Ergodic Theory of Numbers (Carus Mathematical Monographs, Series Number 29)

This book is an introduction to the ergodic theory behind common number expansions, for instance decimal expansions, continued fractions and many others. The questions studied are dynamical as well as number theoretic in nature, and the answers are obtained with the help of ergodic theory. What it means to be ergodic and the basic ideas behind ergodic theory are explained along the way. The book is aimed at introducing students with sufficient background knowledge in real analysis to a 'dynamical way of thinking'. The subjects covered vary from the classical to recent research which should increase the appeal of this book to researchers working in the field. Ergodic Theory of Numbers looks at the interaction between two fields of mathematics: number theory and ergodic theory (as part of dynamical systems). It is an introduction to the ergodic theory behind common number expansions, like decimal expansions, continued fractions, and many others. However, its aim does not stop there. For undergraduate students with sufficient background knowledge in real analysis and graduate students interested in the area, it is also an introduction to a'dynamical way of thinking'. The questions studied here are dynamical as well as number theoretical in nature, and the answers are obtained with the help of ergodic theory. Attention is focused on concepts like measure-preserving, ergodicity, natural extension, induced transformations, and entropy. These concepts are then applied to familiar expansions to obtain old and new results in an elegant and straightforward manner. What it means to be ergodic and the basic ideas behind ergodic theory will be explained along the way. The subjects covered vary from classical to recent, which makes this book appealing to researchers as well as students. Let x be a real number from the unit interval [0,1).