Related papers: Iterations of Quadratic Polynomials over Finite Fi…

The Collatz map is defined for a positive even integer as half that integer, and for a positive odd integer as that integer threefold, plus one. The Collatz conjecture states that when the map is iterated the number one is eventually…

We investigate monogenicity and prime splitting in extensions generated by roots of iterated quadratic polynomials. Let $f(x)\in\mathbb{Z}[x]$ be an irreducible, monic, quadratic polynomial, and write $f^n(x)$ for the $n^{\text{th}}$…

Choose a random degree d poly f with coefficients in a finite field F. We estimate the ultimate period of f under compositional iteration. We also determine the joint distribution of the small cycle lengths in the graph with edges (x,f(x)),…

For a finite field of odd cardinality $q$, we show that the sequence of iterates of $aX^2+c$, starting at $0$, always recurs after $O(q/\log\log q)$ steps. For $X^2+1$ the same is true for any starting value. We suggest that the traditional…

Given a sequence of complex numbers {\rho}_n, we study the asymptotic distribution of the sets of parameters c {\epsilon} C such that the quadratic maps z^2 +c has a cycle of period n and multiplier {\rho}_n. Assume 1/n.log|{\rho}_n| tends…

We consider cubic polynomials f(z)=z^3+az+b defined over the function field C(L), with a marked point of period N and multiplier L. In the case N=1, there are infinitely many such objects, and in the case N>2, only finitely many. The case…

Let $f(x) \in \mathbb{Z}[x]$; for each integer $\alpha$ it is interesting to consider the number of iterates $n_{\alpha}$, if possible, needed to satisfy $f^{n_{\alpha}}(\alpha) = \alpha$. The sets $\{\alpha, f(\alpha), \ldots,…

We study the stopping time of the Collatz map for a polynomial $f \in \mathbb{F}_2[x]$, and bound it by $O({\rm deg} (f)^{1.5})$, improving upon the quadratic bound proven by Hicks, Mullen, Yucas and Zavislak. We also prove the existence…

The subset of quadratic primes {p = an^2 + bn + c : n => 1} generated by an irreducible polynomial f(x) = ax^2 + bx + c over the integers is widely believed to be an unbounded subset of prime numbers. This note provides the details of a…

For a fixed quadratic irreducible polynomial $f$ with no fixed prime factors at prime arguments, we prove that there exist infinitely many primes $p$ such that $f(p)$ has at most 4 prime factors, improving a classical result of Richert who…

If f is a polynomial with integer coefficients and q is an integer, we may regard f as a map from Z/qZ to Z/qZ. We show that the distribution of the (normalized) spacings between consecutive elements in the image of these maps becomes…

Many interesting questions in arithmetic dynamics revolve, in one way or another, around the (local and/or global) reducibility behavior of iterates of a polynomial. We show that for very general families of integer polynomials $f$ (and,…

We give a method of constructing polynomials of arbitrarily large degree irreducible over a global field F but reducible modulo every prime of F. The method consists of finding quadratic f in F[x] whose iterates have the desired property,…

We show that for each positive integer $a$ there exist only finitely many prime numbers $p$ such that $a$ appears an odd number of times in the period of continued fraction of $\sqrt{p}$ or $\sqrt{2p}$. We also prove that if $p$ is a prime…

If dividing by $p$ is a mistake, multiply by $q$ and translate, and so you'll live to iterate. We show that if we define a Collatz-like map in this form then, under suitable conditions on $p$ and $q$, almost all orbits of this map attain…

Two conjectures are presented. The first, Conjecture 1, is that the pushforward of a geometric distribution on the integers under $n$ Collatz iterates, modulo $2^p$, is usefully close to uniform distribution on the integers modulo $2^p$, if…

We study the ``approximate squaring'' map f(x) := x ceiling(x) and its behavior when iterated. We conjecture that if f is repeatedly applied to a rational number r = l/d > 1 then eventually an integer will be reached. We prove this when…

For a polynomial $f(X)=AX^d+C \in \mathbb{F}_p[X]$ with $A\neq 0$ and $d\geq 2$, we prove that if $d\;|\;p-1$ and $f^i(0)\neq f^j(0)$ for $0\leq i<j\leq N$, then $\#f^N(\mathbb{F}_p) \sim \frac{2p}{(d-1)N},$ where $f^N$ is the $N$-th…

We consider the distance to the nearest integer of f(p), where f is a quadratic polynomial with irrational leading coefficient. This distance is very small as a function of p, for infinitely many primes p. We give a 14% improvement in the…

We have known that most sequences in $\mathcal{M}=\{1,2,\dots, M\}$ with length $n$ will miss $Me^{-\lambda}$ of the total numbers of $\{1,2,\dots,M\}$ as the ratio $n/M$ tends to $\lambda$. Now we consider a more general case where the…