collatz_recursive

collatz_recursive, an Octave code which demonstrates recursive programming by considering the simple Collatz 3n+1 problem.

The rules for generation of the Collatz sequence are recursive. If T is the current entry of the sequence, (T is assumed to be a positive integer), then the next entry, U is determined as follows:

1. if T is 1, terminate the sequence;
2. else if T is even, U = T/2.
3. else (if T is odd and not 1), U = 3*T+1;

Although the Collatz sequence seems to be finite for every starting point, this has not been proved. Over the range of starting values that have been examined, a great irregularity has been observed in the number of entries in the corresponding sequence.

The Collatz sequence is also known as the "hailstone" sequence or the "3n+1" sequence.

Licensing:

The computer code and data files described and made available on this web page are distributed under the MIT license

Languages:

collatz_recursive is available in a C version and a C++ version and a FORTRAN90 version and a MATLAB version and an Octave version and a Python version.

Related Data and Programs:

collatz_recursive_test

collatz, an Octave code which computes and analyzes the Collatz sequence (or "hailstone" sequence or "3n+1 sequence");

polpak, an Octave code which evaluates a variety of mathematical functions, polynomials, and sequences, including Bell, Benford, Bernoulli, Bernstein, Cardan, Catalan, Charlier, Chebyshev, Collatz, Delannoy, Euler, Fibonacci, Gegenbauer, Gudermannian, Hermite, Hofstadter, Jacobi, Krawtchouk, Laguerre, Lambert, Legendre, Lerch, Meixner, Mertens, Moebius, Motzkin, Phi, Sigma, Stirling, Tau, Tribonacci, Zernike.

Reference:

1. Eric Weisstein,
   "The Collatz Problem",
   CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics,
   CRC Press, 2002,
   Second edition,
   ISBN: 1584883472,
   LC: QA5.W45.

Source Code:

• collatz_path.m uses recursion to print the path of a Collatz sequence.