[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: peasant revolt against DrScheme!



On Sun, Jan 28, 2001 at 12:28:35AM -0500, Shriram Krishnamurthi wrote:
> Michael,
> 
> > Factorial, no doubt.  
> 
> First, an incindiary remark (just in case you weren't paying
> attention): Factorial is the worst first example of recursion.  ...
> Except for fibonacci, which is even worse.
> 
> Now: go see how How to Design Programs does it.  If you read it
> carefully enough, you will find that
> 

As I was reading this thread, I was basically in agreement with Mike's
position.  But clued in by Shriram's incindiary remark, I thought back
to "The Little Schemer" and (if my recollection is fresh) how it dealt
with recursion very clearly via the handling of lists.

It's quite straightforward to think through a problem in terms of
"what happens when there is nothing in the list?  Now what happens
when you have one thing in the list?  Now extrapolate".

That's quite clear.  

But as I am not as sharp as you others, I am sure I would have suggested
some similar mathematical function, were I to have been askied in a 
"double-blind" test.  :-)

-Brent