfloor x_i \rfloor\) (i.e.,\(b_0\in\mathbb{Z},\ b_i\geq 2\) for each \(i\geq 1\)). Truncations of this infinite expansion lead to rational numbers \(p_n/q_n=[[b_0,\ldots,b_n]]\), called \textit{convergents} which converge monotonically from above to \(x\) as \(n\rightarrow\infty\). The \textit{\(m\)-th term BCF error approximation to \(x\)} is the function \(\varepsilon_m=|x-p_m/q_m|\), where \(p_m/q_m\) is the \(m\)th convergent to \(x\) (for ordinary continued fractions CF this error term is introduced by \(E_n(x)=|x-P_n/Q_n|\) where \(P_n/Q_n\) is the \(n\)th approximant of the CF). The layout of the paper is as follows \S1. Introduction (\(2\) pages). Historical overview and indication of the quantities fr the BCF's that will be compared to those for ordinary continued fractions (a list of five questions Q1,\(\ldots,Q5\), is given on page 3). \S2. Background on backwards continued fractions (\(3\) pages). \S3. Connecting backwards continued fractions and continued fractions (\(5\) pages). \S4. The nature of the errors \(\varepsilon_m(x)\) and \(E_n(x)\) (\(4\) pages). \S5. Error approximation for BCF's (\(6\frac{1}{2}\) pages). \S6. CF approximations (\(4\) pages). The sections \S4--\S6 show intriguing graphs of bonding curves. References (\(11\) items). A thoroughly written paper that will stay the at top of the developments for a long time.