Journal of Integer Sequences, Vol. 28 (2025), Article 25.1.8

On a Family of Solutions to Arithmetic Differential Equations Involving the Collatz Map


Zachary P. Bradshaw
Advanced Processing Branch
Naval Surface Warfare Center
Panama City, FL 32407
USA

Abstract:

The arithmetic derivative is a nonlinear derivation on the positive integers which forms a natural analog of the conventional derivative. While exploring solutions to arithmetic differential equations, we stumbled across a curious pattern in the positive integers for which the arithmetic derivative and the Collatz map commute. Here we report on these empirical findings, and prove several analytical results on the form of such numbers. Among these findings is the existence of a family of semiprime numbers which are mapped by the Collatz function to another semiprime having a sum of prime factors which is half of the original semiprime's. We show that this family of semiprimes solves the commutation problem and that the sum of their reciprocals converges.


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(Concerned with sequences A001248 A001359 A005384 A046132 A376275.)


Received November 15 2024; revised versions received February 9 2025; February 13 2025. Published in Journal of Integer Sequences, February 14 2025.


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