Thread: Segmentation fault using recursion to find factorial

Noob here.
The title says it all.

Code:

//using recursion to find the factorial of an entered number

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int x;
int solution;

int factorial( int counter ) //factorial finding function
{
if ( x < counter ) 
	{
	factorial ( x + 1 ); //starts at one, runs the function up until x == the entered number.
	}
solution = solution * x; //with the exit of every function, solution is multiplied by the value of the argument.
if ( solution > counter ) //so lets say the numbered entered was 4. it would run the function of 1, 2, 3 than solution (set equal to 4 already) is multiplied by 3, 2, 1.
	{
	if ( x == 1 ) { return solution; } //the function == 1 when it starts and when it ends. this tid bit makes sure not to return solution when it starts.
	}
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

int main()
{
x = 1; 

int number;
int output;
cin >> number;
solution = number; //so that the function works multiplying all numbers less than the entered value

output = factorial ( number ); //runs the function with the entered number.
cout << output << endl;
}

The above code gives me compiles fine but gives me a segmentation fault when I run it.
Any ideas as to why?

Wow that's an interesting use of globals for a factorial function...

Here's an example of doing what you're trying to do:

Code:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int factorial(int x)
{
    if (x == 1)
    {
        return 1;
    }
    return (x * factorial(x - 1));
}

int main()
{
    int number;
    int output;
    cin >> number;
    output = factorial(number);
    cout << output << endl;
}

... maybe that'll help you.

thank you guys.
i feel like an idiot; after someone else points out your flaw it is blatantly obvious.
i am still very shaky on the basics; i have been programming a grand total of about 6 days.
i was backwards in my idea of functions. i thought once you hit a return, you would return the value straight to main, but you return the value to wherever the function was called.