DATA STRUCTURES &

ALGORITHMS
Recursion

Instructor: Engr. Laraib Siddiqui

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Basic objective
▪ When we have a bigger problem whose solution is complex.

▪ We decompose the problem into smaller units until we reach to the smallest sub-
problem (base case) for which a solution is known.

▪ Then go back in reverse order and build upon the solutions of the sub-problems.

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Recursion
A well defined mathematical function in which the function being defined is applied
within its own definition.

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Recursive Functions
▪ Function may call itself

▪ Function may call other Function and

▪ the other function in turn again may call the calling Function

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Direct & indirect Recursion
Recursion is said to be direct when functions calls itself directly and is said to be
indirect when it calls other function that in turn calls it

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Other Types
Linear recursion : makes at most one recursive call each time it is invoked.

Binary recursion : makes two recursive calls.

Multiple recursion : method may make (potentially more than two) recursive calls.

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Finding a recursive solution
▪ Each successive recursive call should bring you closer to a situation in which the
answer is known

▪ A case for which the answer is known (and can be expressed without recursion) is
called a base case

▪ Each recursive algorithm must have at least one base case, as well as the general
recursive case

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Recursion vs. Iteration
The factorial of a positive integer
For example, 4! = 4·3·2·1 = 24.
Iterative Solution

Recursive Solution

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Example
Factorial of n

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 Example - Factorial
fact(3) 3 > 1 , fact call itself
main()

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6 fact(n) fact(2) 2 > 1 , fact call itself
fact() multiplies 3 with 2, received 3x2
from lower fact() and returns the
product to upper fact() 2 n=1, returns 1
2 fact(n) fact(1)
2x1

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fact() multiplies 2 with 1, received from lower fact()
1 fact(n)
and returns the product to upper fact()
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 Example Fibonacci Series
fib(n)
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if(n<2)
fib(5) return n
else
3 2 return ( fib(n-1) + fib(n-2) )
n is 1 and 1 it will return n , fib(4) + fib(3)
after adding 1+1 it will return 2
to the upper function call and 2 1 1 1
so on.. fib(3) + fib(2) fib(2) + fib(1)
1 1 1 0 1 0
fib(2) + fib(1) fib(1) + fib(0) fib(1) + fib(0)
1 0
n is 1 and 0 it will return n ,
fib(1) + fib(0) after adding 1+0 it will return 1
to the upper function call
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Example Tower of Hanoi
Objective
To transfer entire tower to one of the other pegs.
Rules
Only one disk may e moved at a time.
Lager disks can not be placed on the smaller disk.

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Example Tower of Hanoi
Step 1: Move top(N-1) disks from Beg to Aux peg.
Step 2: Move 1 disk from Beg to End peg.
Step 3: Move top(N-1) disks from Aux to End peg.

▪ T(N-1, Beg, End, Aux)

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 void TOH(int n,int A, int B, int C)
{
if(n>0)
Example Tower of Hanoi TOH(n-1, A,C,B);
printf(“Move a Disc from %d to %d”, A,C);
TOH(n-1, B, A, C);
TOH(3,1,2,3) }

TOH(2,1,3,2) 1-3 TOH(2,2,1,3)

TOH(1,1,2,3) 1-2 TOH(1,3,1,2) TOH(1,2,3,1) 2-3 TOH(1,1,2,3)

1-3 3-2 2-1 1-3

1-3 1-2 3-2 1-3 2-1 2-3 1-3

1-3 1-2

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Example Tower of Hanoi
1-3 1-2 3-2 1-3 2-1 2-3 1-3

3-2 1-3

2-1 2-3
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Example Tower of Hanoi
1-3 1-2 3-2 1-3 2-1 2-3 1-3

1-3

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Run time stack tracing
x=3; push copy of f
Consider the function y= 2* f(2)
x=2; push copy of f
y= 2* f(1)
int f(int x) { x=1; push copy of f
y= 2* f(0)
int y; push copy of f

if(x==0) x=0;
y=?
return 1; Return 1;
else { pop copy of f
y = 2 * f(x-1); y= 2 *1 =2
return y+1= 3 pop copy of f
return y + 1;
y= 2 *3 =6
} return y+1= 7 pop copy of f
} y= 2 *7 =14
return y+1= 15 pop copy of f
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