Complex numbers can be represented in positional notation using certain Gaussian integers as bases and digit sets. We describe a long division algorithm to divide one Gaussian integer by another, so that the quotient is a periodic expansion in such a complex base. To divide by the Gaussian integer w in the complex base b, using a digit set D, the remainder must be in the set wT(b,D) ∩ ℤ[i], where T(b,D) is the set of complex numbers with zero integer part in the base. The set T(b,D) tiles the plane, and can be described geometrically as the attractor of an iterated function system of linear maps. It usually has a fractal boundary. The remainder set can be determined algebraically from the cycles in a certain directed graph.

Szekeres defined a continuous analogue of the additive ordinary continued fraction expansion, which iterates a map T on a domain which can be identified with the unit square [0, 1]2. Associated to it are continuous analogues of the Lagrange and Markoff spectrum. Our main result is that these are identical with the usual Lagrange and Markoff spectra, respectively; thus providing an alternative characterization of them.

Szekeres also described a multi-dimensional analogue of T, which iterates a map Td on a higherdimensional domain; he proposed using it to bound d-dimensional Diophantine approximation constants. We formulate several open problems concerning the Diophantine approximation properties of the map Td.