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Recurs I On Lesson

Recursion is a method where a function calls itself, requiring a base case to prevent infinite loops. Key properties include having a base case and a progressive case to approach that base case. Examples of problems that can be solved using recursion include calculating factorials and generating Fibonacci numbers.

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7 views16 pages

Recurs I On Lesson

Recursion is a method where a function calls itself, requiring a base case to prevent infinite loops. Key properties include having a base case and a progressive case to approach that base case. Examples of problems that can be solved using recursion include calculating factorials and generating Fibonacci numbers.

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masachibwatoh
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© © All Rights Reserved
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RECURSION

Recursion is a process in which


a method calls itself
continuously.
NB
At first this may seem like a never ending loop,
or like a dog chasing its tail. It can never catch
it.
So too it seems our method will never finish.
This might be true is some cases, but in practice
we can check to see if a certain condition is true
and in that case exit (return from) our method.

The case in which we end our recursion is called


a base case .Additionally, just as in a loop, we
must change some value and incremently
advance closer to our base case.
RECURSIVE METHOD
A method which
calls itself is
called recursive
method.
DEFITION SUMMARY
Simply put, recursion is when a
function calls itself.

That is, in the course of the


function definition there is a
call to that very same function
PROPERTIES OF RECURSION
A recursive function can go infinite like a loop.
To avoid infinite running of recursive function,
there are two properties that a recursive
function must have .
Base Case criteria − There must be at least
one base criteria or condition, such that, when
this condition is met the function stops calling
itself recursively.
Progressive case(recursive case) approach
− The recursive calls should progress in such a
way that each time a recursive call is made it
comes closer to the base criteria.
PROPERTIES OF RECURSION
Every recursion should have the following
characteristics.
1. A simple base case which we have
a solution for and a return value.
2. A way of getting our problem closer to
the base case.
I.e. a way to chop out part of the
problem to get a somewhat simpler
problem.
A recursive call which passes the simpler
problem back into the method.
HOW TO THINK RECURSIVELY
The key to thinking recursively is to see
the solution to the problem as a smaller
version of the same problem.
Identify the base case(s) and what the base
case(s) do.
A base case is the simplest possible problem (or
case) your method could be passed.
Return the correct value for the base case.
Your recursive method will then be comprised of
an if-else statement where the base case
returns one value and the non-base case(s)
recursively call(s) the same method with a
smaller parameter or set of data.
TWO MAIN PARTS OF A
RECURSIVE PROBLEM
 Thus you decompose your problem into two parts:
 (1) The simplest possible case which you can answer
(and return for) the BASE CASE,

 and (2) all other more complex cases which you will
solve by returning the result of a second calling of your
method THE RECURSIVE CURSE.
 This second calling of your method ( recursion ) will
pass on the complex problem but reduced by one
increment.
 This decomposition of the problem will actually be a
complete, accurate solution for the problem for all
cases other than the base case.
 Thus, the code of the method actually has the solution
on the first recursion
Designing Recursive Algorithms

Questions to ask yourself:


How can we reduce the problem to
smaller version of the same
problem?
How does each call make the
problem smaller?
What is the base case?
Will you always reach the base
case?
EXAMPLES OF PROBLEMS THAT
CAN BE SOLVED BY
RECURSION
1. FACTORIAL OF A NUMBER
In mathematics, the factorial of a non-
negative integer n, denoted by n!, is the
product of all positive integers less than or
equal to n.
For example, 5 ! = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 120. ...
The value of 0! is 1, according to the
convention for an empty product.

So the rule is: n! = n × (n−1)!. Which just says


"the factorial of any number is that number
times the factorial of (1 smaller than that
number)", so 10! = 10 × 9!
1. FACTORIAL OF A NUMBER
1. FACTORIAL OF A NUMBER
static int factorial(int n)
{
 if (n == 1)
{
return 1;
}
else
{
return(n * factorial(n-1));
}
2. FIBONACCI NUMBERS
(SERIES)
The Fibonacci numbers are an infinite
sequence of numbers
0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,... named after
Leonardo of Pisa, aka Leonardo
Fibonacci (1170-1250), in which each
item is formed by adding the previous
two, starting with :
0 and 1, i.e., 0+1->1, 1+1->2, 1+2->3,
2+3->5
ANALYSIS OF FIBONACCI
NUMBERS
The Fibonacci function can be defined
recursively as:
fib :: Integer -> Integer
fib 0 = 0
fib 1 = 1
fib n = fib(n-2) + fib(n-1)
Notice that in computing fib n, there are two
recursive calls that are duplicative in the
sense that computing
fib(n-1) necessarily computes fib(n-2) all over
again.
RECURSIVE CODE FOR
FIBONACCI NUMBERS
public int fib(int n) {
if(n <= 1)
{
return n;
}
else {
return fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2);
}
}

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