May 11, 2025
Science

Why has the ‘Collatz conjecture’, the problem that vexes mathematicians, remained unsolved for years?

  • May 14, 2024
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German mathematician in 1937 Lothar Collatz This problem caused by simple It attracts attention because it is based on an algorithm. This problem explains that all natural numbers

Why has the ‘Collatz conjecture’, the problem that vexes mathematicians, remained unsolved for years?

German mathematician in 1937 Lothar Collatz This problem caused by simple It attracts attention because it is based on an algorithm. This problem explains that all natural numbers greater than 1 can be reduced to 1.

Why such a simple puzzle? cannot be resolved Let’s explore it together.

Let’s first talk about the algorithm of the puzzle.

In this algorithm there is none Naturally number is being taken; If it is even, it is divided by two; if it is odd, it is multiplied by three and added by one. The process is repeated with the new number obtained.

At the end of the process the puzzle should be completed. to number 1 suggests that this is feasible.

Despite these simple rules, the Collatz prediction remained unsolved for decades.

Seniors like Jeffrey Lagarias and Terence Tao mathematicians He made important studies on this problem. This prediction is considered mathematical by many swamp is seen as.

Tao the Mathematician, in part differential large series of numbers by applying techniques from his work on equations Collatz He conducted research to analyze their behavior during the trial. However, as a result of this extensive investigation, the problem could not be resolved.

Besides all this, the Collatz conjecture cannot be proven.

This mathematical puzzle, despite its simple appearance not proven It attracts attention among mathematicians because of its As a result of the analysis, the puzzle is related not only to number theory, but also to number theory chaos theory It turns out that it also has connections with fields such as the foundations of computers.

Why then cannot this prediction be resolved?

Mathematicians often use existing mathematical knowledge and tools to solve this conjecture. fail you can stay they state. Therefore, they believe that devoting too many resources to these processes could potentially lead to excessive time wastage.

However, if this prediction is resolved, it will have important implications in areas such as number theory, chaos theory, and computational theories. claims it could be. The Collatz estimate will thus serve both as a simple educational tool and a gateway to exploring deep mathematical questions.

Sources: Quanta

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