Recursion question

k.p.h

Probably a simple question, would this method be described as a recursive method.?

It's just a sorting method for a heap I am doing in college. For some reason I am hesitant to say it is even though it obviously calls itself within the code. Feels slightly different from the other recursive functions I would have looked at like Fibonacci and Factorial.

   private void bubbleUp(int index ) {
        if( index > 0 ) {
            int parentNode = ( index - 1 ) / 2;
            if( array[ parentNode ] > array[ index ] ) {
                swap( parentNode, index );
                bubbleUp( parentNode );
            }
        }
    }

srsly78

Yes.

k.p.h

Thanks, so the definition of a recursive function is just a function that calls itself. That simple ..?

Ludo

Google "recursion"...silly software engineering humour :-)

k.p.h

Yeah I'v done the google quite a bit about recursion online,lot of different types and a broad subject IMO. What I was wondering about was it incorrect to refer to any method that calls itself under the term "recursion" in exam situations etc. Seems like it's OK anyway. Thanks for the help.

Colonel Panic

And the most common use of recursion is the type you're not used to! Using it to walk data structures on the other hand is common as hell!

k.p.h

Ludo wrote: »

Google "recursion"...silly software engineering humour :-)

Ah I see