Virtual Labs

Recursion

1. What is recursion in computer science?

a: A programming error Explanation

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b: A loop construct Explanation

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c: A function calling itself Explanation

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d: A data structure Explanation

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2. What is the purpose of a base case in a recursive function?

a: To provide a starting point for the recursive calls Explanation

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b: To handle the edge cases Explanation

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c: To optimize the function for better performance Explanation

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d: To make the function more readable Explanation

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3. What is the main difference between recursive and iterative solutions?

a: Recursive solutions use loops, while iterative solutions use function calls Explanation

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b: Recursive solutions use function calls, while iterative solutions use loops Explanation

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c: Recursive solutions are faster, while iterative solutions are slower Explanation

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d: Recursive solutions are less efficient, while iterative solutions are more efficient Explanation

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4. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of recursion?

a: A function calling itself repeatedly Explanation

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b: A function solving a problem by breaking it down into smaller sub-problems Explanation

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c: A function having a fixed number of iterations Explanation

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d: A function with a terminating condition Explanation

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5. In a recursive function, what happens when the base case is not reached?

a: The function will continue to call itself infinitely Explanation

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b: The function will throw an error Explanation

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c: The function will return a default value Explanation

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d: The function will terminate immediately Explanation

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6. How can we avoid a stack overflow error in a recursive function?

a: By ensuring that the function has a base case Explanation

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b: By limiting the number of recursive calls Explanation

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c: By using iteration instead of recursion Explanation

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d: By increasing the size of the stack Explanation

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7. Can recursion be used to solve dynamic programming problems?

a: Yes, recursion is well suited for dynamic programming problems Explanation

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b: No, recursion is not suitable for dynamic programming problems Explanation

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c: Sometimes, depending on the specific problem Explanation

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d: Only if the problem has a small number of inputs Explanation

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8. In recursive algorithms, what is meant by 'tail recursion'?

a: A type of recursion that is slower than regular recursion Explanation

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b: A recursive call that appears at the end of a function and doesn't require any further computation after the recursive call returns Explanation

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c: A recursive call that occurs within a loop Explanation

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d: A type of recursion that uses a tail data structure Explanation

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9. How can you optimize a recursive function to reduce the overhead of function calls?

a: By making the recursive calls non-tail recursive Explanation

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b: By using global variables instead of local variables Explanation

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c: By using memoization or dynamic programming techniques Explanation

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d: By removing the base case Explanation

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10. What is the time complexity of a recursive function that makes n recursive calls, assuming each recursive call takes O(1) time?

a: O(2^n) Explanation

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b: O(log n) Explanation

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c: O(n^2) Explanation

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d: O(n) Explanation

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