We present an algebraic approach to the Collatz conjecture by studying the topology τf on ℕ induced by the Collatz function f, where the open sets θ ⊂ ℕ satisfy f-1 (θ) ⊂ θ. This topology, known as primal topology, turns τf into a commutative semiring. We prove that the Collatz conjecture holds if and only if τf is local. More generally, we show that any compact primal topology corresponds to a semiring that decomposes as a finite direct sum of certain local semirings and that primal compactness connectedness characterises locality. In addition, we establish that a topological space is not w-R0 if and only if its associated semiring of open sets has a unique maximal ideal such that it is an avoidance ideal of a closed set.
Guale et al. (Wed,) studied this question.