Has anyone here heard of 3x +1

Requests to the Community
1

3x +1 is an equation where you can take any number
if it’s odd multiply by 3 then add 1
if it’s even divide by 2
repeat until you reach the 4 2 1 loop
because 4/2 = 2
2/2 = 1
1x3 +1 =4

please let me know if you’ve heard of this before

2

There’s a Veritasium video about it on Youtube: “The Simplest Math Problem No One Can Solve”.

3

Heh Heh. The most evil conjection.

4

that’s where I learned about it

5

I have heard about this Math Problem (from the Veritasium Video qw23 cited), and I don't understand the importance of it.

Mainly, 3x+1 is a Slope-Intercept Form Graphing equation. However, the original Math Problem states that if x is odd, you multiply by 3 and add 1, and if x is even, you divide by 2.

Wh...what? That's not how Slope Equations work?

6

it’s really confusing
and many have spent their entire lives on it

7

No, no. You input x into 3x+1 and get an answer.

8

Yes

9

I have watched the video

10

So...if x is 2 I get 7. Easy!

11

Hi

12

Some mathematical background
The Collatz conjecture, also known as the 3n + 1 conjecture, is a mathematical conjecture formulated by German mathematician Lothar Collatz in 1937. The conjecture is about a sequence defined as follows:

  1. Start with any positive integer n.
  2. Each subsequent term is obtained from the previous term according to the following rules:
  • If the previous term is even, the next term is one half of the previous term.
  • If the previous term is odd, the next term is 3 times the previous term plus 1.

The conjecture states that no matter what positive integer you start with, the sequence will eventually reach the number 1.

The Collatz conjecture is special and interesting for several reasons:

  1. Simplicity: The conjecture is deceptively simple to state, yet it remains an unsolved problem in mathematics.
  2. Accessibility: The problem is easy to understand, making it accessible to a wide range of people, including students and amateur mathematicians.
  3. Unsolved Status: Despite its simplicity, the Collatz conjecture has not been proven or disproven for all positive integers. Mathematicians have tested it for numbers up to 268 and it holds true, but a general proof is still elusive.
  4. Connections to Other Mathematical Areas: The Collatz conjecture has connections to various mathematical areas, including number theory and dynamical systems. It has inspired research and exploration in these fields.

The Collatz conjecture doesn't have direct practical implications in terms of solving real-world problems or applications. It serves more as a fascinating problem in the realm of pure mathematics, where the goal is to understand the properties and behavior of mathematical structures. The pursuit of a proof for the Collatz conjecture has contributed to the development of mathematical techniques and has led to insights in related areas of study.

(sources: Wikipedia; ChatGPT).

13

Two potentially useless sources, of course. But yes you did get that info correct.
EDIT: By useless I mean they're not very good sources. They CAN potentially be used as sources for, say what you did (explain the Collatz Conjecture) but overall...

14

To be honest if you had an equation like that, where you multiply, add, divide, etc given the previous result, you will eventually reach 1, maybe 0, or maybe a number like THAT.

15

no because 2 is an even number so you would divide it by 2

16

Hello codegang

17

hello
long time no see

18

I have been banned

19

where have you been
you havent posted in awhile

20

why?