The Simple Collatz Representation Conjecture

A.N.
24/08/2013

Rsum
In this paper we will introduce a minor concept called a simple Collatz representation then we will briey state a conjecture concerning the
representation

Introduction : The Collatz Representation

The Collatz (or 3n+1 or Syracuse) Conjecture states that iterating the recurrence

an1 /2
if an1 0 mod 2
an =
3an1 + 1
if an1 1 mod 2
always return to 1 for positive a0 .
Now suppose that a number obeys the Collatz conjecture e.g 75. If we write
all the calculations in a single equation we obtain
3(

3(

3(75)+1
)+1
2
22

28

)+1

=1

Now rewriting 75 as the subject of the equation we obtain a collatz representation of 75 :

11
2 0
1 1
0 3
75 =

3 (2 ) 3 (2 ) 3 (2 )
33

Notice that the powers of 2 strictly increase as the powers of 3 decrease, the
greatest power of 3 in the numerator is one less than in the denominator and
the powers of 3 decrease by 1 to 0. If you are already familiar to the subject you
will also notice that the index of 2 at the beginning of the formula is the total
number of halving steps (divisions by 2) and the index of 3 is the total number
of tripling steps (multiplications by 3).
For the sake of simplicity from now on we will use the following notation to
denote the Collatz representation ,using the indice of 2. So 75 will be written as
75 =

211 32 (20 ) 31 (21 ) 30 (23 )

{0,1,3} h =11
33

with the halving step written separately from the rest with a valuable reason
which will be seen later on. The number of digits in brackets will be called
the length and is equal to the number of tripling steps. Powers of 2 will be
denoted by an empty bracket e.g 2n {} h = n . So powers of 2 have a
length of 0. A number can have more than one Collatz representations. For
1

instance on reaching 1 in the Collatz sequence of 75, we could multiply by 3 ,

add 1 and divide by 22 to reach one 1, which can be repeated indenitely. So
75 {0, 1, 3, 11} h = 13. Note that some( ?) negative numbers also have a
Collatz representation e.g 27 = {0, 8} h = 4
A number which obeys the Collatz conjecture will have a Collatz representation and vice-versa. If the Collatz representation has the smallest length we can
derive the original Collatz sequence of that number. The paper will now state
an interesting conjecture on the Collatz representation.

The Simple Collatz Representation Conjecture

We can ask ourselves the question : given a Collatz representation without

the halving step, can we nd h such that the Collatz representation "represents"
an integer ? e.g For {0, 1, 2} can we nd h, such that the representation is an
integer i.e can we nd h such that the following expression is an integer ?
2h 32 (20 ) 31 (21 ) 30 (22 )
33

h = 12 mod (18) in our case.

We will call simple Collatz representations all representations of the type
{x1 , x2 , ...., xn1 , xn } such that
x1 = 0
xi+1 = xi + 1 for 1 i < n 1
xn can be any number greater than xn1

E.g {0,1,4} is a simple Collatz representation of length 3. {0,1,2,9} is a simple

Collatz representation of length of 4. {0,1,2,3,13} is a simple Collatz representation of length of 5.

The Simple Collatz Representation Conjecture : 1) If we group

the simple Collatz representations with respect to length (for lengths greater
or equal to 3) and such that the last digits have the same parity, then there
exist at least one polynomial modulo 2(3length1 ) which gives the halving step
h modulo 2(3length1 ) , such that the Collatz representation is an integer.
2)There are innitely many h's modulo 2(3length1 ) for a specic Collatz
representation such that it "represents" is an integer.
3)The number of dierent polynomials for each length and parity (disregarding modulo 2(3length1 )) is equal to 2(3length4 )for length 4 and 1 for
length=3. The degree of the respective polynomials is equal to length - 2.
Example 1 : For {0,1,even}, polynomial is h= 8n+4. For simplicity and to
avoid fractions we'll give it in this form where n represents the nth even number
> xn1 .

