The Multiplicative Persistence Conjecture Is True for Odd Targets

MaRDI QIDQ6379798zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors Éric Brier, Christophe Clavier, Linda Gutsche, David Naccache

Publication date 8 October 2021

Abstract: In 1973, Neil Sloane published a very short paper introducing an intriguing problem: Pick a decimal integer $n$ and multiply all its digits by each other. Repeat the process until a single digit $Delta(n)$ is obtained. $Delta(n)$ is called the extsl{multiplicative digital root of $n$} or extsl{the target of $n$}. The number of steps $Xi(n)$ needed to reach $Delta(n)$, called the multiplicative persistence of $n$ or extsl{the height of $n$} is conjectured to always be at most $11$. Like many other very simple to state number-theoretic conjectures, the multiplicative persistence mystery resisted numerous explanation attempts. This paper proves that the conjecture holds for all odd target values: Namely that if $Delta(n)in1,3,7,9$, then $Xi(n)leq1$ and that if $Delta(n)=5$, then $Xi(n)leq5$. Naturally, we overview the difficulties currently preventing us from extending the approach to (nonzero) even targets.

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