What are some examples of iterative and recursive functions?

Can you explain the difference between iterative and recursive functions?

Sure! Iterative functions use loops to repeat a block of code, while recursive functions call themselves to solve a problem.

Can you give me an example of an iterative function?

Absolutely! A simple example is calculating the factorial of a number using a loop. For instance, factorial(5) would be 5 * 4 * 3 * 2 * 1.

What about a recursive function example?

A classic example is the factorial function defined recursively: factorial(n) = n * factorial(n-1), with the base case factorial(0) = 1.

When should I use recursion instead of iteration?

Recursion is often more elegant for problems that can be divided into smaller subproblems, like tree traversals or combinatorial problems.