On the \(3x+1\) problem (Q5906566)

The ``\(3x+1\)''-problem (or ``Collatz''- or ``Hasse''- or ``Syracuse''- or ``Kakutani''-problem) is to prove that for every \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) there exists a \(k\) with \(T^{(k)} (n)=1\) where the function \(T(n)\) takes odd numbers \(n\) to \((3n+1)/2\) and even numbers \(n\) to \(n/2\). This hypothesis is equivalent to the statement that for every positive integer \(y\) there is \(n\) such that \(T^{(n)} (y)<y\). \textit{C. J. Everett} [Adv. Math. 25, 42- 45 (1977; Zbl 0352.10001)] and \textit{R. Terras} [Acta Arith. 30, 241-252 (1976; Zbl 0348.10037)] proved that the asymptotic density of \(\{y\in \mathbb{N}\mid \exists n\) with \(T^{(n)} (y) <y\}\) equals 1. In this paper the author proves in proposition 2 that certain patterns occur when \(T\) operates on the odd residues modulo \(2^ k\), namely: If \(r\) is one of the odd integers, \(1,3,5, \dots, 2^ k-1\), then \[ T^{(k)} (2^ k n+r)= 3^ p n+s, \] where the exponent \(p\in \{1,2, \dots, k\}\) and \(s\in \{1,2, \dots, 3^ p-1\}\). Then he gives some hints how to get the above mentioned result of C. J. Everett and R. Terras. (Remark of the reviewer: His ideas could also be used to show the stronger result recently found by \textit{I. Korec} [Math. Slovaca 44, No. 1, 85-89 (1994; Zbl 0797.11027)] that the asymptotic density of \(\{y\in \mathbb{N}\mid \exists n\) with \(T^{(n)} (y)< y^ c\}\) equals 1 too, where \(c\) is any real number greater than \(\log_ 4 3\) \((=0.79248125\dots)\).) In the definition of \(\theta\) the numbers 2 and 3 have to be changed.