OFFSET
0,2
COMMENTS
This sequence is strictly increasing since the height of number 2*k is one larger than the height of k; it appears to fit a quadratic with respect to exponent n. Through n=27 the maximum values are achieved by odd starting values and most are unique heights. The non-unique exceptions are:
max height start values previous max height
a(5) = 112 54, 55 a(4) = 111
a(7) = 127 231, 235 a(6) = 118
a(24)= 705 31466382, 31466383 a(23)= 704
a(26)= 950 127456254, 127456255 a(25)= 949
Since a(5) = a(4) + 1 and a(26) = a(25) + 1, and since probably many additional such pairs exist, maximum heights cannot be used in showing that A280341 is strictly increasing.
EXAMPLE
a(35) = 1220 is the smallest term having 3 start values achieving maximum height: 63389366646, 63389366647, 64375365601. - Bert Dobbelaere, Feb 13 2021
MATHEMATICA
collatz[n_] := If[EvenQ[n], n/2, 3n+1]
height[n_] := Length[NestWhileList[collatz, n, #!=1&]] - 1
a335569[n_] := Max[Map[height, Range[2^n, 2^(n+1)-1]]]
(* sequence data; long computation times for n >= 22 *)
Map[a335569, Range[0, 27]]
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn,more
AUTHOR
Hartmut F. W. Hoft, Jan 26 2021
EXTENSIONS
a(28)-a(38) from Bert Dobbelaere, Feb 13 2021
STATUS
approved