The Collatz Conjecture

The 3n + 1 Problem

Pick a number. If it's even, divide by 2. If it's odd, multiply by 3 and add 1. Repeat. Mathematicians believe every number eventually reaches 1, no matter how high it climbs!

The Assignment

Your function receives a parameter named start.

1. Initialize a variable steps at 0.
2. Write a while loop that runs as long as start is not 1.
3. In each step:
   • If start is even, set start = start / 2.
   • If start is odd, set start = (start * 3) + 1.
   • Increment your steps tracker.
4. After the loop, print the total number of steps.