The Age Game (math challenge)

[Doctor Q]

Where's my error?

It was my error, not yours. I should definitely upgrade my calculation equipment.

It may be quite some time before we have tested all numbers to that range. That makes it more likely that a formal proof will come sooner.

While people may find it convincing that there is no counterexample to the Collatz Conjecture among the numbers 1 through 5000000000000000000, that won't convince pure mathematicians. As an example why, the Mertens conjecture was found to be true for all values up to 100000000000000 (10^14) before it was proven false!

 

[EricNau]

It may be quite some time before we have tested all numbers to that range. That makes it more likely that a formal proof will come sooner.

If it's any consolation, we have over 2 billion years before any star in the universe reaches that age, so we've got some time before this issue becomes of dire importance.

 

[CalBoy]

I must admit, Doctor Q, that this was an interesting bit of math.

My Age: 21 -> 64 -> 32- > 16 -> 8 -> 4 -> 2 -> 1

7 steps for me.

 

[Doctor Q]

From XKCD:

 

[wywern209]

i'm 18. so
18/2 = 9
(9*3) +1 = 28
28/2 = 14
14/2 = 7
(7*3)+1 = 22
22/2 = 11
(11*3)+1 = 34
34/2 = 17
(17*3)+1 = 52
52/2 = 26
26/2= 13
...i give up. i have better things to do.

 

[Doctor Q]

i'm 18. so
18/2 = 9
(9*3) +1 = 28
28/2 = 14
14/2 = 7
(7*3)+1 = 22
22/2 = 11
(11*3)+1 = 34
34/2 = 17
(17*3)+1 = 52
52/2 = 26
26/2= 13
...i give up. i have better things to do.

Save time - see this post from earlier in the thread.

 

[Tiggs]

Glad I'm not 27 to do the math on it