Program for nth Catalan Number

Given a number n, the task is to find the n^th Catalan number.  Catalan Number for n is equal to the number of expressions containing n pairs of parenthesis that are correctly matched, i.e., for each of the n(' there exist n ')' on there right and vice versa. The first few Catalan numbers for n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… are: 1, 1, 2, 5, 14, 42, 132, 429, 1430, 4862, ...  so on.

Examples:

Input: n = 3
Output: 5
Explanation: For n = 3, there are 5 valid combinations of balanced parentheses: ((())), (()()), (())(), ()(()), ()()()

Input: n = 4
Output: 14
Explanation: For n = 4, there are 14 distinct valid combinations of balanced parentheses that can be formed.

Catalan numbers are defined as a mathematical sequence that consists of positive integers, which can be used to find the number of possibilities of various combinations.  The nth term in the sequence denoted C_n, is found in the following formula:

 \frac{(2n)!}{((n + 1)! n!)}               

Catalan numbers occur in many interesting counting problems like the following.

1. Count the number of expressions containing n pairs of parentheses that are correctly matched.
2. Count the number of possible Binary Search Trees with n keys (See this)
3. Count the number of full binary trees (A rooted binary tree is full if every vertex has either two children or no children) with n+1 leaves.
4. Given a number n, return the number of ways you can draw n chords in a circle with 2 x n points such that no 2 chords intersect.

Refer to this for more applications. 

[Naive Approach] Using Recursion - O(2ⁿ) Time O(n) Space

Recursive formula:  C(n) = \sum_{i=0}^{n-1} C(i)\,C(n - i - 1) \ \text{for} \ i = 0 \ \text{to} \ n-1

The nth Catalan number is calculated using the recursive formula. We recursively compute smaller Catalan values and combine them.

Algorithm:

• If n ≤ 1, return 1 (base case).
• Initialize result = 0.
• Loop i from 0 to n-1, recursively calculate left = C(i) and right = C(n-i-1) and add left * right to the result.

// C++ program to find nth catalan number

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int findCatalan(int n)
{

    // Base case
    if (n <= 1)
        return 1;

    // catalan(n) is sum of
    // catalan(i)*catalan(n-i-1)
    int res = 0;
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
        res += findCatalan(i) * findCatalan(n - i - 1);

    return res;
}

int main()
{
    int n = 3;
    int res = findCatalan(n);
    cout << res;
    return 0;
}

// Java program to find nth catalan number

class GfG {

    static int findCatalan(int n)
    {

        // Base case
        if (n <= 1) {
            return 1;
        }

        // catalan(n) is the sum of catalan(i) *
        // catalan(n-i-1)
        int res = 0;
        for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
            res += findCatalan(i) * findCatalan(n - i - 1);
        }

        return res;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int n = 3;
        int res = findCatalan(n);
        System.out.println(res);
    }
}

# Python program to find nth catalan number

def findCatalan(n):

    # Base case
    if n <= 1:
        return 1

    # catalan(n) is sum of catalan(i) * catalan(n-i-1)
    res = 0
    for i in range(n):
        res += findCatalan(i) * findCatalan(n - i - 1)

    return res


n = 3
res = findCatalan(n)
print(res)

// C# program to find nth catalan number

using System;

class GfG {

    static int findCatalan(int n)
    {

        // Base case
        if (n <= 1)
            return 1;

        // catalan(n) is the sum of catalan(i) *
        // catalan(n-i-1)
        int res = 0;
        for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
            res += findCatalan(i) * findCatalan(n - i - 1);
        }

        return res;
    }

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        int n = 3;
        int res = findCatalan(n);
        Console.WriteLine(res);
    }
}

// JavaScript program to find nth catalan number

function findCatalan(n)
{

    // Base case
    if (n <= 1) {
        return 1;
    }

    // catalan(n) is the sum of catalan(i) * catalan(n-i-1)
    let res = 0;
    for (let i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        res += findCatalan(i) * findCatalan(n - i - 1);
    }

    return res;
}

let n = 3;
let res = findCatalan(n);
console.log(res);

5

Time Complexity: O(2ⁿ)
Auxiliary Space: O(n)

[Better Approach] Dynamic Programming (Bottom-Up) - O(n) Time O(n) Space

The recursive solution has overlapping subproblems. So, we store previously computed Catalan numbers in an array and build the result from bottom-up using the same formula:
C(i) = \sum_{j=0}^{i-1} C(j)\,C(i - j - 1)

Algorithm:

• Create an array catalan[] of size n+1 and Initialize catalan[0] = catalan[1] = 1.
• Loop i from 2 to n. For each i, initialize catalan[i] = 0.
• Run inner loop j from 0 to i-1. Add catalan[j] * catalan[i - j - 1] to catalan[i].
• After filling the table, return catalan[n].

