8. What is Recurrence Relation?

Answer-

 A recurrence is an equation or inequality that describes a function in terms of its values on

smaller inputs.
 It helps in finding the subsequent term (next term) dependent upon the preceding term
(previous term).
 If we know the previous term in a given series, then we can easily determine the next term.

Example-

 Fibonacci numbers is defined by the recurrence relation

Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2

There are four methods for solving Recurrence:

1. Iteration Method (Back Substitution Method)

2. Master Method
3. Recursion Tree Method
4. Substitution Method
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Iteration Method (Back Substitution Method):-

 The iteration method is a "brute force" method of solving a recurrence relation.
 The general idea is to iteratively substitute the value of the recurrent part of the equation until
a pattern (usually a summation) is noticed, at which point the summation can be used to
evaluate the recurrence.

Example-1-

1 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 = 1
𝑇(𝑛) =
𝑇(𝑛 − 1) + 𝑛 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 1

Solution-

T(n) = T(n-1) + n -----------------(1)

T(n-1) = T(n-2) + (n-1) -----------------(2)

T(n-2) = T(n-3) + (n-2) -----------------(3)

Substituting equation (3) in equation (2)

T(n-1) = T(n-3) + (n-2) + (n-1)

Substituting equation (2) in equation (1)

T(n) = T(n-3) + (n-2) + (n-1) + n

Repeating k times

T(n) = T(n-k) + (n-k+1) + (n-k+2) + …………… + (n-2) + (n-1) + n

Putting n-k = 1

T(n) = T(1) + (1+1) + (1+2) + …………… + (n-2) + (n-1) + n

T(n) = T(1) + (2) + (3) + …………… + (n-2) + (n-1) + n

Given that, when n=1 then T(n) = 1

T(n) = 1 + 2 + 3 + …………… + (n-2) + (n-1) + n

Hence 1 + 2 + 3 + …………… + (n-2) + (n-1) + n = n(n+1)/2

T(n) = n(n+1)/2 = (n2 + n)/2

T(n) = = (n2 + n)/2

T(n) = O(n2)

Example-2-

2𝑇(𝑛 − 1) − 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 0
𝑇(𝑛) =
1 𝑂𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒

Solution-

T(n) = 2T(n-1) -1 -----------------(1)

T(n-1) = 2T(n-2) -1 -----------------(2)

T(n-2) = 2T(n-3) -1 -----------------(3)

Substituting equation (3) in equation (2)

T (n-1) = 2[2T(n-3)-1]-1

Substituting equation (2) in equation (1)

T(n) = 2[2{2T(n-3)-1}-1]-1

T(n) = 22{2T(n-3)-1}-2-1

T(n) = 23T(n-3)-22-2-1

Repeating k times

T(n) = 2kT(n-k)- 2k-1 - 2k-2 - ……………………… -22-2-1

Putting n = k

T(n) = 2n T(0)- 2n-1 – 2n-2 - ……………………… -22-2-1

Given that, other than n > 0 gives T(n) = 1

T(n) = 2n - 2n-1 – 2n-2 - ……………………… -22-2-1

T(n) = 2n – (2n-1 + 2n-2 + ……………………… +22+2+1)

Hence 2n-1 + 2n-2 + ……………………… +22+2+1 = (2n - 1)/ 2-1 = (2n - 1)

T(n) = 2n - (2n - 1)

T(n) = 1

T(n) = O(1)

Example-3-

3𝑇(𝑛 − 1) 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 0
𝑇(𝑛) =
1 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒

Solution-

T(n) = 3T(n-1) -----------------(1)

T(n-1) = 3T(n-2) -----------------(2)

T(n-2) = 3T(n-3) -----------------(3)

Substituting equation (3) in equation (2)

T(n-1) = 3(3T(n-3))

Substituting equation (2) in equation (1)

T(n) = 3(3(3T(n-3)))

T(n) = 33 T(n-3)

Repeating k times

T(n) = 3k T(n-k)

Putting n = k

T(n) = 3n T(n-n)

T(n) = 3n T(0)

Given that, other than n > 0 gives T(n) = 1

T(n) = 3n

T(n) = O(3n)

Example-4-

𝑇(𝑛 − 1) ∗ 𝑛 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 1
𝑇(𝑛) =
1 𝑛=1

Solution-

T(n) = T(n-1) * n -----------------(1)

T(n-1) = T(n-2) * (n-1) -----------------(2)

T(n-2) = T(n-3) * (n-2) -----------------(3)

Substituting equation (3) in equation (2)

T(n-1) = T(n-3) * (n-2) * (n-1)

Substituting equation (2) in equation (1)

T(n) = T(n-3) * (n-2) * (n-1) * n

Repeating k times

T(n) = T(n-k) * (n-k+1) * (n-k+2)……………. (n-2) * (n-1) * n

Putting n – k = 1

T(n) = T(1) * (1+1) * (1+2)……………. (n-2) * (n-1) * n

T(n) = T(1) * 2 * 3……………. (n-2) * (n-1) * n

Given that, when n=1 then T(n) = 1

T(n) = 1 * 2 * 3……………. (n-2) * (n-1) * n

T(n) = n!

