Pick a natural number n<100
Rewrite the number n = 10T + U, where U is the unit's digit and T is the ten's digit
The next number segment in the caterpillar number is 4U+T
Repeat using your new result as n
The caterpillar number ends when its "head" equals its "tail"
The chain of numbers becomes a caterpillar number of Type B.
For example, two caterpillar numbers of this type are 12-9-36-27-30-3-12-9 and 6-24-18-33-15-21-6.
Some Questions To Explore:
- Are all such caterpillar numbers finite in length?
- What is the shortest caterpillar number you can find? Longest?
- Is there a pattern formed by caterpillar numbers of the same length?
- Is there an "even-odd-even...odd..." caterpillar number?
- What is special about the number 13?
- What happens if you try initial n-values greater than 100?
- What are caterpillar numbers of Type A....see the previous problem in the Archive?
Extension: Expand your exploration by trying 2U+T, 3U+T, 5U+T, etc....
Some Trivia: The diagram is part of a fabric called "Caterpillar Numbers," available on-line.
Source: J.M. (Bellingham)...who loves to explore number patterns.
Hint: Again, you just need to play with this pattern. No real "answer" is the goal....rather the goal is the discovery process itself.
Solution Commentary: Send me your discoveries....I am prepared to include them as part of this commentary.
I am especially interested in proofs or arguments relative to the special nature of 13 and the generalization to n>100 or for the rule pU+t for p a natutal number.
