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MONOTONIC COLLATZ SUBSEQUENCES WITH TERMS CONGRUENT MODULO A FIXED POWER OF TWO

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2025

W. E. LONGSTAFF*
Affiliation:
702/106 Pacific Parade, Bilinga, Queensland 4225, Australia

Abstract

A class of sequences called L-sequences is introduced, each one being a subsequence of a Collatz sequence. Every ordered pair $(v,w)$ of positive integers determines an odd positive integer P such that there exists an L-sequence of length n for every positive integer n, each term of which is congruent to P modulo $2^{v+w+1}$. The smallest possible initial term of such a sequence is described. If $3^v>2^{v+w}$ the L-sequence is increasing. Otherwise, it is decreasing, except if it is the constant sequence P. A central role is played by Bezout’s identity.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Australian Mathematical Publishing Association Inc.

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