What is a Recursive Function ?

Recursion is the process of defining something

in terms of itself.
A recursive function is one which calls itself.
What is the need for Recursive Functions ?
 Recursive functions are sometimes the simplest answer to a
calculation. However there is always an alternative non-
recursive
solution available too. This will normally involve the use of a
loop, and may lack the elegance of the recursive solution.

 Recursive functions are useful in evaluating certain types of

mathematical function and certain dynamic data structures such
as linked lists or binary trees. Recursion is a very useful way of
creating and accessing these structures.
Recursive Functions Factorial

A:INITIALIZATION: 0!= 1
RECURSION: n != n · (n -1)!

To compute the value of a recursive

function, e.g. 5!, one plugs into the
recursive definition obtaining expressions
involving lower and lower values of the
function, until arriving at the base case.
The Binomial coefficients arise in several
applications:
1) Combinatorics/Probability (n choose
k): C (n,k) = the number of different
groups of size k from an initial group
of size n
2) Algebra:
C (n,k) = coefficient of k th term in the
expansion of the n th binomial power
(x + y )n  n
Commonly used notation: C (n, k )   
k
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
int factorial(int n){
if (n==0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

Compute 5!

L16 6
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}
f(5)=
5·f(4)

L16 7
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}
f(4)= f(5)=
4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 8
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

f(3)= f(4)= f(5)=

3·f(2) 4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 9
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

f(2)= f(3)= f(4)= f(5)=

2·f(1) 3·f(2) 4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 10
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

f(1)= f(2)= f(3)= f(4)= f(5)=

1·f(0) 2·f(1) 3·f(2) 4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 11
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

f(0)= f(1)= f(2)= f(3)= f(4)= f(5)=

1 1·f(0) 2·f(1) 3·f(2) 4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 12
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

1·1= f(2)= f(3)= f(4)= f(5)=

1 2·f(1) 3·f(2) 4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 13
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

2·1= f(3)= f(4)= f(5)=

2 3·f(2) 4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 14
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

3·2= f(4)= f(5)=

6 4·f(3) 5·f(4)

L16 15
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}

4·6= f(5)=
24 5·f(4)

L16 16
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}
5·24=
120

L16 17
 Recursive Algorithms Computer
Implementation
long factorial(int n){
if (n<=0) return 1;
return n*factorial(n-1);
}
Return 5!
= 120

L16 18
public void recursion(int y)
{
if(y>0)
{
System.out.println(y);
recursion(y-1);
System.out.println(y);
}
}
Sample Recursive Function
int func ( int n)
{
if ( n= = 1 )
return( 1 );
else
return( n + func ( n - 1)) ;
}
http://www.programmerinterview.com/index.php/recursion/explanati
on-of-recursion/

http://www.cs.wustl.edu/~kjg/cse131/modules/recursion/lab.html
Function Stack –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRcll9qY6b0

Recursion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PORo1ut9kMs
Exercise

Write the recursive version of the

1. Power function
2. Fibonacci value
3. HCF
void func(String s,int i)
{
if (i>=0)
{
char ch=s.charAt(i);
System.out.print(ch);
func(s,i-1);
System.out.print(ch);
}

}
void display()throws IOException
{
DataInputStream in=new DataInputStream(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter any word :");
String s=in.readLine();
func(s,s.length( )-1);
}
import java.io.*;
class recursive1
{static int i=0;String c="";
String rev(String s)
{
if (i<s.length())
{
char ch=s.charAt(i);i++;
rev(s);
c=c+ch;
return c ;
}
else return "";
}
void display()throws IOException
{
DataInputStream in=new DataInputStream(System.in);
System.out.println("Enter any word :");
String s=in.readLine();
System.out.println("Reverse of the word = "+rev(s));

}}
class funct
{
static int i=2;
public static int fun(int num)
{
if(num%i==0 && num!=i)
return 0;
if(i<num)
{
i++;
return fun(num);
}
else
return 1;

}
}
public static boolean isPrime(int num)
{ int result;
result =Prime(num, num-1);
if(result>1)
return false;
else
return true;
}
public static int Prime(int number, int i)
{
int prime= number%i;
if (prime >0 && i>1)
{
return Prime(number, i - 1);
}
else
{
return i;
}