What is Explicit?

  • Explicit refers to the function that directly defines the solution without relying on the self-calls or recursion.
  • The Explicit functions often involve direct calculations iterative loops or explicit formulae.

Example: Calculating the factorial of the number using the explicit loop:

C++
#include <iostream>

// Function to calculate factorial
long long factorial(int n)
{
    // Initialize result to 1
    long long result = 1;

    // Iterate from 1 to n
    for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
        // Multiply result with the current number
        result *= i;
    }

    // Return the result
    return result;
}

// Main method
int main()
{
    int num = 5;
    long long fact = factorial(num);
    std::cout << "The factorial of " << num << " is "
              << fact << std::endl;
    return 0;
}
Java
public class Main {
    // Function to calculate factorial
    public static long factorial(int n)
    {
        // Initialize result to 1
        long result = 1;

        // Iterate from 1 to n
        for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
            // Multiply result with the current number
            result *= i;
        }

        // Return the result
        return result;
    }

    // Main method
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int num = 5;
        long fact = factorial(num);
        System.out.println("The factorial of " + num
                           + " is " + fact);
    }
}
Python
def factorial(n):
    # Initialize result to 1
    result = 1

    # Iterate from 1 to n
    for i in range(1, n + 1):
        # Multiply result with the current number
        result *= i

    # Return the result
    return result


def main():
    num = 5
    fact = factorial(num)
    print("The factorial of", num, "is", fact)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()
JavaScript
// Function to calculate factorial
function factorial(n) {
    // Initialize result to 1
    let result = 1;

    // Iterate from 1 to n
    for (let i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
        // Multiply result with the current number
        result *= i;
    }

    // Return the result
    return result;
}

// Main method
function main() {
    let num = 5;
    let fact = factorial(num);
    console.log("The factorial of " + num + " is " + fact);
}

// Call the main method
main();

Output
The factorial of 5 is 120

Difference Between Recursive and Explicit

In programming, recursive and explicit are two different approaches used to define functions or algorithms. The Recursive refers to the function that calls itself to solve smaller instances of same problem in while explicit refers to the function that directly defines the solution without relying on the self-calls. This article explores the differences between the recursive and explicit approaches their characteristics and when to use each.

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Difference Between Recursive and Explicit:

Characteristics Recursive Explicit Definition A function that calls itself to solve the smaller instances of the same problem. A function that directly defines the solution without using the self-calls. Structure The Typically involves a base case and recursive case. The Typically involves a direct calculation or iteration. Readability Can be more intuitive for the certain problems. Can be more straightforward and easier to understand in the some cases. Complexity May lead to higher space complexity due to the function call stack. The Usually has lower space complexity. Examples The Calculating factorial and Fibonacci series. The Simple arithmetic operations and loops....

What is Recursive?

The Recursive refers to a function that calls itself to solve smaller instances of same problem until it reaches a base case. The Recursive functions typically have a base case that defines the termination condition and recursive case that calls the function with the modified parameters....

What is Explicit?

Explicit refers to the function that directly defines the solution without relying on the self-calls or recursion. The Explicit functions often involve direct calculations iterative loops or explicit formulae....

Conclusion:

The Recursive and explicit approaches offer different ways to define functions or algorithms each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The Recursive functions can be more intuitive for the certain problems but may lead to the higher space complexity due to the function call stack. The Explicit functions are usually more straightforward and have lower space complexity making them suitable for the simple calculations or iterations....

FAQs:

Q1. When should I use recursion vs. explicit methods?...