// C++ program to find nth catalan number

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int findCatalan(int n)
{

    // Table to store results of subproblems
    int catalan[n + 1];

    // Initialize first two values in table
    catalan[0] = catalan[1] = 1;

    // Fill entries in catalan[] using recursive formula
    for (int i = 2; i <= n; i++)
    {
        catalan[i] = 0;
        for (int j = 0; j < i; j++)
            catalan[i] += catalan[j] * catalan[i - j - 1];
    }

    // Return last entry
    return catalan[n];
}

int main()
{
    int n = 3;
    int res = findCatalan(n);
    cout << res;
    return 0;
}

// Java program to find nth catalan number

class GfG {

    static int findCatalan(int n)
    {

        // Table to store results of subproblems
        int[] catalan = new int[n + 1];

        // Initialize first two values in the table
        catalan[0] = catalan[1] = 1;

        // Fill entries in catalan[] using the recursive
        // formula
        for (int i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
            catalan[i] = 0;
            for (int j = 0; j < i; j++) {
                catalan[i]
                    += catalan[j] * catalan[i - j - 1];
            }
        }

        // Return the last entry
        return catalan[n];
    }

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int n = 3;
        int res = findCatalan(n);
        System.out.println(res);
    }
}

# Python program to find nth catalan number

def findCatalan(n):

    # Table to store results of subproblems
    catalan = [0] * (n + 1)

    # Initialize first two values in the table
    catalan[0] = catalan[1] = 1

    # Fill entries in catalan[] using the recursive formula
    for i in range(2, n + 1):
        catalan[i] = 0
        for j in range(i):
            catalan[i] += catalan[j] * catalan[i - j - 1]

    # Return the last entry
    return catalan[n]


n = 3
res = findCatalan(n)
print(res)

// C# program to find nth catalan number

using System;

class GfG {

    static int findCatalan(int n)
    {

        // Table to store results of subproblems
        int[] catalan = new int[n + 1];

        // Initialize first two values in the table
        catalan[0] = catalan[1] = 1;

        // Fill entries in catalan[] using the recursive
        // formula
        for (int i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
            catalan[i] = 0;
            for (int j = 0; j < i; j++) {
                catalan[i]
                    += catalan[j] * catalan[i - j - 1];
            }
        }

        // Return the last entry
        return catalan[n];
    }

    static void Main()
    {
        int n = 3;
        int res = findCatalan(n);
        Console.WriteLine(res);
    }
}

// JavaScript program to find nth catalan number

function findCatalan(n)
{

    // Table to store results of subproblems
    let catalan = new Array(n + 1).fill(0);

    // Initialize first two values in the table
    catalan[0] = catalan[1] = 1;

    // Fill entries in catalan[] using the recursive formula
    for (let i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
        catalan[i] = 0;
        for (let j = 0; j < i; j++) {
            catalan[i] += catalan[j] * catalan[i - j - 1];
        }
    }

    // Return the last entry
    return catalan[n];
}

let n = 3;
let res = findCatalan(n);
console.log(res);

5

Time Complexity: O(n²)
Auxiliary Space: O(n)

[Expected Approach] Binomial Coefficient – O(n) Time O(1) Space

Catalan numbers can be directly computed using the mathematical formula:

 C_n = \frac{1}{n+1} \binom{2n}{n}

Instead of recursion or DP, we efficiently compute the binomial coefficient and divide by (n + 1).

// C++ program for nth Catalan Number

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Returns value of Binomial Coefficient C(n, k)
long long binomialCoeff(int n, int k)
{
    long long res = 1;

    // Since C(n, k) = C(n, n-k)
    if (k > n - k)
        k = n - k;

    // Calculate value of [n*(n-1)*---*(n-k+1)] /
    // [k*(k-1)*---*1]
    for (int i = 0; i < k; ++i)
    {
        res *= (n - i);
        res /= (i + 1);
    }

    return res;
}

// A Binomial coefficient based function to find nth catalan
// number in O(n) time
long long findCatalan(int n)
{

    // Calculate value of 2nCn
    long long c = binomialCoeff(2 * n, n);

    // return 2nCn/(n+1)
    return c / (n + 1);
}

int main()
{
    int n = 3;
    int res = findCatalan(n);
    cout << res;
    return 0;
}

public class GfG {
    // Returns value of Binomial Coefficient C(n, k)
    static long binomialCoeff(int n, int k)
    {
        long res = 1;

        // Since C(n, k) = C(n, n-k)
        if (k > n - k)
            k = n - k;

