Question

What is recursion?

• A. looping
• B. a function calls another function repeatedly
• C. a function calls repeatedly
• D. function calls itself repeatedly

Hint:

Every recursive function must contain two vital components: a base case (the termination condition) and a recursive step (the mechanism where the function calls itself with modified parameters).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the fundamental definition of recursion in the context of computer programming and algorithms.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In computer science, recursion is a programming technique and a powerful algorithm design concept.
It specifically occurs when a function solves a problem by making one or more calls to itself during its own execution block.
This process is designed to break down a larger, complex problem into smaller, structurally identical sub-problems.
A properly implemented recursive function must always have a defined base case to eventually stop the repeated self-calling and prevent an infinite loop, which would lead to a stack overflow error.


Step 3: Final Answer:
Recursion is when a function calls itself repeatedly.