Define X(n), for n >= 1, to be the position of n in A026184. Define Y(n), for n >= 0, to be 2n if n is even, and the nearest integer to 2n/3 if n is odd. Theorem: X(n) = Y(n) for n >= 1. Proof: Starting with A026136 (where a(1)=1), > %N A026136 > for n >= 2, let L=n-[ n/2 ], R=n+[ n/2 ]; > then a(L)=n if a(L) not yet defined, else a(R)=n If n = 2m-1: L = (2m-1)-(m-1) = m. If n = 2m : L = 2m - m = m; R = 2m+m = 3m. So 2m never goes to position a(L)=a(m): 2m-1 or some smaller number fills that slot. In fact 2m -> a(3m), since no smaller number has that R value. Modulo 6: 6m+1 -> a(3m+1) or a(9m+1) 6m+3 -> a(3m+2) or a(9m+4) 6m+5 -> a(3m+3) or a(9m+7) We see that 3m+2 is never a R-index, so 6m+3 -> a(3m+2). That resolves the multiples of 3: 6m -> a(9m), 6m+3 -> a(3m+2). --- Those multiples of 3 define A026184: > %N A026184 a(n) = (1/3)*s(n), > where s(n) is the n-th multiple of 3 in A026136. In A026136, the triples are at positions a(9m+2), a(9m+5), a(9m+8), a(9m+9). (There is no a(0), so I changed 9m to 9m+9.) The corresponding A026136 values are 18m+3, 18m+9, 18m+15, 6m+6, and the (1/3) values (A026184) are 6m+1, 6m+3, 6m+5, 2m+2. So for A026184, a(4m+1) = 6m+1, a(4m+2) = 6m+3, a(4m+3) = 6m+5; a(4m+4) = 2m+2 (and so a(4m) = 2m). --- {X(n)} is the inverse permutation to A026184. Is {Y(n)} also that inverse permutation? The definition of Y(n) formula suggests yes, but let's prove it. If n is even (n=2m): A026184[Y(n)] = A026184[2n] = A026184[4m] = 2m = n. If n is odd (n=6m+{1,3,5}): The nearest integer to 2n/3 = 4m+{1,2,3}. A026184[Y(n)] = A026184[4m+{1,2,3}] = 6m+{1,3,5} = n. QED