Minimum Steps to reach to a Smaller Number in 3n+1/Collatz Process
General Mathematics
2026-01-28 v16
Abstract
We analyze the stopping-time and cycle structure of the normalized Collatz iteration. Using a recursive description of admissible binary sequences, we show that every integer arises uniquely and derive new bounds for the associated stopping and cycle numbers. These bounds imply that as the sequence length increases, while equality is impossible for any finite sequence. Consequently, no finite nontrivial cycle is compatible with the iteration, and the trivial cycle at is the only admissible periodic orbit.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2112.12962,
title = {Minimum Steps to reach to a Smaller Number in 3n+1/Collatz Process},
author = {Daohang Sha},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.12962},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
15 pages, 3 table, 3 figures