.
{0,1,2}
{0,1,4}
{0,1,6}
{0,1,8}
{0,1,10}
{0,1,12}
{0,1,14}
{0,1,16}
{0,1,18}
{0,1,20}
{0,1,22}
{0,1,24}
{0,1,26}
{0,1,28}
{0,1,30}

n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

h (mod 18)
12
2
10
0
8
16
6
14
4
12
2
10
0
8
16

Integer
151
-1
35
-10
-29
2275
-605
-1821
-9709
-38685
-155345
-621341
-2485514
-9942045
-39765789

For {0,1,odd}, polynomial will be h = 14n+15

.
n h (mod 18)
Integer
{0,1,3}
1
11
75
{0,1,5}
2
7
3
{0,1,7}
3
3
-5
{0,1,9}
4
17
4835
{0,1,11} 5
13
227
{0,1,13} 6
9
-285
{0,1,15} 7
5
-1213
{0,1,17} 8
1
-4855
{0,1,19} 9
15
-18205
{0,1,21} 10
11
-77597
{0,1,23} 11
7
-310685
{0,1,25} 12
3
-1242757
{0,1,27} 13
17
-4966173
{0,1,29} 14
13
-19883805
{0,1,31} 15
9
-79536413
We can see that the h's repeat modulo 2(3length1 ) = 18 and that if b = a +
2(3
) then h of (0,1,b) = h of (0,1,a)+ 2(3length2 ) modulo 2(3length1 ) .
For {0,1,2,odd} we have 2(3length4 ) = 2 distinct polynomials modulo 54
h = 18n2 + 26n + 41 and h = 45n2 + 53n + 41
Example : Find h such that
length2

2h 33 (20 ) 32 (21 ) 3(22 ) 23

34

is an integer ? x=3 is the n = 1 odd number after 2. Therefore h = 18 + 26 +

41 = 85. Or using mod 54 we also get h = 31 Indeed we have :
231 33 (20 ) 32 (21 ) 3(22 ) 23
= 26512143
34

and
285 33 (20 ) 32 (21 ) 3(22 ) 23
= 477600323798372019637007
34

If we use the other polynomial we should get similar results : For n=1 , h=
45+53 + 41 = 139 85 31 (mod 54)
For {0,1,2,even} we have h = 9n2 + 23n + 52 and h = 36n2 + 50n + 52
Now since the number of unique polynomials increases exponentially with the
length of each simple Collatz representation, it would be unrealistic to represent
them all in written form , e.g for length=10, there are 1458 unique polynomials
for even and 1458 unique polynomials for odds. So we will represent them in a
compact form below :
length
3

Parity
even

No of poly
1

odd

even

odd

even

odd

even

18

odd

18

Coecients of
n1
n0
n1
n0
n2
n1
n0
n2
n1
n0
n3
n2
n1
n0
n3
n2
n1
n0
n4
n3
n2
n1
n0
n4
n3
n2
n1
n0

:8
:4
: 14
: 15
: 9 + 27c1
: 23 + 27c1
: 52
: 18 + 27c1
: 26 + 27c1
: 41
: 9 + 27c1
: 72 + 81c2
: 125 + 135c1 + 81c2
: 42
: 18 + 27c1
: 9 + 81c2
: 113 + 135c1 + 81c2
: 107
: 27 + 81c1
: 18 + 81c2
: 144 + 162c1 + 243c3
: 275 + 243c1 + 405c2 + 243c3
: 270
: 54 + 81c1
: 9 + 81c2
: 99 + 162c1 + 243c3
: 44 + 243c1 + 405c2 + 243c3
: 43

Modulo
18
18
54
54
162

162

486

486

length
7

Parity
even

No of poly
54

odd

54

even

162

odd

162

even

486

odd

486

Coecients of

n5 : 162 + 243C1
n4 : 135 + 243C2
n3 : 90 + 243C3
n2 : 18 + 486C2 + 729C4
n1 : 287 + 1215C1 + 729C2 + 1215C3 + 729C4
n0 : 44
n5 : 81 + 243C1
n4 : 108 + 243C2
n3 : 18 + 243C3
n2 : 63 + 486C2 + 729C4
n1 : 194 + 1215C1 + 729C2 + 1215C3 + 729C4
n0 : 271
n6 : 81 + 243C[1]
n5 : 567 + 729C[2]
n4 : 189 + 243C[1] + 729C[3]
n3 : 18 + 729C[4]
n2 : 2088 + 1701C[1] + 1458C[3] + 2187C[5]
n1 : 3353 + 2187C[1] + 3645C[2] + 2187C[3]+
3645C[4] + 2187C[5]
n0 : 272
n6 : 162 + 243C[1]
n5 : 648 + 729C[2]
n4 : 54 + 243C[1] + 729C[3]
n3 : 90 + 729C[4]
n2 : 666 + 1701C[1] + 1458C[3] + 2187C[5]
n1 : 3446 + 2187C[1] + 3645C[2] + 2187C[3]+
3645C[4] + 2187C[5]
n0 : 1503
n7 : 243 + 729C[1]
n6 : 648 + 729C[2]
n5 : 891 + 729C[1] + 2187C[3]
n4 : 1998 + 729C[2] + 2187C[4]
n3 : 1062 + 729C[1] + 2187C[5]
n2 : 4797 + 5103C[2] + 4374C[4] + 6561C[6]
n1 : 12923 + 10935C[1] + 6561C[2] + 10935C[3] + 6561C[4]+
10935C[5] + 6561C[6]
n0 : 10252
n7 : 486 + 729C[1]
n6 : 81 + 729C[2]
n5 : 1782 + 729C[1] + 2187C[3]
n4 : 189 + 729C[2] + 2187C[4]
n3 : 1233 + 729C[1] + 2187C[5]
n2 : 6462 + 5103C[2] + 4374C[4] + 6561C[6]
n1 : 437 + 10935C[1] + 6561C[2] + 10935C[3] + 6561C[4]+
10935C[5] + 6561C[6]
n0 : 9021

