A085785 Start at (2n+1)/4 and iterate the map x -> x*ceiling(x); sequence gives number of steps for denominator to drop to 1 or 2; or -1 if this never happens.

1, 1, 3, 7, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 6, 3, 1, 1, 4, 3, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 1, 5, 3, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 3, 4, 1, 1, 3, 5, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 6, 7, 1, 1, 3, 5, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 5, 3, 1, 1, 5, 3, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 1, 8, 3, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1

Offset: 2

Author

N. J. A. Sloane, Aug 16 2003

Keywords

• nonn

Comments

We conjecture that the denominator always does drop.

Links

• J. C. Lagarias and N. J. A. Sloane, Approximate squaring (pdf, ps), Experimental Math., 13 (2004), 113-128.

Crossrefs

A073341 gives number of steps until reach an integer. Cf. A085817, A085833.