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Glite Dictionary
continued fraction

continued fraction

9.2
A way to write a number as an integer plus one divided by another number repeated many times
  • noun
  • /kənˈtɪnjud ˈfrækʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fracción continua
  • Many mathematicians study continued fractions for their unique properties.

Examples

  • A continued fraction is often used to represent irrational numbers like the square root of 2.

  • Mathematicians frequently utilize continued fractions to analyze the properties of numbers.

  • A rational number can always be expressed as a continued fraction with a finite number of terms.

  • Mathematicians study continued fractions to understand complex numbers and their properties.

  • The continued fraction representation of pi is known for its interesting pattern.

  • A continued fraction can be used to approximate irrational numbers.

  • The sequence of a continued fraction can infinitely extend, revealing deeper number patterns.

Surface Forms

continued fraction singular
continued fractions plural

Morphology

continued + fraction

The words 'continued' and 'fraction' give a partial cue — a fraction that goes on or repeats — but the specific meaning (a nested sequence of reciprocals forming a converging expansion) is a technical mathematical concept that a B1 learner would not infer from the constituents alone. Therefore the phrase supplies some transparent imagery of continuity, but its precise structure and usage require prior mathematical knowledge or exposure.

Etymology

Continued fraction paints a clear picture: a fraction (a part of a number) whose bottom is 'one over' another fraction, and that next fraction can continue with another inside it, like boxes inside boxes. So a continued fraction is a way to write a number as a whole part plus 'one over' another number that can 'keep going' or stop, which is why it shows a number in steps.