Programming for Problem Solving (PPS)

GTU # 3110003
USING

{C}
Recursion Programming

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava

Computer Engineering Department,
Darshan Institute of Engineering & Technology, Rajkot
What is Recursion?
 Any function which calls itself is called recursive function and such function calls are
called recursive calls.
 Recursion cannot be applied to all problems, but it is more useful for the tasks that
can be defined in terms of a similar subtask.
 It is idea of representing problem a with smaller problems.
 Any problem that can be solved recursively can be solved iteratively.
 When recursive function call itself, the memory for called function allocated and
different copy of the local variable is created for each function call.
 Some of the problem best suitable for recursion are
 Factorial
 Fibonacci
 Tower of Hanoi

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 2

Working of Recursive function
Working
void func1();

void main()
{
....
func1();
.... Function
} call

void func1()
{ Recursive
.... function call
func1();
....
}

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 3

Properties of Recursion
 A recursive function can go infinite like a loop. To avoid infinite running of
recursive function, there are two properties that a recursive function must have.
 Base Case or Base criteria 
 It allows the recursion algorithm to stop.
 A base case is typically a problem that is small enough to solve directly.
 Progressive approach
 A recursive algorithm must change its state in such a way that it moves forward to the base
case.

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 4

Recursion - factorial example
 The factorial of a integer n, is Recursive trace
product of
 n * (n-1) * (n-2) * …. * 1 Final Ans 5 *24 = 120
 Recursive definition of factorial Fact(5)
 n! = n * (n-1)! return 4 * 6 = 24
call
 Example
 3! = 3 * 2 * 1 Fact(4)
 3! = 3 * (2 * 1) return 3 * 2 = 6
call
 3! = 3 * (2!)
Fact(3)
return 2 * 1 = 2
call
Fact(2)
return 1
call
Fact(1)

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 5

WAP to find factorial of given number using Recursion
Program Output
1 #include <stdio.h> Enter the number? 5
2 int fact(int); factorial = 120
3 void main()
4 {
5 int n, f;
6 printf("Enter the number?\n");
7 scanf("%d", &n);
8 f = fact(n);
9 printf("factorial = %d", f);
10 }
11 int fact(int n)
12 {
13 if (n == 0)
14 return 1;
15 else if (n == 1)
16 return 1;
17 else
18 return n * fact(n - 1);
19 }

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 6

Recursion - Fibonacci example
 A series of numbers , where next Recursive trace
number is found by adding the two
number before it. Fib(4) Final Ans. 3

 Recursive definition of Fibonacci return 1

return 2
 Fib(0) = 0
 Fib(1) = 1 Fib(3) Fib(2)
 Fib(n) = Fib(n-1) + Fib(n-2)
return 1 return 1 return 0
 Example return 1
 Fib(4) = Fib(3) + Fib(2) Fib(2) Fib(1) Fib(1) Fib(0)
 Fib(4) = 3
return 1 return 0
Fib(1) Fib(0)

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 7

WAP to Display Fibonacci Sequence
Program Program contd.
1 #include <stdio.h> 15 int fibonacci(int n)
2 int fibonacci(int); 16 {
3 void main() 17 if (n == 0 || n == 1)
4 { 18 return n;
5 int n, m = 0, i; 19 else
6 printf("Enter Total terms\n"); 20 return (fibonacci(n - 1) +
7 scanf("%d", &n); fibonacci(n - 2));
8 printf("Fibonacci series\n"); 21 }
9 for (i = 1; i <= n; i++)
10 { Output
11 printf("%d ", fibonacci(m)); Enter Total terms                   
12 m++; 5  
13 } Fibonacci series        
14 } 0 1 1 2 3

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 8

Recursion - Decimal to Binary example
 To convert decimal to binary, divide Recursive trace
decimal number by 2 till dividend will
be less then 2 Final Ans 13%2 + 10*110 = 1101
 To convert decimal 13 to binary decToBin(13)
 13/2 = 6 reminder 1 return 6%2 + 10*11 = 110
call
 6/2 = 6 reminder 0
 3/2 = 3 reminder 1 decToBin(6)
 1/2 = 1 reminder 1 return 3%2 + 10*1 = 11
call
 Recursive definition of Decimal to decToBin(3)
Binary return 1%2 + 10*0 = 1
 decToBin(0) = 0 call
 decToBin(n) = n%2 + 10* decToBin(1)
decToBin(n/2) return 0
call
 Example
decToBin(0)
 decToBin(13) = 13%2 + 10 decToBin(6)
Prof.decToBin(13)
Nilesh Gambhava = 1101 #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 9
WAP to Convert Decimal to Binary
Program Output
1 #include <stdio.h> Enter a decimal number: 12    
2 int convertDecimalToBinary(int); The binary equivalent = 1100 
3 void main()
4 {
5 int dec, bin;
6 printf("Enter a decimal number: ");
7 scanf("%d", &dec);
8 bin = convertDecimalToBinary(dec);
9 printf("The binary equivalent = %d \n",bin);
10 }
11 int convertDecimalToBinary(int dec)
12 {
13 if (dec == 0)
14 return 0;
15 else
16 return (dec % 2 + 10 *
convertDecimalToBinary(dec / 2));
17 }

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 10

WAP to Convert Binary to Decimal
Program Output
1 #include <stdio.h> Enter a binary number: 101    
2 int convertBinaryToDecimal(int b, int c, int t); Decimal value of 101 is 5 
3 void main()
4 {
5 unsigned int binary, decimal;
6 printf("Enter a binary number: ");
7 scanf("%d", &binary);
8 decimal = convertBinaryToDecimal(binary, 1, 0);
9 printf("Decimal value of %d is %d", binary, decimal);
10 }
11 int convertBinaryToDecimal(int b, int c, int t)
12 {
13 if (b > 0)
14 {
15 t += (b % 10) * c;
16 convertBinaryToDecimal(b / 10, c * 2, t);
17 }
18 else
19 return t;
20 }

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 11

Practice Programs
1) Write a program to find factorial of a given number using recursion. 
2) WAP to convert decimal number into binary using recursion.
3) WAP to use recursive calls to evaluate F(x) = x – x3/3! + x5/5! – x7/7! + … + xn/n!

Prof. Nilesh Gambhava #3110003 (PPS) – Recursion 12



Thank you