1-2-3 In Action
Pick a number, any number. It can be a single digit or a string. Just make sure to include zero as an even number. Count the number of even digits, the number of odd digits, and then the total number of digits. Use the new numbers in the answer and continue the process until it repeats. Guess what happens? 1-2-3 every time. Here are two examples using the digit 6 and the number 547,484 to illustrate:
Number: 6
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 0
Total: 1
New Number: 101
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 2
Total: 3
New Number: 123
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 2
Total: 3
Sequence: 1-2-3
Number: 547484
Number of evens: 4
Number of odds: 2
Total: 6
New Number: 426
Number of evens: 3
Number of odds: 0
Total: 2
New Number: 302
Number of evens: 2
Number of odds: 1
Total: 3
New Number: 213
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 2
Total: 3
New Number: 123
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 2
Total: 3
Sequence: 1-2-3
Not a crazy enough example to convince you? How about a number along the lines of 78,235,647,901,445,933? Even this huge number succumbs to the power of one, two, three.
Number: 78235647901445933
Number of evens: 7
Number of odds: 10
Total: 17
New Number: 71017
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 4
Total: 5
New Number: 145
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 2
Total: 3
New Number: 123
Number of evens: 1
Number of odds: 2
Total: 3
Sequence: 1-2-3