Recursion (nonfiction)

From Gnomon Chronicles
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Recursion (adjective: recursive) occurs when a thing is defined in terms of itself or of its type. Recursion is used in a variety of disciplines ranging from linguistics to logic.

The most common application of recursion is in mathematics and computer science, where a function being defined is applied within its own definition. While this apparently defines an infinite number of instances (function values), it is often done in such a way that no infinite loop or infinite chain of references can occur.

In the News

Fiction cross-reference

Nonfiction cross-reference

External links