Can you figure out what 'dosomething' does without a compiler

    
int dosomething(int numberone)
{
     if(numberone == 1) {return 1;}
     
     if(numberone >= 1) 
     {
         return (numberone * dosomething(numberone-1));
     }
}
  

Just a little light relief! Regards, Ozz. Edited by - Ozz on January 27, 2001 2:34:52 PM

numberone factorial

nope.......that is the wrong answer
it will ALWAYS return 1
why ?

  if (numberone = 1)  { return 1; }  

that is why
unless of course you mean to have the double equal marks there in which case it would be numberone factorial


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Mwahh-ha-ha, I double tricked you! It was actually an error on my part, it should be 'if(numberone == 1) {return 1;}' and yes, 'dosomething' is infact 'factorial'.

How about this one:

    int dosomething(int number){    if((number == 1) || (number == 2)) return 1;         return(dosomething(number-1) + dosomething(number-2);}  

I think that`s correct, don`t go using a compiler!

Ozz.

Edited by - Ozz on January 27, 2001 2:35:39 PM

number = 2;

dosomething(number)
{
if(number == 1)return 1;

if(number >= 1)
return(number * dosomething(number1);
}

first time through we skip the first if
and call dosomething from inside the first
layer dosomething(2-1)(second layer now)
that returns 1 and the first layer multiplies
it by number (2).. 2*1=2 and returns 2
to the initial call

is that wrong? let me know why im
still trying to understand recursion..

You have the idea, but I think you need a hint: the recursive function generates a very famous and very intesting sequence of numbers.

Just being picky, here. I''ve not tried compiling it, but wouldn''t it fail as not all control paths actually return a value?

E.g. If you called dosomething(-2)...

the second code generates the kth number from the Fibonacci series:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ...

which is created by adding two most previous numbers:

Fibonacci(6) = 3 + 5 = 8
Fibonacci(7) = 5 + 8 = 13



"Well, then, - the Cat went on - you see, a dog growls when it''s angry, and wags its tail when it''s pleased. Now I growl when I''m pleased, and wag my tail when I''m angry. Therefore I''m mad."

Sorry for my late answer...

As concern with the first "quiz"...

The function implements a "not-so-exact" recursive computation of the factorial of ''numberone''.

I called it "not-so-exact" for two reasons.

First, if called with a integer actual parameter equal to zero, the function won''t return anything (clever compilers issue a warning for this ).

Second, ''int'' values can be negative. The factorial of a negative number is NOT defined.

To solve this secondary problem the programmer should either add a piece of "valid argument checking" code or (better) set the formal argument type to "unsigned int" (and the return value type, too).

Just my $0.02...





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