What is the space complexity of a recursive function that uses O(n) stack space?

Practice Questions

Q1
What is the space complexity of a recursive function that uses O(n) stack space?
  1. O(1)
  2. O(n)
  3. O(n^2)
  4. O(log n)

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

What is the space complexity of a recursive function that uses O(n) stack space?
  • Step 1: Understand what space complexity means. Space complexity is a measure of how much memory an algorithm uses in relation to the input size.
  • Step 2: Recognize that a recursive function calls itself. Each time it calls itself, it adds a new layer to the call stack.
  • Step 3: Identify that the call stack grows with each recursive call. If the function makes 'n' recursive calls, the stack will have 'n' layers.
  • Step 4: Note that each layer in the call stack takes up space. Therefore, if there are 'n' layers, the total space used is proportional to 'n'.
  • Step 5: Conclude that the space complexity of the recursive function is O(n) because it uses O(n) stack space.
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