Recursion
noun
In programming, a process where a function calls itself.
We created a recursion in the code to calculate the factorial of a number.
Often appears as...
- recursive function
- recursion in programming
Usage tips
Technical
noun
In mathematics, a process where an object is defined in terms of itself.
The Fibonacci sequence is an example of recursion in mathematics.
Often appears as...
- mathematical recursion
- timing recursion
Usage tips
Academic
noun
Process or method of doing something repeatedly, by referring back to the intermediate steps or results.
The complexity of the recursion depends on the problem it is designed to solve.
Often appears as...
- recursion problem
- recursion solution
noun
In programming, a process where a function calls itself.
We created a recursion in the code to calculate the factorial of a number.
Often appears as...
- recursive function
- recursion in programming
Usage tips
Technical
noun
In mathematics, a process where an object is defined in terms of itself.
The Fibonacci sequence is an example of recursion in mathematics.
Often appears as...
- mathematical recursion
- timing recursion
Usage tips
Academic
noun
Process or method of doing something repeatedly, by referring back to the intermediate steps or results.
The complexity of the recursion depends on the problem it is designed to solve.
Often appears as...
- recursion problem
- recursion solution
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Limiting Condition
Recursion must have an endpoint to prevent infinite loops.
The recursion stops when the function reaches zero.
Pro Tip 2/3Programming Errors
Misusing recursion can cause stack overflow, crashing the program.
He forgot the base case, and the recursion caused a stack overflow.
Pro Tip 3/3Efficiency Matters
Recursion can be less efficient and slower than iteration in some cases.
To improve speed, he replaced recursion with a loop.
Pro Tip 1/3Limiting Condition
Recursion must have an endpoint to prevent infinite loops.
The recursion stops when the function reaches zero.
Pro Tip 2/3Programming Errors
Misusing recursion can cause stack overflow, crashing the program.
He forgot the base case, and the recursion caused a stack overflow.
Pro Tip 3/3Efficiency Matters
Recursion can be less efficient and slower than iteration in some cases.
To improve speed, he replaced recursion with a loop.
Pro Tip 1/3Limiting Condition
Recursion must have an endpoint to prevent infinite loops.
The recursion stops when the function reaches zero.
Pro Tip 2/3Programming Errors
Misusing recursion can cause stack overflow, crashing the program.
He forgot the base case, and the recursion caused a stack overflow.
Pro Tip 3/3Efficiency Matters
Recursion can be less efficient and slower than iteration in some cases.
To improve speed, he replaced recursion with a loop.
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Video examples
Ron Eglash: The fractals...
-- and relax your hand, you'll see a crinkle, and then a wrinkle within the crinkle, and a crinkle within the wrinkle. Right? Your body is covered with fractals. The mathematicians who were saying these were pathologically useless shapes? They were breathing those words with fractal lungs. It's very ironic. And I'll show you a little natural recursion here.
Video examples
What do all languages...
called recursion, which means structures can be nested inside each other. Take this sentence, which embeds a sentence within a sentence within a sentence.
Video examples
Ron Eglash: The fractals...
-- and relax your hand, you'll see a crinkle, and then a wrinkle within the crinkle, and a crinkle within the wrinkle. Right? Your body is covered with fractals. The mathematicians who were saying these were pathologically useless shapes? They were breathing those words with fractal lungs. It's very ironic. And I'll show you a little natural recursion here.
Video examples
What do all languages...
called recursion, which means structures can be nested inside each other. Take this sentence, which embeds a sentence within a sentence within a sentence.
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Giles Foden
English Author
Suffering produces a recursion to the tribe, to one's own kind. When a lot of people suffer, tribes lose their head.
Quote examples
Giles Foden
English Author
Suffering produces a recursion to the tribe, to one's own kind. When a lot of people suffer, tribes lose their head.
Example 1 of 1
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