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    Recursion

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    Recursion is a technique for solving problems by breaking them down into smaller subproblems of the same type. Recursive functions call themselves to solve these subproblems. Examples of recursively defined problems include factorials and combinations. A recursive function must have a base case to stop recursion and a general case that calls itself on a smaller input until the base case is reached.

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    Recursion

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    Desada
    16 views12 pages
    Recursion is a technique for solving problems by breaking them down into smaller subproblems of the same type. Recursive functions call themselves to solve these subproblems. Examples of recursively defined problems include factorials and combinations. A recursive function must have a base case to stop recursion and a general case that calls itself on a smaller input until the base case is reached.

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    Problems defined recursively

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    Recursion is a technique for solving problems by breaking them down into smaller subproblems of the same type. Recursive functions call themselves to solve these subproblems. Examples of recursively defined problems include factorials and combinations. A recursive function must have a base case to stop recursion and a general case that calls itself on a smaller input until the base case is reached.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    16 views12 pages

    Recursion

    Uploaded by

    Desada
    Recursion is a technique for solving problems by breaking them down into smaller subproblems of the same type. Recursive functions call themselves to solve these subproblems. Examples of recursively defined problems include factorials and combinations. A recursive function must have a base case to stop recursion and a general case that calls itself on a smaller input until the base case is reached.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 12

    Recursion

    What is recursion?
    • Sometimes, the best way to solve a problem
    is by solving a smaller version of the exact
    same problem first
    • Recursion is a technique that solves a
    problem by solving a smaller problem of
    the same type
    When you turn this into a program, you end
    up with functions that call themselves
    (recursive functions)
    int f(int x)
    {
    int y;
     
    if(x==0)
    return 1;
    else {
    y = 2 * f(x-1);
    return y+1;
    }
    }
    Problems defined recursively
    • There are many problems whose solution
    can be defined recursively
    Example: n factorial

    1 if n = 0
    n!= (recursive solution)
    (n-1)!*n if n > 0

    1 if n = 0
    n!= (closed form solution)
    1*2*3*…*(n-1)*n if n > 0
    Coding the factorial function
    • Recursive implementation
    int Factorial(int n)
    {
    if (n==0) // base case
    return 1;
    else
    return n * Factorial(n-1);
    }
    Coding the factorial function
    (cont.)
    • Iterative implementation
    int Factorial(int n)
    {
    int fact = 1;
     
    for(int count = 2; count <= n; count++)
    fact = fact * count;
     
    return fact;
    }
    Another example:
    n choose k (combinations)
    • Given n things, how many different sets of size
    k can be chosen?

    n n-1 n-1
    = + , 1 < k < n (recursive solution)
    k k k-1
    n n!
    = , 1 < k < n (closed-form solution)
    k k!(n-k)!
    with base cases:
    n n
    = n (k = 1), = 1 (k = n)
    1 n
    n choose k (combinations)
    int Combinations(int n, int k)
    {
    if(k == 1) // base case 1
    return n;
    else if (n == k) // base case 2
    return 1;
    else
    return(Combinations(n-1, k) + Combinations(n-1, k-1));
    }
    Recursion vs. iteration
    • Iteration can be used in place of recursion
    – An iterative algorithm uses a looping construct
    – A recursive algorithm uses a branching structure
    • Recursive solutions are often less efficient, in
    terms of both time and space, than iterative
    solutions
    • Recursion can simplify the solution of a problem,
    often resulting in shorter, more easily understood
    source code
    How do I write a
    recursive function?
    • Determine the size factor
    • Determine the base case(s)
    (the one for which you know the answer)
    • Determine the general case(s)
    (the one where the problem is expressed as a
    smaller version of itself)
    • Verify the algorithm
    (use the "Three-Question-Method")

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