Collatz Map Basics

3.3 Linear Decomposition

Definition 97

For \(k, n \in \mathbb {N}\), the accumulated correction term \(Q(k, n)\) of the Terras map is defined recursively by \(Q(0, n) = 0\) and

\begin{equation} Q(k+1, n) = 3^{X(T^k(n))} Q(k, n) + 2^k X(T^k(n)). \end{equation}
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Lemma 98

If \(j \le k\), then \(Q(j, n) \le Q(k, n)\).

Proof

By definition of \(Q(k, n)\) as a sum of non-negative terms.

Lemma 99

\(Q(k+1, n) = Q(k, n) + X(T^k(n))\).

Proof

Immediate from the definition of \(Q(k, n)\).

Lemma 100

For any \(k, n \in \mathbb {N}\), the \(k\)-fold iteration of the Terras map \(T^k(n)\) satisfies the linear identity

\begin{equation} 2^k T^k(n) = 3^{Q(k, n)} n + Q(k, n) \end{equation}
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where \(Q(k, n)\) is the number of odd iterates as defined in Definition 81.

Proof

By induction on \(k\), using the identity \(2 T(m) = 3^{X(m)} m + X(m)\).

This appeared first in Terras (1976) [ 6 ] . See Lemma 109 below for a variant of this formula.

Definition 101

The correction term \(Q(k, n)\) has the closed-form expression

\begin{equation} Q(k, n) = \sum _{j=0}^{k-1} X(T^j(n)) 2^j 3^{Q(k, n) - Q(j+1, n)}. \end{equation}
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Lemma 102

The recursive definition of \(Q(k, n)\) is equivalent to the closed-form sum.

Proof

By induction on \(k\).

Definition 103
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The decomposition coefficient \(C(k, n)\) is the rational number

\begin{equation} C(k, n) = \frac{3^{Q(k, n)}}{2^k}. \end{equation}
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Definition 104
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The correction ratio \(E(j, n)\) is the rational number

\begin{equation} E(j, n) = \frac{Q(j, n)}{2^j}. \end{equation}
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Lemma 105
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\(E(0, n) = 0\).

Proof

Trivial by definition.

Lemma 106
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The ratio \(E\) satisfies the recurrence

\begin{equation} E(k+1, n) = \frac{3^{X(T^k(n))}}{2} E(k, n) + \frac{X(T^k(n))}{2}. \end{equation}
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Proof

By diving the recurrence for \(Q(k, n)\) by \(2^{k+1}\).

Lemma 107

For a fixed parity \(x \in \{ 0, 1\} \), the step map \(a \mapsto \frac{3^x}{2} a + \frac{x}{2}\) is strictly monotone.

Proof

Since \(3^x/2 {\gt} 0\) for \(x \in \{ 0, 1\} \).

If \(E(k, m) = E(k, n)\), then \(Q(k, m) = Q(k, n)\).

Proof

By induction on \(k\).

Lemma 109

Another form of the linear identity is given by:

\begin{equation} T^j(n) = C(j, n) \cdot n + E(j, n). \end{equation}
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Proof

By substituting the definitions \(C(j, n) = 3^{q(j, n)}/2^j\) and \(E(j, n) = Q(j, n)/2^j\) into the linear identity \(2^j T^j(n) = 3^{q(j, n)} n + Q(j, n)\).

Definition 110

The coefficient stopping time \(\tau (n)\) is the smallest \(j \ge 1\) such that \(C(j, n) {\lt} 1\). If no such \(j\) exists, \(\tau (n) = \infty \).