Related papers: Variations on a Theme of Collatz
This paper explores special conditions on the starting value of a Collatz sequence which imply that the Collatz conjecture is true. This is the result of the collaboration of a retired mathematics professor (Koelzer) and a retired physics…
In the present paper, we are interested in classifying of Collatz sequences on based to the different behavior of these sequences when their lengths tend to infinity. A Collatz infinite sequence can be defined as an infinite ordered set of…
The scope of the present work is to explain why it is true that all N have a distinct position in The Collatz Tree (The Collatz Graph)
It is well known that the Collatz Conjecture can be reinterpreted as the Collatz Graph with root vertex 1, asking whether all positive integers are within the tree generated. It is further known that any cycle in the Collatz Graph can be…
This work represents an in-depth study of the structural behavior of the Collatz sequences. We consider a finite arithmetic progression with a common difference is 2 and the number of terms in the sequence is equal to 2^n . After, we…
The evolution, as functions of the "ticking time" $\ell =0,1,2,...$, of the solutions of the system of $N$ quadratic recursions \begin{eqnarray*} x_{n}\left( \ell +1\right) =c_{n}+\sum_{m=1}^{N}\left[ C_{nm}x_{m}\left( \ell \right) \right]…
The Collatz problem with $3x+k$ is revisited. Positive and negative limit cycles are given up to k=9997 starting with $x_0=-2\cdot10^7...+2\cdot10^7$. A simple relation between the probability distribution for the Syracuse iterates for…
The Collatz variations pattern seems not to have any recurrence relation between numbers. But knowing that there is at least a natural number that converges after several iterations we construct a function $f_{X,Y}$ that is equal to the…
The Collatz conjecture (also known as the $3x+1$ problem) concerns the behavior of the discrete dynamical system on the positive integers defined by iteration of the so-called $3x + 1$ function. We investigate analogous dynamical systems in…
In this paper; we prove that all sequences can be broken up in cycles. Each cycle follows the same pattern: 1) Upward trajectory. Odd and even numbers alternate until the cycle reaches an upper bound 2) Downward trajectory. Two or more…
We prove a conjecture that classifies exceptional numbers. This conjecture arises in two different ways, from cryptography and from coding theory. An odd integer $t\geq 3$ is said to be exceptional if $f(x)=x^t$ is APN (Almost Perfect…
In this work, we introduce another extension U of the 3n+1 function to the real line. We propose a conjecture about the U-trajectories that generalizes the famous 3n+1 (or Collatz) conjecture. We then prove our main result about the…
Pairs of consecutive integers have the same height in the Collatz problem with surprising frequency. Garner gave a conjectural family of conditions for exactly when this occurs. Our main result is an infinite family of counterexamples to…
This paper introduces prime holdout problems, a problem class related to the Collatz conjecture. After applying a linear function, instead of removing a finite set of prime factors, a holdout problem specifies a set of primes to be…
The 3x+1 problem concerns iteration of the map T(n) =(3n+1)/2 if n odd; n/2 if n even. The 3x +1 Conjecture asserts that for every positive integer n>1 the forward orbit of n includes the integer 1. This paper is an annotated bibliography…
It is shown that every Collatz sequence $C(s)$ consists only of same structured finite subsequences $C^h(s)$ for $s\equiv9\ (mod\ 12)$ or $C^t(s)$ for $s\equiv3,7\ (mod\ 12)$. For starting numbers of specific residue classes ($mod\…
Let $T$ be the map defined on $\N=\{1,2,3, ...\}$ by $T(n) = \frac{n}{2} $ if $n$ is even and by $T(n) = \frac{3n+1}{2}$ if $n$ is odd. Consider the dynamical system $(\N, 2^{\N}, T,\mu)$ where $\mu$ is the counting measure. This dynamical…
The $3x+1$ Problem asks if whether for every natural number $n$, there exists a finite number of iterations of the piecewise function $$f(2n)=n, \quad f(2n-1)=6n-2, $$ with an iterate equal to the number $1$, or in other words, every…
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 $m \equiv 3 \pmod{4}$ arises uniquely and derive new bounds for…
The Collatz conjecture is explored using polynomials based on a binary numeral system. It is shown that the degree of the polynomials, on average, decreases after a finite number of steps of the Collatz operation, which provides a weak…