InfoMod: A visual and computational approach to Gauss' binary quadratic forms
Abstract
InfoMod is a new software and application devoted to the modular group, PSL2(Z). It has algorithms that deals with the classical correspondences among continued fractions, geodesics on the modular surface and binary quadratic forms. In addition the software implements the recently discovered representation of Gauss' indefinite binary quadratic forms and their classes in terms of certain infinite planar graphs (dessins) called carks. InfoMod illustrates various aspects of these forms, i.e. Gauss' reduction algorithm, the representation problem of forms, ambiguous and reciprocal forms. It can be used as an educational tool, and might be used to explore some new facts about these objects.
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