Linear recurrence sequences and periodicity of multidimensional continued fractions

Abstract

Multidimensional continued fractions generalize classical continued fractions with the aim of providing periodic representations of algebraic irrationalities by means of integer sequences. We provide a characterization for periodicity of Jacobi–Perron algorithm by means of linear recurrence sequences. In particular, we prove that partial quotients of a multidimensional continued fraction are periodic if and only if numerators and denominators of convergents are linear recurrence sequences, generalizing similar results that hold for classical continued fractions.