Contiguous Relations, Laplace's Methods and Continued Fractions for 3F2(1)

Abstract

Using contiguous relations we construct an infinite number of continued fraction expansions for ratios of generalized hypergeometric series 3F2(1). We establish exact error term estimates for their approximants and prove their rapid convergences. To do so we develop a discrete version of Laplace's method for hypergeometric series in addition to the use of ordinary (continuous) Laplace's method for Euler's hypergeometric integrals.