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Recursion Explanation

Recursion in Python is a technique where a function calls itself to solve problems by breaking them into smaller, similar problems. Key components include a base case to stop recursion and a recursive case where the function calls itself. While recursion is useful, it may be less efficient than iterative solutions and has a default recursion limit of 1000.

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2 views2 pages

Recursion Explanation

Recursion in Python is a technique where a function calls itself to solve problems by breaking them into smaller, similar problems. Key components include a base case to stop recursion and a recursive case where the function calls itself. While recursion is useful, it may be less efficient than iterative solutions and has a default recursion limit of 1000.

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raghadabdallah251
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Recursion in Python: Explanation and Examples

Recursion in Python is a programming technique where a function calls itself in order to solve a

problem. Recursive functions are typically used to solve problems that can be divided into smaller,

similar problems.

Here's the general structure of a recursive function in Python:

1. Base Case: The condition under which the recursion stops.

2. Recursive Case: The part where the function calls itself.

Example: Factorial Calculation

def factorial(n):

# Base case

if n == 0 or n == 1:

return 1

# Recursive case

return n * factorial(n - 1)

# Test the function

print(factorial(5)) # Output: 120

How It Works:

- The base case stops the recursion when n is 0 or 1.

- For any other value of n, the function calls itself with a reduced argument (n - 1).

Example: Fibonacci Sequence


def fibonacci(n):

# Base case

if n <= 0:

return 0

elif n == 1:

return 1

# Recursive case

return fibonacci(n - 1) + fibonacci(n - 2)

# Test the function

print(fibonacci(6)) # Output: 8

Key Points About Recursion:

1. Base Case: Ensure there is a base case to prevent infinite recursion.

2. Depth: Python has a recursion limit (default is 1000). Use sys.setrecursionlimit() if needed but

cautiously.

3. Performance: Recursive functions may be less efficient than iterative solutions for some problems

due to function call overhead.

Converting to Iteration:

For performance reasons, recursive solutions can sometimes be rewritten as iterative solutions. For

example, Fibonacci can be implemented using a loop for better efficiency.

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