A generalization of the Syracuse algorithm in \({\mathbb{F}}_ q[x]\) (Q1821137)

The Syracuse algorithm on the natural numbers is defined by \(T(2n)=n\) and \(T(2n+1)=3n+2\). The Syracuse-Kakutani-Collatz problem is to determine whether successive iterates of T for a given n ultimately terminate (at the value 1) or become cyclic [see, for example, \textit{J. C. Lagarias}, Am. Math. Mon. 92, 3-23 (1985; Zbl 0566.10007)]. The authors consider the following extension of the mapping, T, of \({\mathbb{F}}_ q[x]\) onto itself, the ring of polynomials over a field F of q elements: \(T(f)=(m_ if-r_ i)/d\), if \(f=x_ i\) (mod d), where d belongs to \({\mathbb{F}}_ q[x]\), \(t=\deg d\), \(N(d)=q^{\deg d}\), \(R=\{x_ 1,x_ 2,...,x_{N(d)}\}\) is the complete set of residues mod d, \(m_ i\) in \({\mathbb{F}}_ q[x]\) such that \(\gcd (m_ i,d)=1\) and \(r_ i\) in R are congruent to \(m_ ix_ i\) mod d. The authors present two mappings T and corresponding polynomials which have divergent trajectories, in the sense that \[ \lim_{N\to \infty}card\{K\leq N | \quad T^ K(f)=j\quad (mod d)\}/N \] does not exist.