Simplifying/re-expressing a generating function for an integer sequence using Mathematica

Consider the sequence of natural numbers generated by:

$f(n) = 2 n + (-1)^n/2 - 1/2$,

for $n > 0$ and $n \in \mathbb{Z}^+$ (positive integers):

i.e., {1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17, 20, ...}

Inspired by this mathematics question, how would one use FunctionExpand, Simplify, FullSimplify, FindSequenceFunction, various substitution rules, and other Mathematica functions to derive (not confirm) that

$$f(n) = \left\lfloor {4 \over 3} \left\lfloor {3 n \over 2} \right\rfloor \right\rfloor ,$$

where of course $\lfloor x \rfloor$ or Floor[x] (read "floor of $x$") is the greatest integer less than or equal to $x$, or that

$$f(n) = 2n - (n\!\!\!\!\!\!\mod2)?$$

If an over-complicated solution suffice...

f[n_] := Floor[4/3*Floor[3/2*n]]
Table[{k, Simplify[f[3*2*m + k], m \[Element] Integers] /.
m -> (n - Mod[n, 3*2])/6}, {k, 0, 5}];


Where the second line we are just changing m=3*2*m + k, with k a number between 0 and 5.

FullSimplify[InterpolatingPolynomial[%, Mod[n, 3*2]], n \[Element] Integers]


Next, we interpolate the result in k, which is basically Mod[n, 3*2] and simplify.

We arrive at this beauty:

2 n - 1/15 (Mod[n, 6] - 4) (Mod[n, 6] - 2) Mod[n, 6] (Mod[n, 6] (2 Mod[n, 6] - 13) + 16)


Which can be numerically tested, and it gives the same result as the original f[n].

My approach (lame) works with any function of this kind and the end result is absurdly complex.

BTW, this function remembers me Collatz...

• Thanks @T.F. This is a reasonable approach, but as you found a bit incomplete. I was hoping there might be some substitution rules that led to the curious "floor-floor" functionality. Worth an up-vote, but (as you noted), surely not an acceptance as a solution. Moreover, you (basically) confirmed the answer, since you started with the floor-floor function—not derived the answer (as my question requests). My function is monotonic; Collatz is non-monotonic. – David G. Stork Jul 10 '17 at 23:09
• Dummy me... I copied the wrong function definition... It was supposed to be: f[n_] := 2 n + (-1)^n/2 - 1/2 Table[{k, Simplify[f[6 m + k], m [Element] Integers] /. m -> 1/6 (n - Mod[n, 6])}, {k, 0, 5}]; FullSimplify[InterpolatingPolynomial[%, Mod[n, 6]], n [Element] Integers] /. Mod[n, 6] -> n - 6 Floor[n/6] // Simplify – T.F Jul 10 '17 at 23:30
• Feel free to edit your answer. – David G. Stork Jul 10 '17 at 23:38