Question 15
For any integer $n \geq 2$, we compute the integer $h(n)$ by applying the following procedure to its decimal representation. Let $r$ be the rightmost digit of $n$.
(1) If $r=0$, then the decimal representation of $h(n)$ results from the decimal representation of $n$ by removing this rightmost digit 0 .
(2) If $1 \leq r \leq 9$ we split the decimal representation of $n$ into a maximal right part $R$ that solely consists of digits not less than $r$ and into a left part $L$ that either is empty or ends with a digit strictly smaller than $r$. Then the decimal representation of $h(n)$ consists of the decimal representation of $L$, followed by two copies of the decimal representation of $R-1$. For instance, for the number $n=17,151,345,543$, we will have $L=17,151, R=345,543$ and $h(n)=17,151,345,542,345,542$.
Prove that, starting with an arbitrary integer $n \geq 2$, iterated application of $h$ produces the integer 1 after finitely many steps.
(1) If $r=0$, then the decimal representation of $h(n)$ results from the decimal representation of $n$ by removing this rightmost digit 0 .
(2) If $1 \leq r \leq 9$ we split the decimal representation of $n$ into a maximal right part $R$ that solely consists of digits not less than $r$ and into a left part $L$ that either is empty or ends with a digit strictly smaller than $r$. Then the decimal representation of $h(n)$ consists of the decimal representation of $L$, followed by two copies of the decimal representation of $R-1$. For instance, for the number $n=17,151,345,543$, we will have $L=17,151, R=345,543$ and $h(n)=17,151,345,542,345,542$.
Prove that, starting with an arbitrary integer $n \geq 2$, iterated application of $h$ produces the integer 1 after finitely many steps.