Topographs for binary quadratic forms and class numbers (Q6927737)

Topographs for binary quadratic forms were introduced by \textit{J. H. Conway} in his book [The sensual (quadratic) form. Assisted by Francis Y. C. Fung. Washington, DC: The Mathematical Association of America (1997; Zbl 0885.11002)]. They are studied here in greater detail with new applications, namely a new treatment of reduction of forms and a novel continued fraction for complex numbers. This allows uniform reduction for any positive, negative, square or nonsquare discriminant. The treatment also provides new class number formulas. The Gauss result about sums of three squares is given a new short proof.