Stochastic Models for the 3x+1 and 5x+1 Problems

Abstract

This paper discusses stochastic models for predicting the long-time behavior of the trajectories of orbits of the 3x+1 problem and, for comparison, the 5x+1 problem. The stochastic models are rigorously analyzable, and yield heuristic predictions (conjectures) for the behavior of 3x+1 orbits and 5x+1 orbits.Comment: 68 pages, 9 figures, 4 table