Java Recursion. Output for the following program

Question

I am looking for some brief explanations on how the below program or code works.Thanks

public void Convert( int iNum )
{
    int m = 0;
    if (iNum == 1 )
        System.out.print( iNum );
    else
    {
        m = iNum % 2;
        Convert(iNum/2);
        System.out.print(m);
    }
}

nope its not. it is something that was there in the exam today. so wondering — , Dec 21 '11 at 00:40
Its a buggy version of the standard recursive routine to print a number in base 2. — Chris Dodd, Dec 21 '11 at 00:44
Try compiling and see what it gives you for different inputs. — Jeffrey, Dec 21 '11 at 00:45
i see. so how does this basically work, assuming iNum is some N number ? then going along with it ? or does the program mean something else — , Dec 21 '11 at 00:46
i tried compiling, but the result wasnt supportive to recursion — , Dec 21 '11 at 00:46
@ChrisDodd: Not that buggy. I mean, it'll overflow the stack if `iNum` is negative or zero, but otherwise it should be fine. — ruakh, Dec 21 '11 at 00:48

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 21 '11 at 00:48

2

This program tries to convert a decimal number to binary using recursion. Lets take an example:

Decimal 5 -> Binary 101

Convert(5):
m = 5 %2 -> 1
   Convert(2):
       m -> 2%2 -> 0
       Convert(1)
          The first if is true: -> 1

Output: 101

answered Dec 21 '11 at 00:48

Chander Shivdasani

9,878
20
76
107

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 21 '11 at 00:47

0

It is a simple recursive call The if part will get executed only once ie, when inum=1; The else part keeps only calling convert (each time cutting the value of inum by 2) and when we cannot further dive inum first the if part gets executed and the step back to the next stacked recursive version and prints the remainder we get on dividing inum/2.

answered Dec 21 '11 at 00:47

Ajay nath

133
2
10

thanks ajay. so in order to have the output the we NEED to pass in a value for iNum. is that right ? – Dec 21 '11 at 00:48

Java Recursion. Output for the following program

2 Answers2

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