Modulo
1458

1458

4374

4374

13122

13122

length
10

Parity
even

No of poly
1458

10

odd

1458

11

even

4374

11

odd

4374

Coecients of

n8 : 1863 + 2187C[1]
n7 : 486 + 2187C[2]
n6 : 1053 + 2187C[3]
n5 : 3240 + 2187C[2] + 6561C[4]
n4 : 3591 + 2187C[3] + 6561C[5]
n3 : 2691 + 6561C[1] + 8748C[2] + 6561C[4] + 6561C[5] + 13122C[6]
n2 : 954 + 17496C[1] + 15309C[3] + 13122C[5] + 19683C[7]
n1 : 30326 + 13122C[1] + 26244C[2] + 19683C[3] + 26244C[4]+
13122C[5] + 26244C[6] + 19683C[7]
n0 : 14854
n8 : 2025 + 2187C[1]
n7 : 243 + 2187C[2]
n6 : 1863 + 2187C[3]
n5 : 3807 + 2187C[2] + 6561C[4]
n4 : 2241 + 2187C[3] + 6561C[5]
n3 : 6165 + 6561C[1] + 8748C[2] + 6561C[4] + 6561C[5] + 13122C[6]
n2 : 18081 + 17496C[1] + 15309C[3] + 13122C[5] + 19683C[7]
n1 : 11465 + 13122C[1] + 26244C[2] + 19683C[3] + 26244C[4]+
13122C[5] + 26244C[6] + 19683C[7]
n0 : 13169
n9 : 1458 + 6561C[1]
n8 : 3321 + 5832C[1] + 6561C[2]
n7 : 2592 + 729C[1] + 6561C[3]
n6 : 4374 + 1458C[1] + 6561C[4]
n5 : 6399 + 11664C[1] + 6561C[3] + 19683C[5]
n4 : 5724 + 5832C[1] + 6561C[4] + 19683C[6]
n3 : 34758 + 729C[1] + 19683C[2] + 26244C[3] + 19683C[5]+
19683C[6] + 39366C[7]
n2 : 18810 + 52488C[1] + 52488C[2] + 45927C[4] + 39366C[6]+
59049C[8]
n1 : 112796 + 32805C[1] + 39366C[2] + 78732C[3] + 59049C[4]+
78732C[5] + 39366C[6] + 78732C[7] + 59049C[8]
n0 : 105024
n9 : 2916 + 6561C[1]
n8 : 2268 + 5832C[1] + 6561C[2]
n7 : 2997 + 729C[1] + 6561C[3]
n6 : 3888 + 1458C[1] + 6561C[4]
n5 : 19359 + 11664C[1] + 6561C[3] + 19683C[5]
n4 : 8370 + 5832C[1] + 6561C[4] + 19683C[6]
n3 : 5202 + 729C[1] + 19683C[2] + 26244C[3] + 19683C[5]+
19683C[6] + 39366C[7]
n2 : 28656 + 52488C[1] + 52488C[2] + 45927C[4] + 39366C[6]+
59049C[8]
n1 : 23036 + 32805C[1] + 39366C[2] + 78732C[3] + 59049C[4]+
78732C[5] + 39366C[6] + 78732C[7] + 59049C[8]
n0 : 80465

length
12

Parity
even

No of poly
13122

12

odd

13122

13

even

39366

13

odd

39366

Coecients of

n10 : 2025 + 2187C[1]

