The Collatz Conjecture

hat · Feb 1, 2015

I hope this isn't too off topic here... it's not WCG, but it is a BOINC project.

I've installed BOINC on my tablet, and the only project that comes up is Collatz Conjecture. This led to some curiosity about the project. The project apparently is trying to disprove the conjecture, which states that any even natural number can continuously divided by 2, and the odd natural numbers can be multiplied by 3. Increased by 1 and then divided by 2 until you eventually get a result of one.

Why is this a big deal? To me it sounds like something a little kid might do while playing with a calculator. I don't get why this is a thing. How can this conjecture be useful?

Arjai · Feb 5, 2015

Mathematicians spent 385 years solving Fermat's Last Theorem.

The Collatz Conjecture is another mathematical formula that is unproven, since 1937.

So, in the eyes of a Mathematician, it is not little kid stuff.

Math is everything to everything, figuring out the answers to problems is par for the course for Math Heads. You may not care, you don't have to. But it is real, and some very intelligent people, along now with a bunch of computers, have been/ are working hard to solve it.

What does it mean? That is yet to be determined.

/Rant.

Frick · Feb 5, 2015

They're trying to find a counterexample then? The supply of natural numbers is endless, so it might take awhile.

FordGT90Concept · Feb 5, 2015

Tablets don't have much processing power. I suspect Berkley wouldn't let it take up valuable x86 time.

Noobpwner · Feb 5, 2015

Well unless their definition of natural number or odd is diferent than what I have been taught than this conjecture dosent stand on large numbers, I tested on several, one being 652845 and within a few dividing by 2, it started producing decimals. Feel free to check me on this if their definition of natural and odd are weird.

Frick · Feb 5, 2015

Noobpwner said:
Well unless their definition of natural number or odd is diferent than what I have been taught than this conjecture dosent stand on large numbers, I tested on several, one being 652845 and within a few dividing by 2, it started producing decimals. Feel free to check me on this if their definition of natural and odd are weird.

Forgot to multiply by 3 then add 1 I presume. ONce the ouput of a divition produces an odd number, you have to multiply by 3 then add 1.

EDIT: Just got to 1 starting with 652845.

Noobpwner · Feb 5, 2015

Ok, guess I misread the instructions, so every time you reach a odd number u multiply by 3 and than add one than continue?

Frick · Feb 5, 2015

Noobpwner said:
Ok, guess I misread the instructions, so every time you reach a odd number u multiply by 3 and than add one than continue?

Yep.

qubit · Feb 5, 2015

Check out Numberphile on YouTube. You'll love it.

Noobpwner · Feb 5, 2015

I already watch numberphile often but haven't seen their video over this.

qubit · Feb 5, 2015

I'm not sure they have one on it. I'll bet they would love to do one if asked though.

Bow · Feb 5, 2015

I run Seti and WCG when we are not in contest mode.

Arjai · Feb 12, 2015

Bow said:
I run Seti and WCG when we are not in contest mode.

I used to SETI. Then the more I thought about it, I stopped.
1. We are not smart enough, yet, if ever, to be a threat to the rest of the Universe. Therefore, The Aliens that have mastered space travelling, will just keep poking us up the butt, for the fun of it. They will not respond to another, "Hello!" :laugh:

2. I really care about WCG and what they do. I feel like I am contributing, in a good way, to a better planet for all of us.

So, yea. I quit SETI.
More power to 'ya. I prefer my preferences, you your's. Just remember, Mine will always be better. Feel free to look to me for guidance. I hate to see my fellow crunchers lose their way.

hat · Feb 15, 2015

I just don't understand how the Collatz Conjecture could be beneficial, even in the world of mathematics.

Frick · Feb 15, 2015

hat said:
I just don't understand how the Collatz Conjecture could be beneficial, even in the world of mathematics.

Well, it might be one day. Negative numbers were considered useless at one point.

EDIT: I mean the solution could be integral to solve something else which in turn might be used to understand quantum physics better which would be used to construct a working TOE. Or something. You never know.

qubit · Feb 15, 2015

Frick said:
Well, it might be one day. Negative numbers were considered useless at one point.

EDIT: I mean the solution could be integral to solve something else which in turn might be used to understand quantum physics better which would be used to construct a working TOE. Or something. You never know.

Indeed. Gaining knowledge isn't about an immediate "profit", but of expanding mankind's horizons.

System Name	Starlifter :: Dragonfly
Processor	i7 2600k 4.4GHz :: i5 10400
Motherboard	ASUS P8P67 Pro :: ASUS Prime H570-Plus
Cooling	Cryorig M9 :: Stock
Memory	4x4GB DDR3 2133 :: 2x8GB DDR4 2400
Video Card(s)	PNY GTX1070 :: Integrated UHD 630
Storage	Crucial MX500 1TB, 2x1TB Seagate RAID 0 :: Mushkin Enhanced 60GB SSD, 3x4TB Seagate HDD RAID5
Display(s)	Onn 165hz 1080p :: Acer 1080p
Case	Antec SOHO 1030B :: Old White Full Tower
Audio Device(s)	Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro - Bose Companion 2 Series III :: None
Power Supply	FSP Hydro GE 550w :: EVGA Supernova 550
Software	Windows 10 Pro - Plex Server on Dragonfly
Benchmark Scores	>9000

