OFFSET
1,3
COMMENTS
The sqrt(2)*x + 1 problem is as follows: start with a number x. If x is even, divide it by 2, otherwise multiply it by sqrt(2) and add 1, and then take the integer part.
Conjecture: the trajectory reaches 1 for all n.
Generalization:
If we consider the "sqrt(3)*x + 1" problem (see A264789), we observe three possible behaviors for such trajectories when n>0:
(i) The trajectory reaches 1 (and enters the "trivial" cycle 2-1-2-1-2...).
(ii) Cyclic trajectory. The trajectory becomes periodic and the period does not contain a 1.
(iii) The trajectory is divergent (I conjecture that this cannot occur).
If we consider the "sqrt(q)*x+1" problem with q>3 but different from 9, we observe divergent trajectories.
LINKS
Michel Lagneau, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..10000
EXAMPLE
a(7) = 6 because 7 -> 10 -> 5 -> 8 -> 4 -> 2 -> 1 with 6 iterations where:
10 = floor(7*sqrt(2)+1);
5 = 10/2;
8 = floor(5*sqrt(2)+1);
4 = 8/2;
2 = 4/2 and 1 = 2/2 is the end of the cycle.
MATHEMATICA
f[n_]:=Module[{a=n, k=0}, While[a!=1, k++; If[EvenQ[a], a=a/2, a=Floor[a*Sqrt[2]+1]]]; k]; Table[f[n], {n, 100}]
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn
AUTHOR
Michel Lagneau, Dec 06 2015
STATUS
approved