All Questions
12 questions
34
votes
2
answers
2k
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Does iterating a certain function related to the sums of divisors eventually always result in a prime value?
Let define the following function for integers (from 2): $f(x)=\sigma(x)-1$, where $\sigma$ is the sum of the divisors of $x$.
For example $f(6)=6+3+2=11$, $f(5)=5$.
Note that $x$ is a fixed point for ...
- 337
32
votes
2
answers
2k
views
A Collatz-like problem on prime numbers
Consider the function $f$ on the prime numbers defined by $$ f(p):= \text{ the greatest prime factor of } 2p+1.$$ The iteration of $f$ from any prime $p<10^8$ converges to the cycle $$(3,7,5,11,23,...
31
votes
4
answers
2k
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A Collatz-like function that bifurcates on primes
This is likely piling one mystery on another, but ...
I was exploring a function $f(n): \mathbb{N} \mapsto \mathbb{N}$ defined as follows:
$$
f(n) =
\begin{cases}
n^2 & \text{if} \;n \;\text{is ...
- 151k
21
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Prime factorization "demoted" leads to function whose fixed points are primes
Let $n$ be a natural number whose prime factorization is
$$n=\prod_{i=1}^{k}p_i^{\alpha_i} \; .$$
Define a function $g(n)$ as follows
$$g(n)=\sum_{i=1}^{k}p_i {\alpha_i} \;,$$
i.e., exponentiation is "...
- 151k
10
votes
1
answer
315
views
Fixpoints of $m\longmapsto \mathrm{rad}(\phi(m^2))$ under iteration
Given a strictly positive integer $m$ let $\alpha(m)=\mathrm{rad}(m\phi(m))$
be the radical (product of all distinct prime divisors) of the product of $m$ and of Euler's totient function $\phi(m)=m\...
- 17.9k
9
votes
3
answers
591
views
subtracting greatest possible prime
Let $A$ be a set of positive integers, $\min A:=a_0$. For $x\geq a_0$ define $f(x)=x-a$, where $a\leq x$, $a\in A$ is the maximal possible. Then for a positive integer $x$ the iterations $x$, $f(x)$, $...
- 109k
7
votes
1
answer
424
views
Naturally occuring counting process with a 1/log asymptotics?
Besides prime numbers, is there another physically realizable counting process that exhibits a 1/log density ? The reason I am posting this question is that we are measuring the response of a quantum ...
- 79
6
votes
0
answers
448
views
Are there always at least *five* divisions?
@JosephO'Rourke asked a question about a Collatz like function related to primes:
$f(n) =
\begin{cases}
n^2 & \text{if} \;n \;\text{is prime} \\
\lfloor n/2 \rfloor & \text{if} \;n \;\text{...
- 1,375
5
votes
4
answers
2k
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How do these primes jump?
Update 2017.08.28: I am still looking for references. I have posted a request to https://cs.stackexchange.com/q/79971 which includes some literature references I found which are of interest but still ...
- 13k
2
votes
2
answers
395
views
About consecutive integers covered by arithmetic progressions
Help me please to solve the following problem.
There are $n$ arithmetic progressions of the form:
$$(2i+1)k + x_i,~~~~ i = 1,\ldots,n, k \geq 0$$
Initial integer terms $x_i \geq 0$ are varying.
...
- 267
2
votes
1
answer
515
views
On comparing two almost injective divisor maps
Edit 2018.08.08 This answer https://mathoverflow.net/a/307881 will be updated to give recent information about S, especially a forthcoming preprint. End Edit 2018.08.08
In an introductory post on ...
- 13k
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Implication for cycles (of some length $m$) in Collatz-type problems: typical ratio between largest and smallest element?
Background
Consider Collatz-type problems of the form $an + 1$, where $a > 2$ is a positive, odd integer (e.g., $3n + 1$, $5n +1 $, $7n + 1$, etc.). For convenience, automatically divide by two.
...