This text investigates the mathematical intersection between the theory of Christoffel words and the classical study of Markoff numbers. Author Christophe Reutenauer, a specialist in combinatorics on words, synthesizes these two domains to demonstrate how the structural properties of Christoffel words provide new insights into the Markoff spectrum and the approximation of real numbers. The work establishes a formal framework connecting symbolic dynamics with quadratic forms and continued fractions.

Experts in the field identify this work as a rigorous, specialized resource for researchers focusing on the intersection of combinatorics on words and number theory. Readers frequently note the high technical density of the prose, which requires significant mathematical maturity to navigate effectively.