A367619 a(n) is the most remote positive ancestor of n in the comma-child graph in base 3.

1, 2, 3, 3, 1, 1, 7, 1, 2, 2, 7, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7, 1, 1, 2, 1, 7, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7, 7, 1, 1, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7, 7, 1, 1, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 7

Offset

1,2

Comments

Analogous to A367617, but the calculations are done in base 3.

See A367338 for definitions of comma-child.

The sequence consists entirely of terms in {1, 2, 3, 7}. In particular, two terms, a(3) = a(4) = 3; five terms, a(2,9,10,14,22) = 2; and 490 terms are 7, ending with a(2182). All other terms a(k) are 1, since a(2183..2190) = 1 and 1 <= p(n) - n <= b^2 - 1 (= 8 for base b = 3).

Links

Michael S. Branicky, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..2200

Eric Angelini, Michael S. Branicky, Giovanni Resta, N. J. A. Sloane, and David W. Wilson, The Comma Sequence: A Simple Sequence With Bizarre Properties, arXiv:2401.14346, Youtube

Formula

a(n) is defined as n if A367618(n) = -1, else A367618(A367618(n)).

Prog

(Python)
from functools import cache
from sympy.ntheory.factor_ import digits
def comma_parent(n, base=3): # A367618(n)
    y = digits(n, base)[1]
    x = (n-y)%base
    k = n - y - base*x
    return k if k > 0 else -1
@cache
def a(n):
    cp = comma_parent(n)
    if cp <= 0: return n
    return a(cp)
print([a(n) for n in range(1, 88)])

Crossrefs

Cf. A367338, A367355, A367617, A367618.

Sequence in context: A257451 A209007 A145854 * A097663 A247565 A204259

Adjacent sequences: A367616 A367617 A367618 * A367620 A367621 A367622

Keyword

nonn,base

Author

Michael S. Branicky and N. J. A. Sloane, Dec 20 2023

Status

approved