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From: jwp@sdchema.UUCP (John Pierce)
Newsgroups: net.math
Subject: Number theory question
Message-ID: <884@sdchema.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Oct-83 16:09:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdchema.884
Posted: Wed Oct  5 16:09:08 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Oct-83 10:00:50 EDT
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Chemistry Dept. Administration
Lines: 16

The alogrithm:	1)  Select an integer 'X'
		2)  If X is even, X = X/2 else X = 3X + 1
		3)  Iterate step 2 with the new value of X

The conjecture is that for all integers the alogrithm will eventually
generate the sequence "4 2 1" (which cycles).

Examples:  X = 6, 3, 10, 5, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2, 1 ...
	   X = 11, 34, 17, 52, 26, 13, 40, 20, 10 ... (as above from 10)
	   X = 51, 154, 77, 232, 116, 58, 29, 88, 44, 22, 11 ... (as above)

Does anyone know the name of this conjecture (I believe it was first proposed
by a Canadian), and whether or not it has been (dis)proven?

			John Pierce, Chemistry, UC San Diego
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