Congratulations to Soh Yong Sheng from Raffles Institution,
Singapore for this excellent solution.
We have $0 < a < b$ which means $1/a > 1/b$ and so $3 +
1/a > 3 + 1/b$. Flipping over the fraction, we will get 1/(3 +
1/a) < 1/(3 + 1/b) and the inequality remains the same way round
when 2 is added. Flipping over again for the last time we get \[
\frac{1}{2+\frac{1}{3+\frac{1}{a}}} \] is greater than \[
\frac{1}{2+\frac{1}{3+\frac{1}{b}}} \]
The second part is a further expansion of the first, and in the
process of repeating the above we know that it involves just one
more flipping over of the fraction, thus \[
\frac{1}{2+\frac{1}{3+\frac{1}{4 + \frac{1}{a}}}} \] is less than
the same thing with $b$ in place of $a$ as the inequality would be
reversed again.
Lastly the continued fractions are expanded all the way down to
$100 + 1/a$ and $100 + 1/b$. Observe the above process, we can tell
that if the last or biggest number is odd then the continued
fraction with a in it is bigger. If the last or biggest number is
even then the continued fraction with $b$ in it is bigger. Each
successive continued fraction involves one more 'flipping over' and
reverses the inequality one more time. The following continued
fraction is smaller than the same thing with $b$ in place of $a$:
$${1\over\displaystyle 2 + { 1 \over \displaystyle 3+ { 1\over
\displaystyle 4 + \dots + {1\over\displaystyle 99+ {1\over
\displaystyle {100 + {1 \over \displaystyle a}} }}}}}$$
Make a set of numbers that use all the digits from 1 to 9, once and
once only. Add them up. The result is divisible by 9. Add each of
the digits in the new number. What is their sum? Now try some other
possibilities for yourself!