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Notes On RecursiveFunctions

The document defines recursive functions and provides examples. Recursive functions are defined using a basis step to define initial values and a recursive step to define values based on previously defined values. Examples given include the Fibonacci sequence, addition, and multiplication on natural numbers. Recursively defined functions can take arguments and be extended to multiple arguments by defining basis values for each combination of arguments and using a recursive expression to define new values based on previous values with the same arguments.

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Carlos Cano Muñoz
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37 views

Notes On RecursiveFunctions

The document defines recursive functions and provides examples. Recursive functions are defined using a basis step to define initial values and a recursive step to define values based on previously defined values. Examples given include the Fibonacci sequence, addition, and multiplication on natural numbers. Recursively defined functions can take arguments and be extended to multiple arguments by defining basis values for each combination of arguments and using a recursive expression to define new values based on previous values with the same arguments.

Uploaded by

Carlos Cano Muñoz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DISCRETE MATHEMATICS

RECURSIVE DEFINITIONS

A function f : Zm A is defined recursively as follows:


Basis Step: Let l Zm and let am , . . . al A. We define
f (m) = am
.
.
f (l) = al
Recursive Step:
Let n > l
f (n) = e(..n..f (i)..) mi<n
where e(..n..f (i)..) is an expression depending on n and f (m), . . . , f (n 1)

Different choices of the ai and of the expression e give rise to different functions.

Ex.1
Fibonacci function f : Z1 Z
(BS) f (1) = 1 f (2) = 1
(RS) n > 2 f (n) = f (n 1) + f (n 2)

Ex.2
Pn
i=1 ai where ai is an expression depending on i (e.g. ai = (2i 1) is a
recursive function.
(BS) f (1) = a1
Pn
(RS) n > 2 f (n) = i=1 ai = a1 + a2 + . . . + an1 + an = f (n 1) + an

Ex.3
Qn
i=1ai where ai is an expression depending on i (e.g. ai = 2i is a recursive
function.
(BS) f (1) = a1
Qn
(RS) n > 2 f (n) = i=1 ai = a1 a2 . . . an1 an = f (n 1) an
We assume
Pn Qn
i=m ai = 0 if m > n i=m ai = 0 if m > n

Ex.4
(BS) f (0) = 3
(RS) n > 0 f (n) = 2f (n 1) + 3

1
Find f (5)
There are two ways of finding the value of f (5)

By rewriting
f (5) = 2f (4) + 3 = 2(2f (3) + 3) + 3 = 4f (3) + 9 = 4(2f (2) + 3) + 9 =
8f (2) + 21 = 8(2f (1) + 3) + 21 = 16f (1) + 45 = 16(2f (0) + 3) + 45 =
32f (0) + 93 = 32 3 + 93 = 96 + 93 = 189
By iteration
We first find the values of f (0) . . . f (4) and we substitute, operating, in
the expression e of the definition.
f (0) = 3
f (1) = 2f (0) + 3 = 2 3 + 3 = 9
f (2) = 2f (1) + 3 = 2 9 + 3 = 21
f (3) = 2f (2) + 3 = 2 21 + 3 = 45
f (4) = 2f (3) + 3 = 2 45 + 3 = 93
f (5) = 2f (4) + 3 = 2 93 + 3 = 189

Recursion and induction are very closely related. Very often, we prove prop-
erties of recursive functions by induction.
For example, let f : Z1 Z be the Fibonacci function.
(BS) f (1) = 1 f (2) = 1
(RS) n > 2 f (n) = f (n 1) + f (n 2)
We are going to prove the following property by induction.
n Z3 f (1)2 + . . . + f (n)2 = f (n)f (n + 1)

Basis Step S(3) f (1)2 + f (2)2 + f (3)2 = 1 + 1 + 22 = 6 = 2 3 = f (3)f (4)


(f (4) = f (3) + f (2) = 2 + 1 = 3)
(IH) f (1)2 + . . . + f (k)2 = f (k)f (k + 1)
Inductive Step S(k + 1) (f (1)2 + . . . + f (k)2 ) + f (k + 1)2 = f (k)f (k + 1) +
f (k + 1)2 = f (k + 1)(f (k + 1) + f (k)) = f (k + 1)f (k + 2)

2
We extend this definition to functions with several arguments:

1. f : B Zm A is defined recvursively as follows:


Basis Step: Let l m, l Zm We define for all m n l
f (b, m) = em (..b..)
.
.
f (b, l) = el (..b..)

where ej (..b..) j = m . . . l are expressions depending on b.


Recursive Step:
Let n > l
f (b, n) = e(..b..n..f (c, i)..) m i < n (c may be b.)

Ex.1
+ : N N N
(B) +(m, 0) = m e0 (..b..) = b
(R) +(m, s(n)) = s(+(m, n)) e(..b..n..f (c, i)..) = s(f (b, n))

Ex.2
: N N N
(B) (m, 0) = 0 e0 (..b..) = 0
(R) (m, s(n)) = m + (m, n) e(..b..n..f (c, i)..) = b + f (b, n)

2. f : Zm C A is defined recursively as follows:


Basis Step: Let l m, l Zm We define for all m n l
f (m, c) = em (..c..)
.
.
f (l, c) = el (..c..)

where ej (..c..) j = m . . . l are expressions depending on c.


Recursive Step:
Let n > l
f (n, c) = e(..c..n..f (i, d)..) m i < n (d may be c.)

3
3. f : B Zm C A is defined recursively as follows:
Basis Step: Let l m, l Zm We define for all m n l
f (b, m, c) = em (..b..c..)
.
.
f (b, l, c) = el (..b..c..)

where ej (..b..c..) j = m . . . l are expressions depending on b and c.


Recursive Step:
Let n > l
f (b, n, c) = e(..b..n..c..f (d, i, g)..) m i < n (d, g may be
b, c.)

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