[Tutor] Mutable data type in python

[Alan Gauld]

On 03/10/15 19:10, C Smith wrote:
>> Here is my modified version which I think works as you want:
>>
>> def findMinDepthPath(n):
>>      if n <= 0: raise ValueError
>>      elif n==1:
>>          return 0
>>      elif n==2 or n==3:
>>          return 1
>>      else:
>>          d1 = findMinDepthPath(n-1)+1
>>          d2 = d3 = (d1+1) # initialize to higher than d1
>>
>>      if n%3 == 0:
>>          d3 = findMinDepthPath(n/3)+1
>>      if n%2 == 0:
>>          d2 = findMinDepthPath(n/2)+1
>>
>>      return min(d1,d2,d3)
>>
>>
>> n = int(raw_input('N? '))
>> print "Minimum depth = ", findMinDepthPath(n),'\n'
> Doesn't this only look one level deep? Is the poster asking for
> something that would traverse all possible paths and then check for
> the shortest?
No, this is a recursive function which keeps calling itself with smaller
values of n until it reaches 1-3, at which point it returns a known result.

Here is an example of the factorial() function written recursively in a
similar style, it might be easier to see how it works:

def square(n):
      print n   # show the recursion
      if n <= 1: return 1
      else: return n * factorial(n-1)

print factorial(5)

HTH

-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
http://www.amazon.com/author/alan_gauld
Follow my photo-blog on Flickr at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alangauldphotos