A334226 a(n) is the number of times that the number 3*k+1 from the Collatz trajectory of n is greater than n.

0, 0, 2, 0, 1, 2, 5, 0, 6, 1, 4, 1, 2, 5, 5, 0, 2, 5, 5, 0, 1, 3, 3, 0, 6, 1, 40, 3, 4, 4, 38, 0, 7, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 9, 0, 39, 1, 5, 1, 2, 3, 37, 0, 3, 4, 4, 0, 1, 40, 40, 0, 5, 1, 5, 3, 4, 38, 38, 0, 3, 3, 3, 0, 1, 2, 35, 0, 40, 1, 3, 1, 2, 6, 6, 0, 4, 38, 38, 0, 1, 4, 4, 0, 3, 1, 31, 2, 3, 36, 36, 0, 41, 2, 2, 0

Offset: 1

Author

Hamid Kulosman, May 11 2020

Keywords

• nonn

Comments

The Collatz trajectory of the number n is a sequence starting with n and ending with 1 (obtained for the first time), constructed using even steps k to k/2 and odd steps k to 3*k+1. a(n) is the number of times in the Collatz trajectory of n that the number 3*k+1, obtained after the odd step k to 3*k+1, is greater than n. Alternatively, a(n) represents the number of odd terms in the Collatz trajectory of n that are greater than (n-1)/3. a(1)=0 since the Collatz trajectory of 1 has no steps.

Examples

			The Collatz trajectory of n=3 is 3, (10), 5, (16), 8, 4, 2, 1. It happens twice that the number 3*k+1 in this process is greater than n (those numbers 3*k+1 are in parentheses), so a(3)=2.
		

Links

• Michael De Vlieger, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..10000

Crossrefs

Cf. A006667.

Programs

Mathematica

a[n_] := Block[{c = NestWhileList[ If[ EvenQ@ #, #/2, 3 # + 1] &, n, #>1 & ]}, Length@ Select[ Range[2, Length[c]], OddQ[c[[# - 1]]] && c[[#]] > n &]]; Array[a, 90] (* Giovanni Resta, May 19 2020 *)

PARI

a(n) = my(res=0, cn=n); while(n>1, if(bitand(n,1), n=3*n+1; if(n>cn, res++);, n>>=1)); res \\ David A. Corneth, May 20 2020

Formula

a(n) <= A006667(n). - David A. Corneth, May 20 2020

Extensions

More terms from Giovanni Resta, May 19 2020