Recursion
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Lecture#13
Recursion
Recursion
• First of all, instead of giving the definition of Recursion, we give you an
example.
• You already know the Set of Odd numbers. Here we give the new definition of
the same set that is the set of Odd numbers
• Definition for odd positive integers may be given as:
• BASE:
• 1 is an odd positive integer
• RECURSION:
• If k is an odd positive integer, then k + 2 is an odd positive integer.
• Now, 1 is an odd positive integer by the definition base.
• With k = 1, 1 + 2 = 3, so 3 is an odd positive integer.
• With k = 3, 3 + 2 = 5, so 5 is an odd positive integer
• and so, 7, 9, 11, … are odd positive integers.
RECURSION:
• The process of defining an object in terms of smaller versions of itself
is called recursion.
• A recursive definition has two parts:
• BASE:
• An initial simple definition which cannot be expressed in terms of smaller
versions of itself.
• RECURSION:
• The part of definition which can be expressed in terms of smaller versions of
itself.
RECURSIVELY DEFINED
FUNCTIONS:
• A function is said to be recursively defined if the function refers to
itself such that
• There are certain arguments, called base values, for which the function does
not refer to itself.
• Each time the function does refer to itself, the argument of the function must
be closer to a base value
EXAMPLE
• Suppose that f is defined recursively by
• f(0) = 3
• f(n + 1) = 2 f (n) + 3
• Find f(1), f(2), f(3) and f(4)
• SOLUTION:
• From the recursive definition it follows that
• f(1) = 2 f(0) + 3 = 2(3) + 3 = 6 + 3 = 9
• So
• f(2) = 2 f(1) + 3 = 2(9) + 3 = 18 + 3 = 21
• f(3) = 2 f(2) + 3 = 2(21) + 3 = 42 + 3 = 45
• f(4) = 2 f(3) + 3 = 2(45) + 3 = 90 + 3 = 93
EXERCISE
• Find f(2), f(3), and f(4) if f is defined recursively by
• f(0) = -1, f(1)=2 and for n = 1, 2, 3, …
• f(n+1) = f(n) + 3 f(n - 1)
• SOLUTION:
• From the recursive definition it follows that
• f(2) = f(1) + 3 f (1-1)
• = f(1) + 3 f (0)
• = 2 + 3 (-1)
• = -1
• By recursive formula we have
• f(3) = f(2) + 3 f (2-1)
• = f(2) + 3 f (1)
• = (-1) + 3 (2)
• =5
• f(4) = f(3) + 3 f (3-1)
• = f(3) + 3 f (2)
• = 5 + 3 (-1)
• =2
THE FACTORIAL OF A POSITIVE
INTEGER
• For each positive integer n, the factorial of n denoted n! is defined to be the
product of all the integers from 1 to n:
• n! = n·(n - 1)·(n - 2) · · · 3 · 2 · 1
• Zero factorial is defined to be 1
• 0! = 1
• EXAMPLE
• 0! = 1 1! = 1
• 2! = 2·1 = 2 3! = 3·2·1 = 6
• 4! = 4·3·2·1 = 24 5! = 5·4·3·2·1 = 120
• 6! = 6·5·4·3·2·1= 720 7! = 7·6·5·4·3·2·1= 5040
• REMARK:
• 5! = 5 · 4 · 3 · 2 · 1
• = 5 ·(4 · 3 · 2 · 1) = 5 · 4!
• In general, n! = n(n-1)! for each positive integer n.
Logarithmic identities
y log b ( x) if and only if x b y
log b ( xy ) log b ( x) log b ( y )
x
log b log b ( x) log b ( y )
y
log b ( x y ) y log b ( x)
log b x logy( x)
y b
x log(y ) y log(x )
log b (b) 1
log b (1) 0
8
Solving the Recurrence (By Iteration
Method)
• If n is assumed to be a power of 2 (2k = n) this will simplify
the recurrence to
1 if n 1
T (n)
2T (n / 2) n otherwise
9
Solving the Recurrence..
T (n) 2T (n / 2) n
2(2T (n / 4) n / 2) n
4T (n / 4) n n
4(2T (n / 8) n / 4) n n
8T (n / 8) n n n
8(2T (n / 16) n / 8) n n n
16T (n / 16) n n n n
10
The Iteration Method
(cont’d)
• If n is power of 2 then let n = 2k or k=log n.
k k
T (n) 2 T (n /( 2 )) (n n n ... n)
k times
k k
2 T (n /( 2 )) kn
(log n ) (log n )
2 T (n /( 2 )) (log n)n
(log n )
2 T (n / n) (log n)n
nT (1) n log n n n log n
11
Example-2: Solving Recurrence
f(n) = f(n -1 ) + n
= f(n- 2 ) + n - 1 + n
= f(n-3 ) + n - 2 + n - 1 + n
= f(n- 4 ) + n - 3 + n - 2 + n - 1 + n
…
= f( 1 ) + 2 + 3 + 4 + … + n - 1 + n
n(n 1) 2
(n )
2 12