11/17/2017 Applications of Continued fractions

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Applications of Continued fractions

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Author: Ramakrishna Salagrama (RK)

(IIM - Indore, CAT - 99.78%)
Director, Excel Institute, Kakinada
Ph: +91 9553 66 7774
Continued fraction concept is very useful in solving linear equations ax − by = ±c in integers. Email: [email protected]
p 42
We know that rational numbers are in the format of where q ≠ 0 . For example, .
q 29

If we represent
42
in a continued fraction, then,
42
= 1 +
1 Submit placement questions Click H
29 29 1
2 +
1
4 +
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3

42
Or concisely, = [1;  2,  4,  3] Join our discussion forum: Click Here
29

(Don't worry about how I have written the above expression!! This can be done easily by Euler's division algorithm
which is explained below)
42
By representing a fraction in this format, we can find convergents. We know that, = 1.44827586207
29
42
The first convergent of =1
29
1 3
Second convergent = 1 + =
2 2
1 13
Third convergent = 1 + =
1 9
2 +
4

42 1 42
Fourth convergent = = 1 + =
29 1 29
2 +
1
4 +
3

Convergents are approximations of the given number.

First convergent = 1; Second convergent = 1.5; Third convergent = 1.4444444;
You can see that the values are slowly converging towards 1.448275....

But how do we convert a number in continued fraction format. This is very simple. If you find HCF of 42 and 29 by
using division method, the quotients are [1, 2, 4, 3 ].

p 1
Therefore continued fraction = = a1 +
q 1
a2 +
1
a3 +
a4 +. . .

Here a 1,  a2 ,  a3 ,  a4, . . . are quotients.

Applications of continued fractions:

Question 1:
Find the general solution in positive integers of 29x − 42y = 5
Solution:
To find the general solution in positive integers of the equation ax − by = c we can use continued fractions.
a p
Let is converted into a continued fraction, and Let denote the last but one convergent, then aq − bp = ±1
b q

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11/17/2017 Applications of Continued fractions

We have to find the general solution in positive integers of 29x − 42y = 5

42 13
From the above discussion, the convergent just before is .
29 9

Therefore, 29 × 13 − 42 × 9 = −1
Multiplying the above equation with 5, we get
∴ 29 × 65 − 42 × 45 = −5

∴ 42 × 45 − 29 × 65 = 5

Equating the above equation with the given question,

29x − 42y = 42 × 45 − 29 × 65

29 (x + 65) = 42 (y + 45)

(x + 65) (y + 45)
=
42 29
(x + 65) (y + 45)
Let = = t
42 29

So general solution is, x = 42t − 65; y = 29t − 45

Question 2:
Find the general solution in positive integers of 775x − 711y = 1
Solution:
Converting 775

711
in continued fractions, we get

775 1
So = 1 +
711 1
11 +
1
9 +
7

775 1 109
Last but one convergent of = =1+ =
711 1 100
11 +
9

Therefore, 775 × 100 − 711 × 109 = 1

Equating with the given question,
775 × 100 − 711 × 109 = 775x − 711y

775 × (x − 100) = 711 × (y − 109)

(x − 100) (y − 109)
= = t say
711 775

So x = 711t + 100; y = 775t + 109

For t = 0, we get the first solution (100, 109)

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