Structure and growth of $\mathbb{R}$-bonacci words (2310.01213v3)

Abstract: A binary word is called $q$-decreasing, for $q>0$, if every of its length maximal factors of the form $0^a1^b$, $a>0$, satisfies $q \cdot a > b$. We bijectively link $q$-decreasing words with certain prefixes of the cutting sequence of the line $y=qx$. We show that the number of $q$-decreasing words of length $n$ grows as $\Phi(q)^{n} C_q $ for some constant $C_q$ which depends on $q$ but not on $n$. We demonstrate that $\Phi(1)$ is the golden ratio, $\Phi(2)$ is equal to the tribonacci constant, $\Phi(k)$ is $(k+1)$-bonacci constant. Furthermore, we prove that the function $\Phi(q)$ is strictly increasing, discontinuous at every positive rational point, exhibits a fractal structure related to the Stern--Brocot tree and Minkowski's question mark function.