Journal of Integer Sequences, Vol. 28 (2025), Article 25.6.8

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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