SOME PROPERTIES OF THE 3 n 1 FUNCTION
The author describes some observations on iterations of the Collatz function \(h\) on integers defined by \(h(n):=3n+1\) for even \(n\), \(h(n):=n/2\) for odd \(n\). Proposition 1 gives simple information concerning the effect of iterates \(h^m\) on numbers with certain termination in their binary representation. To study sequences of iterates \((n,h(n),h^2(n),\ldots)\), the author concentrates on odd numbers, and studies the function \(g\) on odd integers defined by \(g(n):=(3n+1)/2^k\), where \(2^k\) is the highest power of \(2\) dividing \(3n+1\). Let \(g^{-1}(t)\) denote the smallest positive integer in the set of pre-images of \(t\) under \(g\), whenever this set is non-empty. Then \(g^{-1}(t)\) is well-defined if and only if \(t\) is odd and \(\not\equiv 0\bmod 3\). Using ternary representation of integers, the author gives an automata-theoretic representation of \(g^{-1}\). He concludes with some simple observations on iterations of \(g^{-1}\) and, again, binary representations.
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