Related papers: Iteration Steps of 3x+1 Problem
A structured approach for the Collatz conjecture is presented using just the odd integers that are, in turn, divided into categories based on the roles they play such as Starter, Intermediary and Terminal. The expression 4x+1 is used as a…
It is well known that the following Collatz Conjecture is one of the unsolved problems in mathematics. Collatz Conjecture: For any positive integer $n>1$, the following recursive algorithm will convergent to 1 by a finite number of steps.…
A mapping conjugate to the Collatz mapping seems to imply that $\N=\{1,2,3,\ldots\}$ is partitioned in a trivial loop $\{1\}$ and `strings' that are ordered subsets of $\{\N \setminus 1\}$ that run from an element of $\{2+3\0\}$ to an…
The Collatz Conjecture (also known as the 3x+1 Problem) proposes that the following algorithm will, after a certain number of iterations, always yield the number 1: given a natural number, multiply by three and add one if the number is odd,…
Taking a new approach towards analyzing the Collatz Problem, or, 3x+1 conjecture. Introducing some new functions, the Collatz-2 and Collatz-3 sequences, as well as deducing results related to Collatz-2 and Collatz-3 sequences.
The Collatz conjecture can be stated in terms of the reduced Collatz function R(x) = (3x+1)/2^m (where 2^m is the larger power of 2 that divides 3x+1). The conjecture is: Starting from any odd positive integer and repeating R(x) we…
Take an odd number x >0. Then 3x+1 is even and one can find an integer k> 0 so that y= 3x+1/2^k is again odd. We get in this way the mapping T, Tx=y. The paper contains two theorems describing statistical properties of T. The first…
In this paper, we convert Collatz map into a simple conjugate iterative maps defined in [0,1]. Such maps are more familiar to us and easier to deal with. Some new features of this map are observed by this method. An interesting heuristic…
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…
The 3x+1 Conjecture asserts that the T-orbit of every positive integer contains 1, where T maps x\mapsto x/2 for x even and x\mapsto (3x+1)/2 for x odd. A set S of positive integers is sufficient if the orbit of each positive integer…
In this paper we introduce and discuss the sequence of \emph{real numbers} defined as $u_0 \in \mathbb R$ and $u_{n+1} = \Delta(u_n)$ where \begin{equation*} \Delta(x) = \begin{cases} \frac{x}{2} &\text{if }…
This paper is an overview and survey of work on the 3x+1 problem, also called the Collatz problem, and generalizations of it. It gives a history of the problem. It addresses two questions: (1) What can mathematics currently say about this…
I want to show one possibility to proof the Collatz conjecture, also called 3n+1 conjecture, for any natural number N. For this, I limit my analysis on the direct odd follower of every natural odd number and show the connections between the…
Repeatedly adding or subtracting the digital reversal to or from an integer, depending on which one is larger, can be treated as a dynamical system. On one hand, a three-digit version of this map running only two steps is the 1089…
Paul Erdos claimed that mathematics is not yet ready to settle the 3x+1 conjecture. I agree, but very soon it will be! With the exponential growth of computer-generated mathematics, we (or rather our silicon brethrern) would have a shot at…
The present work focuses on the study of the renowned Collatz conjecture, also known as the $3x +1$ problem. The distinguished analysis approach lies on the dynamics of an iterative map in binary form. A new estimation of the enlargement of…
In the Collatz 3x+1 problem, there are 3 possibilities: Starting from any positive number, we either reach the trivial loop (1,4,2), end up in a non-trivial loop, or go until infinity. In this paper, we shall show that if a non-trivial loop…
Let $T(n)=\left\{\begin{array}{ll}3n+1&(n\hbox{ odd})\frac n2&(n\hbox{ even})\end{array}\right.$ ($n\in\mathbb Z$). We call "the orbit of the integer $n$", the set $$ \mathcal O_n:=\{m\in\mathbb Z\;:\;\exists k\ge0,\ m=T^k(n)\} $$ and we…
We show that infinitely many three-term arithmetic progressions $N, N+d, N+2d$ of powerful numbers exist with $d = 2\sqrt{N} + 1$. We further conjecture that infinitely many of these progressions consist of three consecutive terms in the…
This paper proposes a formula expression for the well-known Collatz conjecture (or 3x+1 problem), which can pinpoint all the growth points in the orbits of the Collatz map for any natural numbers. The Collatz map $Col: \mathcal{N}+1…