Problem 52422. 3n + 1 Problem (a.k.a The Collatz Conjecture)

Created by Sylvain Boutros

Solve Later

{"parts":[{"partUri":"/matlab/document.xml","contentType":"application/vnd.mathworks.matlab.code.document+xml","content":"<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?><w:document xmlns:w=\"http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main\"><w:body><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:b/><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>The 3n + 1 problem (a.k.a The Collatz Conjecture)</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>Consider the following algorithm to generate a sequence of numbers. Start with an integer n. If n is even, divide by 2. If n is odd, multiply by 3 and add 1. Repeat this process with the new value of n, terminating when n = 1. For example, the following sequence of numbers will be generated for n = </w:t></w:r><w:r><w:rPr><w:b/><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>22</w:t></w:r><w:r><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>:</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>                    </w:t></w:r><w:r><w:rPr><w:b/><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>22 11 34 17 52 26 13 40 20 10 5 16 8 4 2 1</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>For an input n, the cycle-length of n is the number of numbers generated up to and including the 1. In the example above, the cycle length of 22 is 16. Given any two numbers i and j, you are to determine the maximum cycle length over all numbers between i and j, including both endpoints.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:b/><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>Input</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>The input will consist of a series of pairs of integers i and j, one pair of integers per line. All integers will be greater than 0.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:b/><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>Output</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:rFonts w:cs=\"monospace\"/></w:rPr><w:t>For each pair of input integers i and j, output a vector with i, j in the same order in which they appeared in the input and then the maximum cycle length for integers between and including i and j.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"code\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t><![CDATA[% Sample Input                    Sample Output\n% 1 10                            [1, 10, 20]\n% 100 200                         [100, 200, 125]   \n% 201 210                         [201, 210, 89]\n% 900 1000                        [900, 1000, 174]]]></w:t></w:r></w:p></w:body></w:document>","relationship":null}],"relationships":[{"relationshipType":"http://schemas.mathworks.com/matlab/code/2013/relationships/document","target":"/matlab/document.xml","relationshipId":"rId1"}]}

<div style = "text-align: start; line-height: 20.44px; min-height: 0px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, monospace; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none solid rgb(0, 0, 0); white-space: normal; "><div style="block-size: 530px; display: block; min-width: 0px; padding-block-start: 0px; padding-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 407px 265px; transform-origin: 407px 265px; vertical-align: baseline; "><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; font-weight: 700; ">The 3n + 1 problem (a.k.a The Collatz Conjecture)</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 84px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 42px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 42px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; ">Consider the following algorithm to generate a sequence of numbers. Start with an integer n. If n is even, divide by 2. If n is odd, multiply by 3 and add 1. Repeat this process with the new value of n, terminating when n = 1. For example, the following sequence of numbers will be generated for n = </span></span><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; font-weight: 700; ">22</span></span><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; ">:</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; ">                    </span></span><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; font-weight: 700; ">22 11 34 17 52 26 13 40 20 10 5 16 8 4 2 1</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 84px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 42px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 42px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; ">For an input n, the cycle-length of n is the number of numbers generated up to and including the 1. In the example above, the cycle length of 22 is 16. Given any two numbers i and j, you are to determine the maximum cycle length over all numbers between i and j, including both endpoints.</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; font-weight: 700; ">Input</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 42px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 21px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 21px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; ">The input will consist of a series of pairs of integers i and j, one pair of integers per line. All integers will be greater than 0.</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; font-weight: 700; ">Output</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 63px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 31.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 31.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; transform-origin: 0px 0px; "><span style="font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, &quot;Courier New&quot;, monospace; ">For each pair of input integers i and j, output a vector with i, j in the same order in which they appeared in the input and then the maximum cycle length for integers between and including i and j.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247); block-size: 100px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-end-end-radius: 4px; border-end-start-radius: 4px; border-start-end-radius: 4px; border-start-start-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; margin-block-end: 10px; margin-block-start: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-inline-end: 3px; margin-inline-start: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 10px; perspective-origin: 404px 50px; transform-origin: 404px 50px; margin-left: 3px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 3px; "><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10px; transform-origin: 404px 10px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 0px 0px; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="border-block-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-block-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-bottom-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-left-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-right-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-top-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); caret-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); color: rgb(2, 128, 9); column-rule-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; outline-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); text-decoration: none; text-decoration-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); ">% Sample Input                    Sample Output</span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10px; transform-origin: 404px 10px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 0px 0px; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="border-block-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-block-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-bottom-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-left-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-right-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-top-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); caret-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); color: rgb(2, 128, 9); column-rule-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; outline-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); text-decoration: none; text-decoration-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); ">% 1 10                            [1, 10, 20]</span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10px; transform-origin: 404px 10px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 0px 0px; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="border-block-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-block-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-bottom-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-left-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-right-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-top-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); caret-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); color: rgb(2, 128, 9); column-rule-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; outline-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); text-decoration: none; text-decoration-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); ">% 100 200                         [100, 200, 125]   </span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10px; transform-origin: 404px 10px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 0px 0px; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="border-block-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-block-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-bottom-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-left-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-right-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-top-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); caret-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); color: rgb(2, 128, 9); column-rule-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; outline-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); text-decoration: none; text-decoration-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); ">% 201 210                         [201, 210, 89]</span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10px; transform-origin: 404px 10px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 0px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 0px 0px; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="border-block-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-block-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-bottom-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-end-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-inline-start-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-left-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-right-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); border-top-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); caret-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); color: rgb(2, 128, 9); column-rule-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; outline-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); text-decoration: none; text-decoration-color: rgb(2, 128, 9); ">% 900 1000                        [900, 1000, 174]</span></span></div></div></div></div>

The 3n + 1 problem (a.k.a The Collatz Conjecture)
Consider the following algorithm to generate a sequence of numbers. Start with an integer n. If n is even, divide by 2. If n is odd, multiply by 3 and add 1. Repeat this process with the new value of n, terminating when n = 1. For example, the following sequence of numbers will be generated for n = 22:
                    22 11 34 17 52 26 13 40 20 10 5 16 8 4 2 1
For an input n, the cycle-length of n is the number of numbers generated up to and including the 1. In the example above, the cycle length of 22 is 16. Given any two numbers i and j, you are to determine the maximum cycle length over all numbers between i and j, including both endpoints.
Input
The input will consist of a series of pairs of integers i and j, one pair of integers per line. All integers will be greater than 0.
Output
For each pair of input integers i and j, output a vector with i, j in the same order in which they appeared in the input and then the maximum cycle length for integers between and including i and j.
% Sample Input                    Sample Output
% 1 10                            [1, 10, 20]
% 100 200                         [100, 200, 125]   
% 201 210                         [201, 210, 89]
% 900 1000                        [900, 1000, 174]

Solve

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13 Solutions
9 Solvers

Last Solution submitted on Oct 13, 2021

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