English

The 3n+1 problem: a partition of interest

Number Theory 2019-08-06 v1

Abstract

A mapping conjugate to the Collatz mapping seems to imply that N={1,2,3,}\N=\{1,2,3,\ldots\} is partitioned in a trivial loop {1}\{1\} and `strings' that are ordered subsets of {N1}\{\N \setminus 1\} that run from an element of {2+3\0}\{2+3\0\} to an element of {3+4\0}\{3+4\0\} (\0=0N\0=0 \cup \N). In particular, this means that all trajectories except for the trivial loop go through an element of {3+4\0}\{3+4\0\} ({5+8\0}\{5+8\0\} for the original mapping). I give reasons for this conjecture. Next, I note that the 3n+1 numbers and the 3n+3 numbers are the only numbers from the generalization 3n+p,p{,3,1,1,3,}3n+p, p \in \{\ldots,-3,-1,1,3,\ldots\} for which such a partition seems to exist. Suspiciously, these are also the only members for which the conjecture (reduction to the trivial loop) seems to hold.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1908.01509,
  title  = {The 3n+1 problem: a partition of interest},
  author = {Maarten J. Wensink},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1908.01509},
  year   = {2019}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-23T10:39:33.679Z