To Recur(sion) or to Iterate?That is the question

Hi people

i suppose
Recursion can always be translated into iteration
any comments??

also recursion is also often the inefficient way to solve aproblem but sometimes it is the most intuitive way

for eg
to traverse a bin tree recursion is by defn of the traversal (
Left Root Right
or any combination of the above)

is very intuitive(to me atleast)

so when should i use recursion and when iteration?

That is The Question

(Sorry Bill Shakespeare i regret having mangled your words but..
couldnt resist )

Quote:

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so when i should use recursion and when iteration?

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I would use recursion if that solution was easier to program than an iterative one as long as there is no chance of overrunning the stack space.If the levels of recursion get too deep then you will corrupt the stack and crash.Iterative solutions are safer but in the end its really down to what you are trying to achieve. If speed is an issue then an iterative solution will always run faster than a recursive solution because of the cost of calling functions repeatedly.

ok

i was taught t o bang my head against the freakin' wall to find an iterative solution to an intuitively recursive problem. if that didn't work, try some more. if i wake up on the floor with a bruised forehead, i use the recursive solution....

Actually, recursion is a powerful and useful tool. It is extremely elegant, and wasteful only as regards stackspace.

As with all things, _moderation is the key_.

Use recursion where stackspace and performance are not critical factors.