Recursion & Backtracking Flashcards
1
Q
What is recursion? How does it differ from iteration?
A
Recursion has function calls (stack overhead), iteration does not.
2
Q
What is the base case in recursion?
A
The condition that stops recursion.
3
Q
What is tail recursion? Why is it useful?
A
Recursive call is the last operation in the function.
4
Q
What is the time complexity of the recursive Fibonacci algorithm?
A
O(2ⁿ) (exponential).
5
Q
What are common problems that use backtracking?
A
N-Queens, Sudoku Solver, Subset Sum.
6
Q
What is the difference between backtracking and recursion?
A
Backtracking explores all possibilities but “backs up” on failures.
