A Continued Fraction For

Containing Cubes

author: Tony Foster

Consider the Nilakantha Infinite Series for 3 ; note the denominators are
Pythagorean triple areas.

Leonhard Euler devised a method of turning an infinite series with

alternating plus and minus signs into a continued fraction. Below is
Theorem 1 from his classic work, On the Transformations of Infinite Series
to Continued Fractions.

Using Eulers continued fraction theorem, we insert all the denominators of

the infinite series in the appropriate places.

After solving the differences, we have the continued fraction below.

Using algebra, we solve for

, and 3 is added to the continued fraction.

With a little bit of mathematical ingenuity, we factor out the squares in the
C.F. denominators and divide them into the C.F. numerators.

After dividing, the continued fraction has an interesting pattern. Does

anything stand out in the C.F. numerators?

Actually, the numerators are squares. After 1, the pattern reveals every other
triangular number squared.

T2n2

With that in mind, it is well known in number theory that a squared

triangular number equals the sum of cubes; commonly called Nichomachus
theorem. So the final continued fraction with cubes is now apparent.
Nichomachus Theorem