A programming language whose program is an ordered list of positive rational numbers. Starting with a positive integer, multiply by the first listed fraction that produces an integer, then repeat; halt if none applies. Encoding registers as prime exponents relates this operation to a register machine.
FRACTRAN is a minimalistic programming language invented by mathematician John Conway. It is designed to demonstrate how computation can be implemented using a simple set of rules involving fractions. The primary concept of FRACTRAN is to execute a series of operations on an integer using a list of fractions. The way FRACTRAN works is as follows: 1. You start with a positive integer (usually 1). 2. You have a predefined list of fractions.
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