Recursion vs Iteration in C++

What is the difference between recursion and iteration in C++?

Recursion is a method where a function calls itself, while iteration uses loops to repeat code.

Can you give me an example of a recursive function in C++?

Sure! Here's a simple example of a recursive function to calculate factorial:

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

How does iteration look in C++ for the same problem?

Here's an iterative version of the factorial function:

int factorial(int n) {
    int result = 1;
    for (int i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
        result *= i;
    }
    return result;
}

Which method is more efficient, recursion or iteration?

Iteration is generally more efficient in terms of memory usage, as recursion can lead to stack overflow for large inputs.