One portion of this section that was unclear to me was the end of the Theorem on page 103. It states that r/s=p(sub i)/q(subi). I thought maybe the p and q were distinct primes but then in some of the examples they had p and q not be primes (such as 22/7 as an approximation to pi). I also don't see why they need a sub i attached to them. How are these two numbers related? I also didn't follow how they worked backward on the second to last problem on page 103. The authors started with 12345/11111 and then somehow pulled all these fractions out. I don't know how they did that.
This idea of approximating without a calculator is very intriguing to me. I feel like I am learning all sorts of neat math tricks in this class that, if nothing else, I can use to impress my friends with my non-calculator math skills. I like these continued fractions although I will admit I find them to be a little detached from the rest of the unit. I'll be eager to see how they fit in with the RSA.
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