Collatz Conjecture Trajectory Explorer

The Collatz conjecture — also known as the 3n+1 problem — is one of the most famous unsolved problems in number theory precisely because its rule is so simple: halve an even number, or triple an odd number and add one, and repeat. This simulator computes the exact "hailstone" sequence for a whole batch of consecutive starting numbers and lays them out as parallel 3D chains, with height representing log₂(value) so both tiny dips and enormous spikes stay visible on the same graph. A bright marker races along each chain in real time, color-coded by whether the current step is a halving or a 3n+1 jump, so you can watch dozens of trajectories of wildly different lengths converge to 1 side by side and see firsthand why a rule this simple has resisted proof for nearly a century.