Chapter 11: Recursion
Recursion is a programming technique where a function calls itself to solve parts of a problem, aiding in solving smaller sub-problems through its elegant structure. Key elements include base cases to halt recursion and recursive cases to move towards these base cases. While beneficial for problems organized hierarchically, recursion may consume more memory and risk stack overflow, highlighting both its advantages and disadvantages in various applications.
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11.6.2Indirect Recursion
Indirect recursion occurs when a function calls another function, which...
What we have learnt
- Recursion is defined as a function calling itself to handle smaller instances of a problem.
- It consists of base cases and recursive cases, which are essential for controlling recursion flow.
- Applications of recursion span mathematical problems, tree traversals, data parsing, and algorithm solutions.
Key Concepts
- -- Base Case
- The condition under which a recursive function terminates, preventing infinite recursion.
- -- Recursive Case
- The portion of a recursive function where the function calls itself with modified arguments to approach the base case.
- -- Stack Overflow
- An error that occurs when too many nested recursive calls exceed the call stack memory limit.
- -- Direct Recursion
- A type of recursion where a function calls itself directly.
- -- Indirect Recursion
- A type of recursion where a function calls another function, which then calls the first function.
- -- Mathematical Applications
- Recursion is useful in solving problems such as calculating factorials and Fibonacci numbers.
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