Fibonacci: Iterative vs Recursive

What's the difference between iterative and recursive methods for calculating Fibonacci numbers?

The iterative method uses loops to calculate Fibonacci numbers, while the recursive method calls itself to solve the problem.

Which method is more efficient in terms of performance?

The iterative method is generally more efficient because it avoids the overhead of multiple function calls that occur in recursion.

Can you show me the code for both methods?

Sure! Here's the iterative method:

def fibonacci_iterative(n):
    a, b = 0, 1
    for _ in range(n):
        a, b = b, a + b
    return a

And the recursive method:

def fibonacci_recursive(n):
    if n <= 1:
        return n
    return fibonacci_recursive(n-1) + fibonacci_recursive(n-2)

Which method would you recommend for large values of n?

For large values of n, I recommend using the iterative method or even memoization with recursion to improve performance.