I've just been introduced to recursion (In a C++ class). I'm having a hard
time grasping the concept. It would help me a great deal if I could relate
recursion to something that happens in the real world.
Can you cite any practical examples of real world everyday recursive activities?
thanks
(please also email reply)
This is an imperfect analogy, but consider mail delivery:
At the central post office, there are lots of letters to be delivered.
Rather than delivering each one from there, the letters are divided into
groups based on the local post office that they go to. Each group goes
to a different local post office. The local post office then
(recursively) sorts the letters into groups depending on which mail
carrier will deliver them. The mail carrier (recursively) sorts them
based on which street and then (recursively) based on which address on
that street. The mail is delivered. The family then (recursively)
sorts the letters based on who they are addressed to and whether they
are real mail, bills or junk mail.
--
Thomas A. Russ, USC/Information Sciences Institute ยทยทยท@isi.edu