Arithmetics in numeration systems with negative quadratic base

Abstract

We consider positional numeration system with negative base $-\beta$, as introduced by Ito and Sadahiro. In particular, we focus on arithmetical properties of such systems when $\beta$ is a quadratic Pisot number. We study a class of roots $\beta>1$ of polynomials $x^2-mx-n$, $m\geq n\geq 1$, and show that in this case the set ${\rm Fin}(-\beta)$ of finite $(-\beta)$-expansions is closed under addition, although it is not closed under subtraction. A particular example is $\beta=\tau=\frac12(1+\sqrt5)$, the golden ratio. For such $\beta$, we determine the exact bound on the number of fractional digits appearing in arithmetical operations. We also show that the set of $(-\tau)$-integers coincides on the positive half-line with the set of $(\tau^2)$-integers.