Hence n! = nn

T(n) = O(nn)

Example-5-

𝑇(𝑛/2) + 𝑐 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 1
𝑇(𝑛) =
1 𝑛=1

Solution-

T(n) = T(n/2) + c -----------------(1)

T(n/2) = T(n/4) + c -----------------(2)

T(n/4) = T(n/8) + c -----------------(3)

Substituting equation (3) in equation (2)

T(n/2) = T(n/8) + c + c

Substituting equation (2) in equation (1)

T(n) = T(n/8) + c + c + c

T(n) = T(n/23) + 3c

Repeating k times

T(n) = T(n/2k) + kc -----------------(4)

Let us assume n = 2k

Taking log2 both side

log2 n = log22k

log2 n = klog22

log2 n = k [log22 =1]

putting value of k in equation (4)

T(n) = T(n / n) + clog2 n

T(n) = T(1) + clog2 n

Given that, when n=1 then T(n) = 1

T(n) = 1 + clog2 n

T(n) = O(log2 n )

Example-6-

1 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 = 1
𝑇(𝑛) = 𝑛
2𝑇 +𝑛 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒
2

Solution-

T(n) = 2T(n/2)+n -----------------(1)

T(n/2) = 2T(n/4) + (n/2) -----------------(2)

T(n/4) = 2T(n/8)+(n/4) -----------------(3)

Substituting equation (3) in equation (2)

T(n/2) = 2[2T(n/8)+(n/4)] + (n/2)

Substituting equation (2) in equation (1)

T(n) = 2[2[2T(n/8)+(n/4)] + (n/2)] + n

T(n) = 22[2T(n/8)+(n/4)] + n + n

T(n) = 23 T(n/8)+ n + n + n

T(n) = 23 T(n/23) + 3n

Repeating k times

T(n) = 2k T(n/2k) + kn -----------------(4)

Let us assume 2k = n

Taking log2 both side

log2 n = log22k

log2 n = klog22

log2 n = k [log22 =1]

putting value of k in equation (4)

T(n) = n T(n/n) + n log2 n

T(n) = n T(1) + n log2 n

Given that, when n=1 then T(n) = 1

T(n) = n + n log2 n
T(n) = O(nlog2 n )

Example-6-

0 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 = 0
𝑇(𝑛) =
𝑇(𝑛 − 1) + log 𝑛 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 > 1

Solution-

T(n) = T(n-1)+log n -----------------(1)

T(n-1) = T(n-2)+log (n-1) -----------------(2)

T(n-1) = T(n-3)+log (n-2) -----------------(3)

Substituting equation (3) in equation (2)

T(n-1) = T(n-3) + log (n-2) + log (n-1)

Substituting equation (2) in equation (1)

T(n) = T(n-3) + log (n-2) + log (n-1) + log n

Repeating k times

T(n) = T(n-k) + log (n-k+1) + log (n-k+2) +…………….. + log (n-1) + log n

Let us assume n=k

T(n) = T(0) + log (1) + log (2) +…………….. + log (n-1) + log n

Given that, when n=0 then T(n) = 0

T(n) = 0 + log (1) + log (2) +…………….. + log (n-1) + log n

T(n) = log (1) + log (2) +…………….. + log (n-1) + log n

T(n) = log (1*2*3*……………..*(n-1)* n)

Hence 1*2*3*……………..*(n-1)* n = n!

T(n) = log (n!)

Hence n! <= nn

T(n) = log nn

T(n) = nlog n

T(n) = O(nlog n )

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Master Method:-

 The master method provides a “cookbook” method for solving recurrences of the form:

𝑛
𝑇(𝑛) = 𝑎𝑇 + 𝑓(𝑛)
𝑏

 Where n is the size of the problem.

 a ≥ 1 is a constant which is the number of sub-problems in the recursion.
 b > 1 is constant.
 n/b is the size of each sub-problem.
 f(n) is an asymptotically positive function which is the sum of the work done outside the
recursive calls.

T(n) has the following asymptotic bounds:-

1. If f(n) = O(nlogba- ε ) for some constant ε > 0, then T(n) = Θ(nlogba)
2. If f(n) = Θ (nlogba ), then T(n) = Θ(nlogba log n)
3. If f(n) = Ω (nlogba + ε ) for some constant ε > 0, and if af(n/b) ≤ cf(n) for some constant c < 1,
then T(n) = Θ(f(n))
Example-1-
𝑛
𝑇(𝑛) = 8𝑇 + 1000𝑛
2
apply master theorem on it.

Solution:

 Compare 𝑇(𝑛) = 8𝑇 + 1000𝑛 with 𝑇(𝑛) = 𝑎𝑇 + 𝑓(𝑛) 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 ≥ 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 > 1

 We get a = 8, b=2, f (n) = 1000 n2

 Therefore logba = log28 = 3
  Put all the values in: f (n) = O(nlogba- ε )
1000 n2 = O (n3-ε )
 If we choose ε=1, we get: 1000 n2 = O (n3-1) = O (n2)
 Since this equation holds, the first case of the master theorem applies to the given recurrence
relation, thus resulting in the conclusion:

T(n) = Θ(nlogba)
Therefore: T (n) = Θ (n3)
Example-2-
𝑛
𝑇(𝑛) = 9𝑇 +𝑛
3
apply master theorem on it.

Solution:

 Compare 𝑇(𝑛) = 9𝑇 + 𝑛 with 𝑇(𝑛) = 𝑎𝑇 + 𝑓(𝑛) 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 ≥ 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 > 1

 We get a = 9, b=3, f (n) = n

 Therefore logba = log39 = 2
 Put all the values in: f (n) = O(nlogba- ε )
n = O (n2-ε )
 If we choose ε=1, we get: n = O (n2-1) = O (n)
 Since this equation holds, the first case of the master theorem applies to the given recurrence
relation, thus resulting in the conclusion:
T(n) = Θ(nlogba)
Therefore: T (n) = Θ (n2)