Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2007
Abstract
Let f(x) ∈ Z[x]. Set f0(x) = x and, for n ≥ 1, define fn(x) = f(fn−1(x)). We describe several infinite families of polynomials for which the infinite product Y∞ n=0 ( 1 + 1 fn(x) ) has a specializable continued fraction expansion of the form S∞ = [1; a1(x), a2(x), a3(x), . . . ], where ai(x) ∈ Z[x] for i ≥ 1. When the infinite product and the continued fraction are specialized by letting x take integral values, we get infinite classes of real numbers whose regular continued fraction expansion is predictable. We also show that, under some simple conditions, all the real numbers produced by this specialization are transcendental. We also show, for any integer k ≥ 2, that there are classes of polynomials f(x, k) for which the regular continued fraction expansion of the product Yk n=0 (1 + 1 fn(x, k) ) is specializable but the regular continued fraction expansion of kY +1 n=0 ( 1 + 1 fn(x, k) ) is not specializable.
Publication Title
Journal of Number Theory
ISSN
0022-314X
Publisher
Elsevier
Volume
127
Issue
2
First Page
184
Last Page
219
Recommended Citation
McLaughlin, J. (2007). Symmetry and specializability in the continued fraction expansions of some infinite products. Journal of Number Theory, 127(2), 184-219. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/math_facpub/56
Comments
Preprint version is available here.