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The Collatz conjecture is an unsolved number theory problem. We approach the question by examining the divisions by two that are performed within Collatz sequences. Aside from classical mathematical methods, we use techniques of data science. Based on the analysis of 10,000 sequences we show that the number of divisions by two lies within clear boundaries. Building on the results, we develop and prove an equation to calculate the maximum possible number of divisions by two for any given a Collatz sequence. Whenever this maximum is reached, a sequence leads to the result one, as conjectured by Lothar Collatz. Furthermore, we show how many divisions by two are required for a cycle of a specific length. The findings are valuable for further investigations and could form the basis for a comprehensive proof of the conjecture.
The Collatz conjecture is an unsolved number theory problem. We approach the question by examining the divisions by two that are performed within Collatz sequences. Aside from classical mathematical methods, we use techniques of data science. Based on the analysis of 10,000 sequences we show that the number of divisions by two lies within clear boundaries. Building on the results, we formulate and prove several theorems on the occurrence of cycles and the termination of Collatz sequences. The findings are useful for further investigations and could form the basis for a comprehensive proof of the conjecture.