Fraction Space Revisited
Mathematics and Education in Mathematics, Tome 41 (2012) no. 1, pp. 209-218
Rationals are known to form interesting and computationally rich structures, such
as Farey sequences and infinite trees. Little attention is being paid to more general,
systematic exposition of the basic properties of fractions as a set. Some concepts are
being introduced without motivation, some proofs are unnecessarily artificial, and
almost invariably both seem to be understood as related to specific structures rather
than to the set of fractions in general. Surprisingly, there are essential propositions
whose very statement seem to be missing in the number theory literature. This article
aims at improving on the said state of affairs by proposing a general and properly
ordered exposition of concepts and statements about them. In addition, historical
remarks are made on generating the set of all fractions – a much older discovery than
it is widely believed. *2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 11B75, 01A99.
Keywords:
Fractions, Rationals, Generation, Enumeration, History
@incollection{MEM_2012_41_1_a21,
author = {Bantchev, Boyko},
title = {Fraction {Space} {Revisited}},
booktitle = {},
series = {Mathematics and Education in Mathematics},
pages = {209--218},
year = {2012},
volume = {41},
number = {1},
language = {en},
url = {http://geodesic.mathdoc.fr/item/MEM_2012_41_1_a21/}
}
Bantchev, Boyko. Fraction Space Revisited. Mathematics and Education in Mathematics, Tome 41 (2012) no. 1, pp. 209-218. http://geodesic.mathdoc.fr/item/MEM_2012_41_1_a21/