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Problem Statement:

I have a tree with node values ( i , j ) where i , j < 1. The children of each node take on the values (i - 1, j), (i - 1, j - 1), and (i, j - 1) respectively. Now, i and j have constraints where they cannot be less than zero, so, given i (or j WLOG) == 0 for a node, its only child becomes (0, j - 1) (assuming j > 0).

These nodes represent the indices of a matrix, and what the children represent are either the index to the West, the North, or the North West of the currently selected index. (Notice 0 either represents the West edge or the North edge of the matrix)

I have written a recursive algorithm that will produce the number of different directions you can walk to get from node_0 (i, j) to the beginning.

def backtrackrecursion( currentnode, counter ):
    if currentnode.getindex() == (0 , 0):
        return counter++
    if currentnode.geti() > 0:
        currentnode.addchild(Node(index=(i - 1, j)))
    if currentnode.getj() > 0:
        currentnode.addchild(Node(index=(i, j - 1)))
    if currentnode.getindex() >= ( 1 , 1 ):
        currentnode.addchild(Node(index=(i - 1, j - 1)))
    for child in currentnode.getchildren():
        counter += backtrackrecursion(child, counter)
    return counter

I understand why this works. My girlfriend wrote another algorithm, and to my astonishment, it works as well.

def btr(cnode, cou):
    if cnode.getindex() == ( 0 , 0 ):
        return cou++
    if cnode.getindex() != (0 , 0):
        cou = btr(cnode.inddecr( -1, 0), cou) + btr(cnode.inddecr(0, -1), cou) + btr(cnode.inddrec( -1 , -1 ), cou)
    return cou

now I might have missed a property in her class that deletes all children with index i or j < 0, but shouldn't this be an infinite call? Where is the logic that I am missing?

Kilian Foth
  • 109,273
user71666
  • 11

1 Answers1

-2

If i and j have to be less then one but not less then zero then no recursion is possible because if 0<=i<1 and 0<=j<1 then i-1<0 and j-1<0, so no new nodes can appear.

k-l
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    This would be a better answer if you made it a complete explanation, rather than an out-of-context response to something the OP said. In other words, this reads more like a comment than it does an answer. – Robert Harvey Feb 21 '15 at 18:35
  • He asked why it is not an infinite call and I answered it, what exactly is wrong? – k-l Feb 22 '15 at 01:40
  • You're just going to focus on the last 10 words of his question? – Robert Harvey Feb 22 '15 at 01:41
  • Maybe I am missing something, what exactly is 71666 asking? – k-l Feb 22 '15 at 01:46