What are recursive algorithms and how do they work?

What are recursive algorithms and how do they work?

Recursive algorithms are methods that solve problems by calling themselves with smaller inputs. They typically have a base case to stop the recursion.

Can you give me an example of a recursive algorithm?

Sure! A classic example is the calculation of factorials. The factorial of a number n (n!) is defined as n * (n-1)!, with the base case being 0! = 1.

How do I implement a recursive function in Python?

You can define a recursive function in Python like this:

def factorial(n):
    if n == 0:
        return 1
    else:
        return n * factorial(n - 1)

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using recursion?

Advantages include simplicity and clarity in code. Disadvantages are potential stack overflow and higher memory usage due to function calls.