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Recursion

A recursive function is one that calls itself during its execution. Recursion requires three properties: (1) an original problem can be broken down into smaller subproblems of the same type, (2) each subproblem must be simpler than the original and move toward a base case, and (3) there must be a base case that does not require further recursion. Recursion uses the stack to store local variables during function calls and has higher time and space complexity than iteration but can produce more concise code for certain problems like calculating factorials or Fibonacci sequences.

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21 views

Recursion

A recursive function is one that calls itself during its execution. Recursion requires three properties: (1) an original problem can be broken down into smaller subproblems of the same type, (2) each subproblem must be simpler than the original and move toward a base case, and (3) there must be a base case that does not require further recursion. Recursion uses the stack to store local variables during function calls and has higher time and space complexity than iteration but can produce more concise code for certain problems like calculating factorials or Fibonacci sequences.

Uploaded by

satya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Recursion

When a function calls itself (either directly or indirectly) then it is called recursive
function and process is called recursion.”
Principles of Recursion
➢ Original Problem can be decompose into small size of same type of problem.
➢ Recursive call must reduce the size of problem.
➢ Base condition must be present.
➢ Base condition must be reachable.
In order for the definition not to be circular, it must have two properties:
➢ There must be certain arguments called base value for which the function doesn’t
refers to itself.
➢ Each time the function does refers to itself , the argument of the function must be
closer to a base value.
A recursive function with these two properties is also said to be well-defined.
Recursion is done with the help of stack data structure.
A stack is a linear data structure, a collection of items of the same type. In a stack,
the insertion and deletion of elements happen only at one endpoint. The behavior of a
stack is described as “Last In, First Out” (LIFO).
Stack operations:
1. Push
2. Pop
What is the difference between recursion and iteration
Recursion: A program is called recursive when an entity calls itself.
Iterative: when a program is call iterative when there is a loop.

Property Recursion Iteration

A set of instructions repeatedly


Definition Function calls itself. executed.

Application For functions. For loops.

Through base case, where When the termination condition for


Termination there will be no function call. the iterator ceases to be satisfied.
Property Recursion Iteration

Used when code size needs to Used when time complexity needs to
be small, and time complexity be balanced against an expanded
Usage is not an issue. code size.

Code Size Smaller code size Larger Code Size.

Relatively lower time


Time Very high(generally complexity(generally polynomial-
Complexity exponential) time complexity. logarithmic).

Space The space complexity is higher


Complexity than iterations. Space complexity is lower.

Here the stack is used to store


local variables when the
Stack function is called. Stack is not used.

Execution is slow since it has


the overhead of maintaining Normally, it is faster than recursion
Speed and updating the stack. as it doesn’t utilize the stack.

Recursion uses more memory Iteration uses less memory as


Memory as compared to iteration. compared to recursion.

Possesses overhead of repeated No overhead as there are no function


Overhead function calls. calls in iteration.

If the recursive function does


not meet to a termination If the control condition of the
condition or the base case is iteration statement never becomes
not defined or is never reached false or control variable does not
then it leads to stack overflow reach the termination value, then it
error and there is a chance that will cause infinite loop. On infinite
Infinite system may crash in infinite loop, it uses the CPU cycles again
Repetition recursion. and again.
Algorithm of Factorial with Recursion
ALGORITHM Fact (N)
Input: Any positive number N
Output: factorial of N
BEGIN:
IF N<0
Display negative numbers not allowed
EXIT
ELSE IF N==0 || N==1 THEN //BASE Condition
RETURN 1
ELSE
RETURN N * Fact(N-1) //Recursive Call
END;
// find the factorial of a number using recursion
#include<stdio.h>
long int fact (int); // function prototype or declaration
void main()
{
long int f;
int n;
printf("enter no");
scanf("%d",&n);
f=fact(n); // function calling
printf("factorial is \t%ld",f);
}
//function definition
long int fact(int num)
{
if(num<0)
{
printf("negative number not allowed");
exit(0);
}
else if (num==0 ||num==1) //base condtion
return(1);
else
return (num *fact(num-1)); //recursive call
}

// Write a program to find sum of Fibonacci series using recursion.


#include<stdio.h>
int fib(int); // function prototype
int main()
{
int n,i,sum=0;
printf("Enter number of term in fibonacci series\n");
scanf("%d",&n);
for(i=1;i<=n;i++)
{
sum=sum+fib(i); //function calling
}
printf("Sum of the series is: %d",sum);
return 0;
}
// function definition
int fib(int n)
{
if(n==1) // base condition
return 0;
else if(n==2) //base condition
return 1;
else
return (fib(n-1)+fib(n-2)); // recursive call
}

// Write a program to print the Fibonacci series using recursion.


#include<stdio.h>
int fib(int); // function prototype
int main()
{
int n,i,sum=0;
printf("Enter number of term in fibbo series\n");
scanf("%d",&n);
for(i=1;i<=n;i++)
{
printf("%d\t",fib(i)); // function calling
}
return 0;
}
//function definition
int fib(int n)
{
if(n==1) //base condition
return 0;
else if(n==2) //base condition
return 1;
else
return (fib(n-1)+fib(n-2)); //recursive call
}

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