n9 : 59049C[2]
n8 : 1620 + 13122C[1] + 13122C[2] + 19683C[3]
n7 : 9234 + 6561C[2] + 19683C[4]
n6 : 18792 + 6561C[1] + 13122C[2] + 19683C[5]
n5 : 57915 + 45927C[2] + 19683C[4] + 59049C[6]
n4 : 27810 + 37179C[1] + 52488C[2] + 19683C[5] + 59049C[7]
n3 : 50805 + 65610C[2] + 59049C[3] + 78732C[4] + 59049C[6]+
59049C[7] + 118098C[8]
n2 : 22824 + 118098C[1] + 157464C[2] + 157464C[3] + 137781C[5]+
118098C[7] + 177147C[9]
n1 : 338693 + 177147C[1] + 295245C[2] + 118098C[3] + 236196C[4]+
177147C[5] + 236196C[6] + 118098C[7] + 236196C[8] + 177147C[9]
n0 : 1734
n10 : 2106 + 2187C[1]
n9 : 59049C[2]
n8 : 16119 + 13122C[1] + 13122C[2] + 19683C[3]
n7 : 15552 + 6561C[2] + 19683C[4]
n6 : 18387 + 6561C[1] + 13122C[2] + 19683C[5]
n5 : 25677 + 45927C[2] + 19683C[4] + 59049C[6]
n4 : 37314 + 37179C[1] + 52488C[2] + 19683C[5] + 59049C[7]
n3 : 67401 + 65610C[2] + 59049C[3] + 78732C[4] + 59049C[6]+
59049C[7] + 118098C[8]
n2 : 2772 + 118098C[1] + 157464C[2] + 157464C[3] + 137781C[5]+
118098C[7] + 177147C[9]
n1 : 280466 + 177147C[1] + 295245C[2] + 118098C[3] + 236196C[4]+
177147C[5] + 236196C[6] + 118098C[7] + 236196C[8] + 177147C[9]
n0 : 65659
n11 : 2187 + 6561C[1]
n10 : 5103 + 6561C[2]
n9 : 1944 + 6561C[3]
n8 : 24786 + 39366C[2] + 59049C[4]
n7 : 25758 + 19683C[1] + 39366C[3] + 59049C[5]
n6 : 53136 + 19683C[2] + 59049C[6]
n5 : 18387 + 52488C[1] + 78732C[3] + 59049C[5] + 177147C[7]
n4 : 167481 + 111537C[2] + 59049C[6] + 177147C[8]
n3 : 15156 + 98415C[1] + 170586C[3] + 59049C[5] + 177147C[9]
n2 : 288378 + 354294C[2] + 472392C[4] + 413343C[6] + 354294C[8]+
531441C[10]
n1 : 483128 + 885735C[1] + 531441C[2] + 767637C[3] + 531441C[4]+
885735C[5] + 531441C[6] + 885735C[7] + 531441C[8] + 885735C[9]+
531441C[10]
n0 : 508892
n11 : 4374 + 6561C[1]
n10 : 1458 + 6561C[2]
n9 : 1701 + 6561C[3]
n8 : 8019 + 39366C[2] + 59049C[4]
n7 : 16524 + 19683C[1] + 39366C[3] + 59049C[5]
n6 : 2997 + 19683C[2] + 59049C[6]
n5 : 154872 + 52488C[1] + 78732C[3] + 59049C[5] + 177147C[7]
n4 : 163485 + 111537C[2] + 59049C[6] + 177147C[8]
7
n3 : 145332 + 98415C[1] + 170586C[3] + 59049C[5] + 177147C[9]
n2 : 270360 + 354294C[2] + 472392C[4] + 413343C[6] + 354294C[8]+
531441C[10]
n1 : 803066 + 885735C[1] + 531441C[2] + 767637C[3] + 531441C[4]+
885735C[5] + 531441C[6] + 885735C[7] + 531441C[8] + 885735C[9]+
531441C[10]
n0 : 22147

Comments

Due to the increasing degree of complexity of the calculations, I could not

nd polynomials for other lengths. However I do believe they exist for every
length hence the conjecture. It would also be interesting if these polynomials
could be generated by some sequence or series.
I thank you for reading everything and I hope it was clear enough. Feel free to
contact me at ddanndt@hotmail.com for any feedback ,clarication or suggestions on how I could improve the presentation and limit the jargon.