[section:cf Continued Fraction Evaluation]

[h4 Synopsis]

``
#include <boost/math/tools/fraction.hpp>
``

   namespace boost{ namespace math{ namespace tools{
   
   template <class Gen>
   typename detail::fraction_traits<Gen>::result_type 
      continued_fraction_b(Gen& g, int bits);

   template <class Gen>
   typename detail::fraction_traits<Gen>::result_type 
      continued_fraction_b(Gen& g, int bits, boost::uintmax_t& max_terms);

   template <class Gen>
   typename detail::fraction_traits<Gen>::result_type 
      continued_fraction_a(Gen& g, int bits);
      
   template <class Gen>
   typename detail::fraction_traits<Gen>::result_type 
      continued_fraction_a(Gen& g, int bits, boost::uintmax_t& max_terms);
      
   }}} // namespaces

[h4 Description]

[@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continued_fraction Continued fractions are a common method of approximation. ]
These functions all evaluate the continued fraction described by the /generator/
type argument.  The functions with an "_a" suffix evaluate the fraction:

[equation fraction2]

and those with a "_b" suffix evaluate the fraction:

[equation fraction1]

This latter form is somewhat more natural in that it corresponds with the usual
definition of a continued fraction, but note that the first /a/ value returned by
the generator is discarded.  Further, often the first /a/ and /b/ values in a 
continued fraction have different defining equations to the remaining terms, which
may make the "_a" suffixed form more appropriate.

The generator type should be a function object which supports the following
operations:

[table
[[Expression] [Description]]
[[Gen::result_type] [The type that is the result of invoking operator().
  This can be either an arithmetic type, or a std::pair<> of arithmetic types.]]
[[g()] [Returns an object of type Gen::result_type.

Each time this operator is called then the next pair of /a/ and /b/
    values is returned.  Or, if result_type is an arithmetic type,
    then the next /b/ value is returned and all the /a/ values
    are assumed to 1.]]
]

In all the continued fraction evaluation functions the /bits/ parameter is the
number of bits precision desired in the result, evaluation of the fraction will
continue until the last term evaluated leaves the first /bits/ bits in the result 
unchanged.

If the optional /max_terms/ parameter is specified then no more than /max_terms/ 
calls to the generator will be made, and on output, 
/max_terms/ will be set to actual number of
calls made.  This facility is particularly useful when profiling a continued
fraction for convergence.

[h4 Implementation]

Internally these algorithms all use the modified Lentz algorithm: refer to
Numeric Recipes in C++, W. H. Press et all, chapter 5,
(especially 5.2 Evaluation of continued fractions, p 175 - 179)
for more information, also
Lentz, W.J. 1976, Applied Optics, vol. 15, pp. 668-671.

[h4 Examples]

The [@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio golden ratio phi = 1.618033989...]
can be computed from the simplest continued fraction of all:

[equation fraction3]

We begin by defining a generator function:

   template <class T>
   struct golden_ratio_fraction
   {
      typedef T result_type;
      
      result_type operator()
      {
         return 1;
      }
   };

The golden ratio can then be computed to double precision using:

   continued_fraction_a(
      golden_ratio_fraction<double>(),
      std::numeric_limits<double>::digits);

It's more usual though to have to define both the /a/'s and the /b/'s
when evaluating special functions by continued fractions, for example
the tan function is defined by:

[equation fraction4]

So it's generator object would look like:

   template <class T>
   struct tan_fraction
   {
   private:
      T a, b;
   public:
      tan_fraction(T v)
         : a(-v*v), b(-1)
      {}

      typedef std::pair<T,T> result_type;

      std::pair<T,T> operator()()
      {
         b += 2;
         return std::make_pair(a, b);
      }
   };

Notice that if the continuant is subtracted from the /b/ terms,
as is the case here, then all the /a/ terms returned by the generator
will be negative.  The tangent function can now be evaluated using:

   template <class T>
   T tan(T a)
   {
      tan_fraction<T> fract(a);
      return a / continued_fraction_b(fract, std::numeric_limits<T>::digits);
   }

Notice that this time we're using the "_b" suffixed version to evaluate
the fraction: we're removing the leading /a/ term during fraction evaluation
as it's different from all the others.

[endsect][/section:cf Continued Fraction Evaluation]

[/ 
  Copyright 2006 John Maddock and Paul A. Bristow.
  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
  (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
  http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt).
]

