Collatz Conjecture - Program To Calculate Hailstone Sequences

Program To Calculate Hailstone Sequences

A specific Hailstone sequence can be easily computed, as is shown by this pseudocode example:

function hailstone(n)
while n > 1
show n
if n is odd then
set n = 3n + 1
else
set n = n / 2
endif
endwhile
show n

This program halts when the sequence reaches 1, in order to avoid printing an endless cycle of 4, 2, 1. If the Collatz conjecture is true, the program will always halt (stop) no matter what positive starting integer is given to it.

Read more about this topic:  Collatz Conjecture

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