Question 1

What is recursion in C programming?

Accepted Answer

Recursion in C programming is a technique where a function calls itself to solve smaller instances of the same problem. It continues until a base case is reached, at which point the function stops calling itself and begins to return results back up the call chain.

Question 2

What are the base case and recursive case in recursion?

Accepted Answer

Base Case: The condition under which the recursion stops. It prevents infinite recursion by providing a termination point.
Recursive Case: The part of the function that reduces the problem into smaller instances and makes the recursive call.

Question 3

How does recursion differ from iteration?

Accepted Answer

Recursion involves a function calling itself, adding new layers to the call stack with each call, while iteration uses looping constructs (for, while, etc.) to repeat a block of code without adding new layers to the call stack.

Question 4

What are the advantages of using recursion?

Accepted Answer

Simplifies code: Some problems, like tree traversal or solving puzzles, are more naturally and easily expressed recursively.
Readability: Recursive solutions can be more concise and easier to understand.

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of using recursion?

Accepted Answer

Memory Usage: Each recursive call adds a new frame to the call stack, which can lead to high memory consumption and possible stack overflow.
Performance Overhead: Recursion can be slower than iteration due to the overhead of repeated function calls.

Question 6

Can all recursive algorithms be rewritten as iterative algorithms?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every recursive algorithm can be rewritten as an iterative algorithm, but the iterative version might be less intuitive and more complex, especially for problems naturally suited to recursion, like tree traversal.

Question 7

What is tail recursion, and why is it important?

Accepted Answer

Tail recursion is a form of recursion where the recursive call is the last operation in the function. Tail recursion can be optimized by the compiler to prevent adding new stack frames, thus reducing the risk of stack overflow and improving performance.

Question 8

What is stack overflow in recursion?

Accepted Answer

A stack overflow occurs when the call stack exceeds its limit, usually because a recursive function has too many nested calls, often due to missing or improperly defined base cases.

Question 9

How can recursion be optimized in C?

Accepted Answer

Tail Recursion: Use tail recursion to enable optimizations by the compiler.
Memoization: Store results of expensive function calls to avoid redundant calculations and reduce the number of recursive calls.

Question 10

What are some common use cases for recursion?

Accepted Answer

Tree Traversal: Recursion is ideal for traversing binary trees or other hierarchical structures.
Divide and Conquer Algorithms: Algorithms like QuickSort and MergeSort use recursion to sort elements.
Mathematical Problems: Problems like calculating factorials, Fibonacci numbers, or solving the Tower of Hanoi.

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