Chapter 2

Recursion

Objectives
Upon completion you will be able to:

• Explain the difference between iteration and recursion

• Design a recursive algorithm
• Determine when an recursion is an appropriate solution
• Write simple recursive functions

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 How to writing repetitive algorithms

 Iteration
 Recursion
 Is a repetitive process in which an algorithm
calls itself.

 請同學區分這三個字 repetitive 、 iterative 、

recursive ，特別是看中文書的同學。

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 2-1 Factorial - A Case Study

We begin the discussion of recursion with a case

study and use it to define the concept.
This section also presents an iterative and a
recursive solution to the factorial algorithm.

• Recursive Defined
• Recursive Solution

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 Iterative

 The definition involves only the algorithm parameter(s)

and not the algorithm itself.

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 Recursive

 A repetitive algorithm use recursion whenever the

algorithm appears within the definition itself.

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 Note that

 Recursion is a repetitive process in which

an algorithm called itself.

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 Which code is simpler?
 Which one has not a loop?

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 Calling a
recursive
algorithm

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 2-2 Designing Recursive Algorithms

In this section we present an analytical

approach to designing recursive algorithms.
We also discuss algorithm designs that are not
well suited to recursion.

• The Design Methodology

• Limitation of Recusion
• Design Implemenation

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 The Design Methodology
 Every recursive call either solves a part of
the problem or it reduce the size of the
problem.

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 The Design Methodology
 Base case
 The statement that “solves” the problem.
 Every recursive algorithm must have a base
case.
 General case
 The rest of the algorithm
 Contains the logic needed to reduce the size
of the problem.

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 Rules for designing a recursive
algorithm

1. Determine the base case.

2. Determine the general case.
3. Combine the base case and the general
cases into an algorithm.

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 Combine the base case and the
general cases into an algorithm

 Each call must reduce the size of the

problem and move it toward the base
case.
 The base case, when reached, must
terminate without a call to the recursive
algorithms; that is, it must execute a
return.

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 Limitations of recursion
 You should not use recursion if the answer
to any of the following questions is no:
1. Is the algorithm or data structure naturally
suited to recursion?
2. Is the recursive solution shorter and more
understandable?
3. Does the recursive solution run within
acceptable time and space limits?

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 Design implementation – reverse
keyboard input

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 ※ 請注意 print data
在什麼時候執行
data=6

data=20

data=14

data=5

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 2-3 Recursive Examples

Four recursive programs are developed and

analyzed. Only one, the Towers of Hanoi, turns
out to be a good application for recursion.

• Greatest Common Divisor

• Fiboncci Numbers
• Prefix to Postfix Conversion
• The Towers of Honoi

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20
 GCD design

 a if b  0 

gcd(a, b)   b if a  0  
gcd(b, a mod b) otherwise 

Greatest Common Divisor Recursive Definition

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 Pseudocode

歐基里德
輾轉相除法

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 GCD C implementation

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 gcd(10, 25)
gcd(25, 10)
gcd(10, 5)
gcd(5, 0)

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 Another G.C.D. Recursive Definition

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 Fibonacci numbers
 在費波那西的〈算經〉中提到一個問題：
 假如一對兔子，一個月後能生產一對兔子
，而新生兔子在一個月後便具備生育能力
，也能生下一對兔子。
 那麼若從一對兔子開始，一年之後將會有
多少對兔子？

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 Fibonacci numbers

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 Fibonacci numbers -- 費式數
 Each number is the sum of the previous
two numbers.
 The first few numbers in the Fibonacci
series are
 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, …

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 Fibonacci numbers -- 費式數

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 Fibonacci numbers

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 Fibonacci numbers – an example

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 0 represents .T.

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 (Continued)

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 Analysis

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 We omit
 Prefix to Postfix Conversion
 The Towers of Honoi

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 HW2
 Write a recursive algorithm to calculate
the combination of n objects taken k at a
time.
 Due date : ( 甲： 941012 、乙： 941012)

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 2-3 Recursive Examples

Four recursive programs are developed and

analyzed. Only one, the Towers of Hanoi, turns
out to be a good application for recursion.

•The Towers of Honoi

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37
 Towers of Hanoi Problem:
 Invented by French mathematician Lucas
in 1880s.
 Original problem set in India in a holy
place called Benares.
 There are 3 diamond needles fixed on a
brass plate. One needle contains 64 pure
gold disks. Largest resting on the brass
plate, other disks of decreasing diameters.
 Called tower of Brahma.
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 Towers of Hanoi Problem:
 Priests are supposed to transfer the disks
from one needle to the other such that at
 no time a disk of larger diameter should sit on
a disk of smaller diameter.
 Only one disk can be moved at a time.
 Later setting shifted to Honoi, but the
puzzle and legend remain the same.
 How much time would it take? Estimate…..

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 Towers of Hanoi Problem:
 Today we know that we need to have

264-1

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 Recursive Towers of Hanoi Design

 Find a pattern of moves.

 Case 1:
 move one disk from source to destination
needle.

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 Move two disks
 Case 2:
 Move one disk to auxiliary needle.
 Move one disk to destination needle.
 Move one disk to from auxiliary to destination
needle.

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 Move three disks
 Case 3:
 Move two disks from source to auxiliary
needle.
 Move one disk from source to destination
needle.
 Move two disks from auxiliary to destination
needle.

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 (Continued)

Move two disks from source to auxiliary needle.

Move two disks from auxiliary to destination needle.

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 Algorithm Tower of Hanoi
 Towers (numDisks, source, dest, auxiliary)
 numDisks is number of disks to be moved
 source is the source tower
 dest is the destination tower
 auxiliary is the auxiliary tower

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 Generalize Tower of Hanoi
 General case
 Move n-1 disks from source to auxiliary.
 Base case
 Move one disk from source to destination.
 General case
 Move n-1 disks from auxiliary to destination.

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