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Recursion

The document discusses recursion and how it works. It explains that recursion involves a method calling itself, with each call resulting in a distinct execution of the method. It notes that recursive calls use simpler or smaller arguments, with a base case needed to ultimately complete execution. The document warns that infinite recursion can occur if the base case is never reached due to non-simplifying arguments in recursive calls. It provides examples of recursively calculating factorials and exponents to illustrate recursion.

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Akif Vohra
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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50 views

Recursion

The document discusses recursion and how it works. It explains that recursion involves a method calling itself, with each call resulting in a distinct execution of the method. It notes that recursive calls use simpler or smaller arguments, with a base case needed to ultimately complete execution. The document warns that infinite recursion can occur if the base case is never reached due to non-simplifying arguments in recursive calls. It provides examples of recursively calculating factorials and exponents to illustrate recursion.

Uploaded by

Akif Vohra
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPS, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DATA

STRUCTURES

MAHESH GOYANI
MAHATMA GANDHI INSTITUE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION & RESEARCH CENTER
[email protected]
RECURSION
How Recursion Works
 Nothing special is required to handle a call to a
recursive method, whether the call to the method
is from outside the method or from within the
method.
 At each call, the needed arguments are
provided, and the code is executed.
 When the method completes, control returns to
the instruction following the call to the method.
How Recursion Works, cont.
 Consider several methods m1, m2, …, mn, with
method m1 calling method m2, method m2 calling
method m3,…, calling method mn.
– When each method completes, control returns
to the instruction following the call to the
method.
 In recursion, methods m1, m2, …, mn are all the
same method, but each call results in a distinct
execution of the method.
How Recursion Works, cont.
 As always, method m1 cannot complete
execution until method m2 completes
execution, method m2 cannot complete
execution until method m3 completes
execution, …, until method mn completes
execution.
 If method mn represents a stopping case, it
can complete execution, …, then method m2
can complete execution, then method m1 can
complete execution.
Recursion Guidelines
 The definition of a recursive method typically
includes an if-else statement.
– One branch represents a base case which
can be solved directly (without recursion).
– Another branch includes a recursive call to
the method, but with a “simpler” or “smaller”
set of arguments.
 Ultimately, a base case must be reached.
Infinite Recursion
 If the recursive invocation inside the method
does not use a “simpler” or “smaller” parameter,
a base case may never be reached.
 Such a method continues to call itself forever (or
at least until the resources of the computer are
exhausted as a consequence of stack overflow).
 This is called infinite recursion.
Tracing recursive solution to factorial problem
Evaluating Exponents
Recursively

int power(int k, int n)


{
// raise k to the power n
if (n == 0)
return 1;
else
return k * power(k, n – 1);
}

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