Probabilistic Diophantine Approximation

This book gives a comprehensive treatment of random phenomena and distribution results in diophantine approximation, with a particular emphasis on quadratic irrationals. It covers classical material on the subject as well as many new results developed by the author over the past decade. A range of ideas from other areas of mathematics are brought to bear with surprising connections to topics such as formulae for class numbers, special values of L-functions, and Dedekind sums. Care is taken to elaborate difficult proofs by motivating major steps and accompanying them with background explanations, enabling the reader to learn the theory and relevant techniques.

Written by one of the acknowledged experts in the field, Probabilistic Diophantine Approximation is presented in a clear and informal style with sufficient detail to appeal to both advanced students and researchers in number theory.

Includes many insights into diophantine approximation by one of the field's leading contributors Covers both classical results and recent research developments Provides detailed and well-motivated proofs, enabling the reader to grasp key ideas behind difficult arguments Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext
József Beck is Harold H. Martin Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University.

Inhalt

Preface.- 1 What is "probabilistic" diophantine approximation?.- 2 Expectation, and its connection with quadratic fields.- 3 Variance, and its connection with quadratic fields.- 4 Proving randomness.- 5 Pell equation, super irregularity and randomness.- 6 More on randomness.- References.- Index.