Recursion Big Picture Outline of successful recursive function: One or more cases where function accomplishes it's task by: Making one or more recursive calls to solve smaller versions of original task Called "recursive case(s)" One or more cases where function accomplishes it's task without recursive calls Called "base case(s)"or stopping case(s) Copyright 2006 Pearson Addison-Wesley.All rights reserved. 13-11
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Addison-Wesley. All rights reserved. 13-11 Recursion Big Picture ¨ Outline of successful recursive function: ¨ One or more cases where function accomplishes it’s task by: ¨ Making one or more recursive calls to solve smaller versions of original task ¨ Called "recursive case(s)" ¨ One or more cases where function accomplishes it’s task without recursive calls ¨ Called "base case(s)" or stopping case(s)
Infinite Recursion Base case MUST eventually be entered ◆If it doesn't→infinite recursion Recursive calls never end! Recall writeVertical example: Base case happened when down to 1-digit number .That's when recursion stopped Copyright006 Pearson Addison-Wesley.All rights reserved. 13-12
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Addison-Wesley. All rights reserved. 13-12 Infinite Recursion ¨ Base case MUST eventually be entered ¨ If it doesn’t infinite recursion ¨Recursive calls never end! ¨ Recall writeVertical example: ¨Base case happened when down to 1-digit number ¨That’s when recursion stopped