System Name	Bay2- Lowerbay/ HP 3770/T3500-2+T3500-3+T3500-4/ Opti-Con/Orange/White/Grey
Processor	i3 2120's/ i7 3770/ x5670's/ i5 2400/Ryzen 2700/Ryzen 2700/R7 3700x
Motherboard	HP UltraSlim's/ HP mid size/ Dell T3500 workstation's/ Dell 390/B450 AorusM/B450 AorusM/B550 AorusM
Cooling	All stock coolers/Grey has an H-60
Memory	2GB/ 4GB/ 12 GB 3 chan/ 4GB sammy/T-Force 16GB 3200/XPG 16GB 3000/Ballistic 3600 16GB
Video Card(s)	HD2000's/ HD 2000/ 1 MSI GT710,2x MSI R7 240's/ HD4000/ Red Dragon 580/Sapphire 580/Sapphire 580
Storage	?HDD's/ 500 GB-er's/ 500 GB/2.5 Samsung 500GB HDD+WD Black 1TB/ WD Black 500GB M.2/Corsair MP600 M.2
Display(s)	1920x1080/ ViewSonic VX24568 between the rest/1080p TV-Grey
Case	HP 8200 UltraSlim's/ HP 8200 mid tower/Dell T3500's/ Dell 390/SilverStone Kublai KL06/NZXT H510 W x2
Audio Device(s)	Sonic Master/ onboard's/ Beeper's!
Power Supply	19.5 volt bricks/ Dell PSU/ 525W sumptin/ same/Seasonic 750 80+Gold/EVGA 500 80+/Antec 650 80+Gold
Mouse	cheap GigaWire930, CMStorm Havoc + Logitech M510 wireless/iGear usb x2/MX 900 wireless kit 4 Grey
Keyboard	Dynex, 2 no name, SYX and a Logitech. All full sized and USB. MX900 kit for Grey
Software	Mint 18 Sylvia/ Opti-Con Mint KDE/ T3500's on Kubuntu/HP 3770 is Win 10/Win 10 Pro/Win 10 Pro/Win10
Benchmark Scores	World Community Grid is my benchmark!!

System Name	Black MC in Tokyo
Processor	Ryzen 5 5600
Motherboard	Asrock B450M-HDV
Cooling	Be Quiet! Pure Rock 2
Memory	2 x 16GB Kingston Fury 3400mhz
Video Card(s)	XFX 6950XT Speedster MERC 319
Storage	Kingston A400 240GB \| WD Black SN750 2TB \|WD Blue 1TB x 2 \| Toshiba P300 2TB \| Seagate Expansion 8TB
Display(s)	Samsung U32J590U 4K + BenQ GL2450HT 1080p
Case	Fractal Design Define R4
Audio Device(s)	Line6 UX1 + some headphones, Nektar SE61 keyboard
Power Supply	Corsair RM850x v3
Mouse	Logitech G602
Keyboard	Cherry MX Board 1.0 TKL Brown
VR HMD	Acer Mixed Reality Headset
Software	Windows 10 Pro
Benchmark Scores	Rimworld 4K ready!

System Name	BY-2021
Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X (65w eco profile)
Motherboard	MSI B550 Gaming Plus
Cooling	Scythe Mugen (rev 5)
Memory	2 x Kingston HyperX DDR4-3200 32 GiB
Video Card(s)	AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
Storage	Samsung 980 Pro, Seagate Exos X20 TB 7200 RPM
Display(s)	Nixeus NX-EDG274K (3840x2160@144 DP) + Samsung SyncMaster 906BW (1440x900@60 HDMI-DVI)
Case	Coolermaster HAF 932 w/ USB 3.0 5.25" bay + USB 3.2 (A+C) 3.5" bay
Audio Device(s)	Realtek ALC1150, Micca OriGen+
Power Supply	Enermax Platimax 850w
Mouse	Nixeus REVEL-X
Keyboard	Tesoro Excalibur
Software	Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Benchmark Scores	Faster than the tortoise; slower than the hare.

Processor	I7-4790k
Motherboard	Asus Maximus VII Formula
Cooling	Corsair H100i
Memory	16 GB (2 x 8 GB) @ 2400mhz
Video Card(s)	GTX 980
Display(s)	AOC 24in Gsync
Power Supply	1300 W
Mouse	Razer mamba TE chroma
Keyboard	razer black widow chroma

The Collatz Conjecture

hat

Enthusiast

Arjai

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

FordGT90Concept

"I go fast!1!11!1!"

Noobpwner

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

Noobpwner

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

Noobpwner

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

Bow

Arjai

hat

Enthusiast

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

System Name	Quantumville™
Processor	Intel Core i7-2700K @ 4GHz
Motherboard	Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
Cooling	Noctua NH-D14
Memory	16GB (2 x 8GB Corsair Vengeance Black DDR3 PC3-12800 C9 1600MHz)
Video Card(s)	MSI RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming X Trio
Storage	Samsung 850 Pro 256GB \| WD Black 4TB \| WD Blue 6TB
Display(s)	ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQR (4K, 144Hz, G-SYNC compatible) \| Asus MG28UQ (4K, 60Hz, FreeSync compatible)
Case	Cooler Master HAF 922
Audio Device(s)	Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty PCIe
Power Supply	Corsair AX1600i
Mouse	Microsoft Intellimouse Pro - Black Shadow
Keyboard	Yes
Software	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

System Name	SLOW-MO-SHUN III
Processor	AMD RYZEN 9 7950X 4.5ghz 16 Core
Motherboard	MSI MPG X670E Carbon wifi
Cooling	Quench 360 Liquid Cooler
Memory	2x 16GB Kingston Fury Beast DDR 5-5200
Video Card(s)	NVidia GeForce RTX 3090 24 GB GDDR6X
Storage	1TB Kingston NV2 M.2 SSD 2TB 2.5 SanDisk SSD Plus
Display(s)	Asus 28" VP28UQG 4K 3840x2160
Case	Athena M1, 6 Chassis Fans
Audio Device(s)	Onboard
Power Supply	EVGA Super Nova 1000W
Mouse	Razer Deathadder
Keyboard	Razer Ornata
Software	Windows 10 Home 64-Bit