Lattice paths on snake graphs for q-deformed rationals

Source abstract

We give an elementary, straightforward proof of Ovenhouse's interpretation of the denominator and the numerator of a (right) q-deformed rational in terms of weighted lattice paths on a ''snake graph'', and we give an analogous result for the left q-deformed rational introduced by Bapat, Becker, and Licata. The key ingredient is a simple formula for the q-deformation of the matrix of the composition of two homographies of the form z $\rightarrow$ a + 1/z.