1(a) Hugh has written a recursive function called thisFunction() using pseudocode.
01 function thisFunction(theArray, num1, num2, num3)
02 result = num1 + ((num2 - num1) DIV 2)
03 if num2 < num1 then
04 return -1
05 else
06 if theArray[result] < num3 then
07 return thisFunction(theArray, result + 1, num2, num3)
08 elseif theArray[result] > num3 then
09 return thisFunction(theArray, num1, result - 1, num3)
10 else
11 return result
12 endif
13 endif
14 endfunction
The function DIV calculates integer division, e.g. 5 DIV 3 = 1
theArray has the following data:
Index: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Data: 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Trace the algorithm, and give the final return value, when it is called with the following statement:
thisFunction(theArray, 0, 7, 35)
You may choose to use the table below to give your answer.
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Function call num1 num2 num3 result
thisFunction(theArray,0,7,35)
Final return value .......................................... [5]
(b) State the name of the standard algorithm thisFunction() performs.
[1]
(c) Hugh could have written thisFunction() using iteration instead of recursion.
Compare two differences between recursion and iteration.
[4]
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(d) The recursive function thisFunction() is printed again here for your reference.
01 function thisFunction(theArray, num1, num2, num3)
02 result = num1 + ((num2 - num1) DIV 2)
03 if num2 < num1 then
04 return -1
05 else
06 if theArray[result] < num3 then
07 return thisFunction(theArray, result + 1, num2, num3)
08 elseif theArray[result] > num3 then
09 return thisFunction(theArray, num1, result - 1, num3)
10 else
11 return result
12 endif
13 endif
14 endfunction
Rewrite the function thisFunction() so that it uses iteration instead of recursion.
You should write your answer using pseudocode or program code.
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[6]
2 A recursive function, GCD, is given in pseudocode.
function GCD (num1, num2)
if num2 == 0 then
return num1
else
return GCD(num2, num1 MOD num2)
endif
endfunction
The function has been rewritten using iteration instead of recursion.
i. State one benefit and one drawback of using iteration instead of recursion.
Benefit
Drawback
[2]
ii. Complete the missing statements in this iterative version of the function.
function newGCD (num1, num2)
temp = 0
while (num2 != ...................)
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................... = num2
num2 = num1 MOD ...................
num1 = temp
endwhile
return ...................
endfunction
[4]
3(a) A recursive function, calculate, is shown below:
Identify the lines where recursion is used.
[1]
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(b) Re-write the function so it uses iteration instead of recursion.
[4]
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4(a) Some whole numbers are known by mathematicians as evil numbers.
One way to find out if a number is evil, is to use the integer division operators DIV and MOD.
Describe how recursion has been used in this function.
[2]
(b) All numbers that are not evil are known as odious numbers. The following function determines whether a number
is odious.
1 FUNCTION IsOdious(n : INTEGER)
2 IF n = 0 THEN
3 RETURN FALSE
4 ELSE
5 IF n MOD 2 = 0 THEN
6 RETURN IsOdious(n DIV 2)
7 ELSE
8 RETURN NOT(IsOdious(n DIV 2))
9 END IF
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10 END IF
11 END FUNCTION
2 is an odious number.
Show each step of the execution of the call IsOdious(2), including all recursive calls and the values returned.
You may use a diagram.
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[6]
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(c) Many functions can be defined using either recursion or iteration.
i. State one advantage of using recursion instead of iteration.
ii. State one disadvantage of using recursion instead of iteration.
[2]
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5 The layout for a 2-player board game is shown in Fig 2.1
The game is played by rolling two 6-sided dice and moving that number of spaces. Both players start on the
START space. If a player lands on a space occupied by the other player, they move to the next available space.
The board is to be stored as a 2-dimensional array.
Each time a player moves, a series of obstacles are to be added to the board.
On their turn, each player rolls two dice. The smaller number from the two dice is taken, and that many obstacles
will appear on the board in random locations.
For example, if a 3 and 6 are rolled, then 3 obstacles will appear.
A recursive function is written in pseudocode to perform this task.
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The code generates an instance of the object obstacle.
i. Explain the purpose of the code in line in the algorithm.
[2]
ii. Identify the line of code where recursion occurs.
[1]
iii. The recursive function could have been written using iteration.
Describe the benefits and drawbacks of using recursion instead of iteration.
Benefits
Drawbacks
[4]
iv. Rewrite the function so it uses iteration instead of recursion.
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[4]
v. If a position on the board is not occupied, its value is set to a blank string ("").
The current algorithm does not check if the random space generated is currently occupied.
Write a subroutine that takes the generated position of the board, checks if it is free and returns if free,
or if occupied.
[3]
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6 Consider the following algorithm in Fig.2, expressed in pseudocode, as a function S:
i. Describe what is meant by recursion.
[2]
ii. Identify one example of where recursion occurs in this algorithm.
[1]
END OF QUESTION PAPER
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