Definition:Continued Fraction

Finite Continued Fraction
Let $$a_1 \in \R$$ be any real number and $$a_2, a_3, \ldots, a_n$$ be any positive real numbers.

Then the expression:


 * $$a_1 + \cfrac 1 {a_2 + \cfrac 1 {a_3 + \cfrac 1 {\ddots \cfrac {} {a_{n-1} + \cfrac 1 {a_n}} }}}$$

is a finite continued fraction.

A finite continued fraction is often abbreviated FCF.

Infinite Continued Fraction
Let $$a_1 \in \R$$ be any real number and $$a_2, a_3, \ldots, a_n, \ldots$$ be any infinite sequence in $$\R$$.

Then the expression:


 * $$a_1 + \cfrac 1 {a_2 + \cfrac 1 {a_3 + \cfrac 1 {\ddots \cfrac {} {a_{n-1} + \cfrac 1 {a_n + \cfrac 1 {\ddots}}} }}}$$

is an infinite continued fraction.


 * An infinite continued fraction is often abbreviated ICF.

Partial Quotient
The numbers $$a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots$$ are called the partial quotients of the continued fraction.

Simple Continued Fraction
When all the partial quotients of a continued fraction are integers, the continued fraction is described as simple.

Simple Finite Continued Fraction
A simple finite continued fraction is often abbreviated SFCF.

Simple Infinite Continued Fraction
A simple infinite continued fraction is often abbreviated SICF.

Continued Fraction Expansion
Any continued fraction is completely determined by its partial quotients.

Therefore, to reduce the cumbersome nature of its representation, the continued fractions in the definitions are usually written as:


 * $$\left[{a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots, a_n}\right]$$ for the finite case, and
 * $$\left[{a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots}\right]$$ for the infinite case.

For example:
 * $$\left[{1, 2, 3}\right] = 1 + \cfrac 1 {2 + \cfrac 1 3}$$

Such an expression is known as the continued fraction expansion of the continued fraction, especially in the case of the infinite version.

Value
The value of a continued fraction is the number which results from calculating out the fractions.

Note that formally the continued fraction and its value are considered to be distinct; a continued fraction is an arithmetic representation of its value.

However, this is a nicety of interpretation and may usually be ignored - we often say something like $$x = \left[{a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots, a_n}\right]$$ to mean that $$x$$ is the value of the given continued fraction.

Convergent
Let $$\left[{a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots, a_n}\right]$$ or $$\left[{a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots}\right]$$ be a continued fraction (i.e. either finite or infinite).

Then the $$k$$th convergent $$C_k$$ of the given continued fraction is the finite continued fraction:
 * $$C_k = \left[{a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_k}\right]$$.

(In the finite case it is of course taken as read that $$k \le n$$.)

Generalized Form
The form of continued fraction in which the successive numerators are all $$1$$ is called a regular continued fraction, or to be in canonical form.

If the numerators can be allowed to be any value, even functions in some contexts, the continued fraction is known as a generalized continued fraction:


 * $$b_0 + \cfrac {a_1} {b_1 + \cfrac {a_2} {b_2 + \cfrac {a_3} {\ddots \cfrac {} {b_{n-1} + \cfrac {a_n} {b_n + \cfrac 1 {\ddots}}} }}}$$