This monograph is intended to be a complete treatment of the metrical the ory of the (regular) continued fraction expansion and related representations of real numbers. We have attempted to give the best possible results known so far, with proofs which are the simplest and most direct. The book has had a long gestation period because we first decided to write it in March 1994. This gave us the possibility of essentially improving the initial versions of many parts of it. Even if the two authors are different in style and approach, every effort has been made to hide the differences. Let 0 denote the set of irrationals in I = [0,1]. Define the (reg ular) continued fraction transformation T by T (w) = fractional part of n 1/w, w E O. Write T for the nth iterate of T, n E N = {O, 1, ... }, n 1 with TO = identity map. The positive integers an(w) = al(T - (W)), n E N+ = {1,2*** }, where al(w) = integer part of 1/w, w E 0, are called the (regular continued fraction) digits of w. Writing . for arbitrary indeterminates Xi, 1 :::; i :::; n, we have w = lim [al(w),*** , an(w)], w E 0, n--->oo thus explaining the name of T. The above equation will be also written as w = lim [al(w), a2(w),***], w E O.

This monograph is intended to be a complete treatment of the metrical the ory of the (regular) continued fraction expansion and related representations of real numbers. We have attempted to give the best possible results known so far, with proofs which are the simplest and most direct. The book has had a long gestation period because we first decided to write it in March 1994. This gave us the possibility of essentially improving the initial versions of many parts of it. Even if the two authors are different in style and approach, every effort has been made to hide the differences. Let 0 denote the set of irrationals in I = [0,1]. Define the (reg ular) continued fraction transformation T by T (w) = fractional part of n 1/w, w E O. Write T for the nth iterate of T, n E N = {O, 1, ... }, n 1 with TO = identity map. The positive integers an(w) = al(T - (W)), n E N+ = {1,2*** }, where al(w) = integer part of 1/w, w E 0, are called the (regular continued fraction) digits of w. Writing . for arbitrary indeterminates Xi, 1 :::; i :::; n, we have w = lim [al(w),*** , an(w)], w E 0, n--->oo thus explaining the name of T. The above equation will be also written as w = lim [al(w), a2(w),***], w E O.

This book provides a pedagogical examination of the way in which stochastic models are encountered in applied sciences and techniques such as physics, engineering, biology and genetics, economics and social sciences. It covers Markov and semi-Markov models, as well as their particular cases: Poisson, renewal processes, branching processes, Ehrenfest models, genetic models, optimal stopping, reliability, reservoir theory, storage models, and queuing systems. Given this comprehensive treatment of the subject, students and researchers in applied sciences, as well as anyone looking for an introduction to stochastic models, will find this title of invaluable use.