On q-Analogs of the 3x + 1 Dynamical System
Kenneth G. Monks
Department of Mathematics
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA 18510
USA
Abstract:
We construct an infinite family of maps on F2[[q]]
that are conjugate
to the famous 3x + 1 map on the 2-adic integers. We identify one such
map that has the further property that the positive integers whose
3x + 1-orbit contains 1 correspond to polynomials via a conjugacy, and
whose polynomial orbits all eventually enter the 2-cycle or one of the
two fixed points. Proving that every positive integer corresponds to a
polynomial via this conjugacy would settle the original 3x + 1 conjecture.
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Received September 20 2025; revised version received November 17 2025.
Published in Journal of Integer Sequences,
November 27 2025.
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