Skip to main content
Log in

A chained-matrices approach for parallel computation of continued fractions and its applications

  • Published:
Journal of Scientific Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A chained-matrices approach for parallel computing thenth convergent of continued fractions is presented. The resulting algorithm computes the entire prefix values of any continued fraction inO(logn) time on the EREW PRAM model or a network withO(n/logn) processors connected by the cube-connectedcycles, binary tree, perfect shuffle, or hypercube. It can be applied to approximate the transcendental numbers, such as π ande, inO(logm) time by usingO(m/logm) processors for a result withm-digit precision. We also use it to costoptimally solve the second-order linear recurrence, the polynomial evaluation, the recurrence of vector norm, the general class of recurrence equation defined by Kogge and Stone (1973), and the generalmth order linear recurrence. It is easy to implement because there are only some matrix multiplications and a division operation involved.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akl, S. G. (1989).The Design and Analysis of Parallel Algorithms, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bilardi, G., and Preparata, F. P. (1989). Size-time complexity of boolean networks for prefix computations,Journal of the ACM 36(6), 362–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brent, R. P. (1974). The parallel evaluation of general arithmetic expressions,Journal of the ACM 21(2), 201–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brent, R. P., and Lung, H. T. (1982). A regular layout for parallel adders,IEEE Trans. Comput. C-31(3), 240–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, D. A., and Sugla, B. (1984). Time and processor efficient parallel algorithms for recurrence equations and related problems, inProc. Int'l. Conf. on Parallel Processing, pp. 310–314.

  • Chung, K. L., and Lin, F. C. (1991). A cost-optimal parallel algorithm for B-spline surface fitting,Graphical Models and Image Processing 53(6), 601–605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chung, K. L., Lin, F. C., and Chen, W. C. (Unpublished). Parallel computation of continued fractions (Submitted toJournal of Parallel and Distributed Computing).

  • Fich, F. E. (1983). New bounds for parallel prefix circuits, inProc. of the 15th Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, pp. 100–109.

  • Goldschlager, L. M. (1982). A universal interconnection pattern for parallel computers,Journal of the ACM 29(4), 1073–1086.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottlieb, A., and Schwartz, J. T. (1982). Networks and algorithms for very-large-scale parallel computation,Computer, pp. 27–36.

  • Gries, D., and Levin, G. (1980). Computing Fibonacci numbers (and similarly defined functions) in log time,Inform. Process. Lett. 11(2), 68–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsu, W. J., Page, C. V., and Liu, J. S. (1992). Computing prefixes on a large family of interconnection topologies, inProc. Int'l. Conf. on Parallel Processing, pp. 153–159.

  • Jaluria, Y. (1988).Computer Methods for Engineering, Allyn and Bacon, Inc.

  • Knuth, D. E. (1981).The Art of Computer Programming, Vol. 2, 2nd edition, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kogge, P. M., and Stone, H. S. (1973). A parallel algorithm for the efficient solution of a general class of recurrence equations,IEEE Trans. Comput. C-22(8), 786–793.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lander, R. E., and Fischer, M. J. (1980). Parallel prefix computation,Journal of the ACM 27 831–838.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, S. S., and Lin, F. C. (1991). AnO(logn) algorithm for computing periodic continued fractions and its applications,Computers Math. Applic. 21(2–3), 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manber, U. (1989).Introduction to Algorithms A Creative Approach, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc.

  • Martin, A. J., and Rem, M. (1984). A representation of the Fibonacci algorithm,Inform. Process. Lett. 19(2), 67–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meijer, H., and Akl, S. G. (1987). Optimal computation of prefix sums on a binary tree of processors,IJPP 16(2), 127–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munro, J. I., and Paterson, M. (1973). Optimal algorithms for parallel polynomial evaluation,Journal of Computers and System Sciences 7(2), 189–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olds, C. D. (1963).Continued Fractions, Random House Inc., L. W. Singer Company, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preparata, F. P., and Vuillemin, J. (1981). The cube-connected cycles: a versatile network for parallel computation,Communications of the ACM, pp. 300–309.

  • Stone, H. S. (1971). Parallel processing with the perfect shuffle,IEEE Trans. Comput. C-20(2), 153–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Urbanek, F. J. (1980). AnO(logn) algorithm for computing thenth element of the solution of a difference equation,Inform. Process. Lett. 11(2), 66–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, T. C., and Shortt, J. (1980). AnO(logn) algorithm for computing general order-k Fibonacci numbers,Inform. Process. Lett. 10(2), 68–75.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This work was supported in part by National Science Council of the Republic of China under Contract NSC 77-0408-E002-09.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lin, SS. A chained-matrices approach for parallel computation of continued fractions and its applications. J Sci Comput 9, 65–80 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01573178

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01573178

Key Words

Navigation