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15a Recursion

The document discusses recursion in programming, specifically in Python, highlighting its use in multiplication and factorial calculations. It explains the recursive step of breaking down problems into simpler versions and emphasizes the importance of base cases to prevent infinite recursion. Additionally, it mentions various applications of recursion, such as generating sequences and solving problems like the Fibonacci sequence and binary search.

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Sugirtha M
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10 views12 pages

15a Recursion

The document discusses recursion in programming, specifically in Python, highlighting its use in multiplication and factorial calculations. It explains the recursive step of breaking down problems into simpler versions and emphasizes the importance of base cases to prevent infinite recursion. Additionally, it mentions various applications of recursion, such as generating sequences and solving problems like the Fibonacci sequence and binary search.

Uploaded by

Sugirtha M
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Recursion

CS100/CS101 – Python
Multiplication – Iteration
●
Caculate a * b
● aa ++ aa ++ aa ++ ...
... ++ aa
Multiplication – Recursion
●
Caculate a * b
● aa ** bb == aa ++ aa ++ aa ++ ...
... ++ aa

== aa ++ aa ++ aa ++ ...
... ++ aa

== aa ++ a*(b-1)
a*(b-1)
Multiplication – Recursion
●
recursive step
– think how to reduce problem to a simpler/smaller
version of same problem
●
Multiplication – Recursion
●
recursive step
– think how to reduce problem to a simpler/smaller
version of same problem
●
base case
– keep reducing problem until reach a simple case that
can be solved directly
– when b = 1, a*b = a
Factorial
n!
n! == n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)*
n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)* ...
... ** 11
Factorial
n!
n! == n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)*
n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)* ...
... ** 11
Factorial
n!
n! == n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)*
n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)* ...
... ** 11

●
for what n do we know the factorial?
– n=1 if
if nn ==
== 1:
1:
return
return 11
Factorial
n!
n! == n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)*
n*(n-1)*(n-2)*(n-3)* ...
... ** 11

●
for what n do we know the factorial?
if
if nn ==
== 1:
– n=1 return
1:
return 11
●
Reduce - Rewrite in terms of something simpler
to reach base case
else:
else:
– n*(n-1)! return
return n*factorial(n-1)
n*factorial(n-1)
Recursion Examples
●
Generate Sequences
– Fibonacci sequence
●
Eg. Match parentheses, Binary search, GCD,
Towers of Hanoi, etc.
Recursion
●
Algorithmically: a way to design solutions to
problems by divide-and-conquer or decrease-
and-conquer
– reduce a problem to simpler versions of the same
problem
Recursion
●
Semantically: a programming technique where
a function calls itself
– in programming, goal is to NOT have infinite
recursion
– must have 1 or more base cases that are easy to
solve
– must solve the same problem on some other input
with the goal of simplifying the larger problem input

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