11+ Python Recursion Practice Problems With Solutions

This tutorial will cover some Python Recursion Practice Problems With Solutions.

Python Recursion Problem 1

Write a Python Program to Find the Factorial of a Number using Recursion.

Solution

def factorial(n):
    if n == 0:
        return 1
    else:
        return n * factorial(n-1)

#Now you have to call the function
#you can choose any value of n, let say 5
fact = factorial(5)
print(fact)

Output

120

Python Recursion Problem 2

Write a Python Program to Compute the Fibonacci sequence with Recursion.

Solution

def reverse_string(s):
    if len(s) == 0:
        return s
    else:
        return reverse_string(s[1:]) + s[0]

#Pass any string to the function and print the output
str = reverse_string("AINAM NOHTYP")
print(str)

Output

PYTHON MANIA

Python Recursion Problem 3

The greatest common divisor (GCD) of two numbers is the largest number that divides both of them without leaving a remainder.

Here’s a recursive function that finds the GCD of two numbers using the Euclidean algorithm:

Solution

def gcd(a, b):
    if b == 0:
        return a
    else:
        return gcd(b, a % b)

a = 32
b = 120
result = gcd(a, b)
print(result)

Output

8

Python Recursion Problem 4

Write a Python Program to Calculate the Sum of a list with Recursion

Solution

def sum_list(lst):
    if len(lst) == 0:
        return 0
    else:
        return lst[0] + sum_list(lst[1:])

#pass a list into the function
#it will return the sum of the list
#then you can use the sum in code or simply print it
sum = sum_list([2,3,4,5,9,2,4,5])
print(sum)

Output

34

Python Recursion Problem 5

Python program to check if the string is palindrome or not with Recursion

Solution

Here’s a recursive function that checks whether a given string is a palindrome (i.e., reads the same backward as forward):

def is_palindrome(s):
    if len(s) <= 1:
        return True
    else:
        return s[0] == s[-1] and is_palindrome(s[1:-1])
        
#This function will check if a string is palindrome or not
#Now you have to pass any string and check the output
#Lets pass Panama as a string

result = is_palindrome("543212345")
print(result)

Output

True

The output true represent that the string is a palindrome

Python Recursion Problem 6

Write a Python Program to Find the Minimum Value in a List Using Recursion.

Solution

Here’s a recursive function that takes a list of numbers and returns the smallest value:

def min_value(lst):
    if len(lst) == 1:
        return lst[0]
    else:
        return min(lst[0], min_value(lst[1:]))
        
#Pass any string to this function
#It will return the minimum entry of the list
#Let's pass a string and check whether its working or not

result = min_value([99, 24, 89, 3, 987, 35])
print(result)

Output

3

You can see, 3 is the minimum number that is present in the list

Python Recursion Problem 7

Write a Python Program to Calculate the Power of a Number with Recursion

Solution

Here’s a recursive function that calculates the result of raising a number to a given power:

def power(base, exponent):
    if exponent == 0:
        return 1
    elif exponent % 2 == 0:
        return power(base, exponent/2)**2
    else:
        return base * power(base, exponent-1)

#Just pass base and exponent as an argument to this function
#And it will find the power
#Now let's pass 2 as base and 3 as an exponent

base = 2
exponent = 3
result = power(base, exponent)
print(result)

Output

8

You can verify that 2 raised to power 3 is equal to 8.