        // Calculate value of [n*(n-1)*---*(n-k+1)] /
        // [k*(k-1)*---*1]
        for (int i = 0; i < k; ++i)
        {
            res *= (n - i);
            res /= (i + 1);
        }

        return res;
    }

    // A Binomial coefficient based function to find nth catalan
    // number in O(n) time
    static long findCatalan(int n)
    {
        // Calculate value of 2nCn
        long c = binomialCoeff(2 * n, n);

        // return 2nCn/(n+1)
        return c / (n + 1);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int n = 3;
        long res = findCatalan(n);
        System.out.println(res);
    }
}

def binomialCoeff(n, k):
    res = 1

    # Since C(n, k) = C(n, n-k)
    if k > n - k:
        k = n - k

    # Calculate value of [n*(n-1)*---*(n-k+1)] /
    # [k*(k-1)*---*1]
    for i in range(k):
        res *= (n - i)
        res //= (i + 1)

    return res

# A Binomial coefficient based function to find nth catalan
# number in O(n) time
def findCatalan(n):
    # Calculate value of 2nCn
    c = binomialCoeff(2 * n, n)

    # return 2nCn/(n+1)
    return c // (n + 1)

n = 3
res = findCatalan(n)
print(res)

using System;

class GfG
{
    // Returns value of Binomial Coefficient C(n, k)
    static long binomialCoeff(int n, int k)
    {
        long res = 1;

        // Since C(n, k) = C(n, n-k)
        if (k > n - k)
            k = n - k;

        // Calculate value of [n*(n-1)*---*(n-k+1)] /
        // [k*(k-1)*---*1]
        for (int i = 0; i < k; ++i)
        {
            res *= (n - i);
            res /= (i + 1);
        }

        return res;
    }

    // A Binomial coefficient based function to find nth catalan
    // number in O(n) time
    static long findCatalan(int n)
    {
        // Calculate value of 2nCn
        long c = binomialCoeff(2 * n, n);

        // return 2nCn/(n+1)
        return c / (n + 1);
    }

    static void Main()
    {
        int n = 3;
        long res = findCatalan(n);
        Console.WriteLine(res);
    }
}

function binomialCoeff(n, k) {
    let res = 1;

    // Since C(n, k) = C(n, n-k)
    if (k > n - k)
        k = n - k;

    // Calculate value of [n*(n-1)*---*(n-k+1)] /
    // [k*(k-1)*---*1]
    for (let i = 0; i < k; ++i) {
        res *= (n - i);
        res /= (i + 1);
    }

    return res;
}

// A Binomial coefficient based function to find nth catalan
// number in O(n) time
function findCatalan(n) {
    // Calculate value of 2nCn
    let c = binomialCoeff(2 * n, n);

    // return 2nCn/(n+1)
    return Math.floor(c / (n + 1));
}

let n = 3;
let res = findCatalan(n);
console.log(res);

5

Time Complexity: O(n).
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

[Alternate Approach] Using Previous Catalan Number – O(n) Time O(1) Space

We already know how to calculate the nth Catalan Number using the below formula, C_n = \frac{2n!}{(n+1)! \times n!}

This formula can be further simplified to express the nth Catalan Number in the terms of (n-1)th Catalan Number, C_n = C_{n-1} \times \left( \frac{4n - 2}{n + 1} \right)

Steps:

• Initialize res = 1 (Catalan(0) = 1).
• Loop from i = 2 to n. In each iteration, update result using formula: res = res * (4*i - 2) / (i + 1)
• This builds the current Catalan number using the previous one.

// C++ program for nth Catalan Number
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

long long findCatalan(int n)
{
    long long res = 1;  

    for (int i = 2; i <= n; i++)
    {
        res = (res * (4 * i - 2)) / (i + 1);
    }

    return res;
}

//Driver Code
int main()
{
    int n = 3;
    int res = findCatalan(n);
    cout << res;
    return 0;
}

public class GfG {
    public static long findCatalan(int n) {
        long res = 1;  
        for (int i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
            res = (res * (4 * i - 2)) / (i + 1);
        }
        return res;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int n = 3;
        long res = findCatalan(n);
        System.out.println(res);
    }
}

def findCatalan(n):
    res = 1
    for i in range(2, n + 1):
        res = (res * (4 * i - 2)) // (i + 1)
    return res

#Driver Code
n = 3
res = findCatalan(n)
print(res)

using System;

public class GfG {
    public static long findCatalan(int n) {
        long res = 1;  
        for (int i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
            res = (res * (4 * i - 2)) / (i + 1);
        }
        return res;
    }

    public static void Main() {
        int n = 3;
        long res = findCatalan(n);
        Console.WriteLine(res);
    }
}

function findCatalan(n) {
    let res = 1;  
    for (let i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
        res = Math.floor((res * (4 * i - 2)) / (i + 1));
    }
    return res;
}

//Driver Code
let n = 3;
let res = findCatalan(n);
console.log(res);

5

Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)