Fraction space revisited (1507.03952v1)

Abstract: Rationals are known to form interesting and computationally rich structures, such as Farey sequences and infinite trees. Little attention is being paid to more general, systematic exposition of the basic properties of fractions as a set. Some concepts are being introduced without motivation, some proofs are unnecessarily artificial, and almost invariably both seem to be understood as related to specific structures rather than to the set of fractions in general. Surprisingly, there are essential propositions whose very statement seem to be missing in the number theory literature. This article aims at improving on the said state of affairs by proposing a general and properly ordered exposition of concepts and statements about them. In addition, historical remarks are made on generating the set of all fractions -- a much older discovery than it is widely believed.