Homework 2: Recursion

Due by 11:59pm on Thursday, September 24

Instructions

Download hw02.zip. Inside the archive, you will find a file called hw02.py, along with a copy of the ok autograder.

Submission: When you are done, submit with python3 ok --submit. You may submit more than once before the deadline; only the final submission will be scored. Check that you have successfully submitted your code on okpy.org. See Lab 0 for more instructions on submitting assignments.

Using Ok: If you have any questions about using Ok, please refer to this guide.

Readings: You might find the following references useful:

Grading: Homework is graded based on correctness. Each incorrect problem will decrease the total score by one point. There is a homework recovery policy as stated in the syllabus. This homework is out of 2 points.

Required questions

Q1: Num eights

Write a recursive function num_eights that takes a positive integer x and returns the number of times the digit 8 appears in x. Use recursion - the tests will fail if you use any assignment statements.

def num_eights(x):
    """Returns the number of times 8 appears as a digit of x.

    >>> num_eights(3)
    0
    >>> num_eights(8)
    1
    >>> num_eights(88888888)
    8
    >>> num_eights(2638)
    1
    >>> num_eights(86380)
    2
    >>> num_eights(12345)
    0
    >>> from construct_check import check
    >>> # ban all assignment statements
    >>> check(HW_SOURCE_FILE, 'num_eights',
    ...       ['Assign', 'AugAssign'])
    True
    """
    "*** YOUR CODE HERE ***"

Watch the hints video below for somewhere to start:


Use Ok to test your code:

python3 ok -q num_eights

Q2: Ping-pong

The ping-pong sequence counts up starting from 1 and is always either counting up or counting down. At element k, the direction switches if k is a multiple of 8 or contains the digit 8. The first 30 elements of the ping-pong sequence are listed below, with direction swaps marked using brackets at the 8th, 16th, 18th, 24th, and 28th elements:

Index 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 [16] 17 [18] 19 20 21 22 23
PingPong Value 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 [0] 1 [2] 1 0 -1 -2 -3
Index (cont.) [24] 25 26 27 [28] 29 30
PingPong Value [-4] -3 -2 -1 [0] -1 -2

Implement a function pingpong that returns the nth element of the ping-pong sequence without using any assignment statements.

You may use the function num_eights, which you defined in the previous question.

Use recursion - the tests will fail if you use any assignment statements.

Hint: If you're stuck, first try implementing pingpong using assignment statements and a while statement. Then, to convert this into a recursive solution, write a helper function that has a parameter for each variable that changes values in the body of the while loop.

def pingpong(n):
    """Return the nth element of the ping-pong sequence.

    >>> pingpong(8)
    8
    >>> pingpong(10)
    6
    >>> pingpong(15)
    1
    >>> pingpong(21)
    -1
    >>> pingpong(22)
    -2
    >>> pingpong(30)
    -2
    >>> pingpong(68)
    0
    >>> pingpong(69)
    -1
    >>> pingpong(80)
    0
    >>> pingpong(81)
    1
    >>> pingpong(82)
    0
    >>> pingpong(100)
    -6
    >>> from construct_check import check
    >>> # ban assignment statements
    >>> check(HW_SOURCE_FILE, 'pingpong', ['Assign', 'AugAssign'])
    True
    """
    "*** YOUR CODE HERE ***"

Watch the hints video below for somewhere to start:


Use Ok to test your code:

python3 ok -q pingpong

Q3: Missing Digits

Write the recursive function missing_digits that takes a number n that is sorted in increasing order (for example, 12289 is valid but 15362 and 98764 are not). It returns the number of missing digits in n. A missing digit is a number between the first and last digit of n of a that is not in n. Use recursion - the tests will fail if you use while or for loops.

def missing_digits(n):
    """Given a number a that is in sorted, increasing order,
    return the number of missing digits in n. A missing digit is
    a number between the first and last digit of a that is not in n.
    >>> missing_digits(1248) # 3, 5, 6, 7
    4
    >>> missing_digits(1122) # No missing numbers
    0
    >>> missing_digits(123456) # No missing numbers
    0
    >>> missing_digits(3558) # 4, 6, 7
    3
    >>> missing_digits(35578) # 4, 6
    2
    >>> missing_digits(12456) # 3
    1
    >>> missing_digits(16789) # 2, 3, 4, 5
    4
    >>> missing_digits(19) # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
    7
    >>> missing_digits(4) # No missing numbers between 4 and 4
    0
    >>> from construct_check import check
    >>> # ban while or for loops
    >>> check(HW_SOURCE_FILE, 'missing_digits', ['While', 'For'])
    True
    """
    "*** YOUR CODE HERE ***"

Watch the hints video below for somewhere to start:


Use Ok to test your code:

python3 ok -q missing_digits

Q4: Count coins

Given a positive integer total, a set of coins makes change for total if the sum of the values of the coins is total. Here we will use standard US Coin values: 1, 5, 10, 25 For example, the following sets make change for 15:

  • 15 1-cent coins
  • 10 1-cent, 1 5-cent coins
  • 5 1-cent, 2 5-cent coins
  • 5 1-cent, 1 10-cent coins
  • 3 5-cent coins
  • 1 5-cent, 1 10-cent coin

Thus, there are 6 ways to make change for 15. Write a recursive function count_coins that takes a positive integer total and returns the number of ways to make change for total using coins. Use the next_largest_coin function given to you to calculate the next largest coin denomination given your current coin. I.e. next_largest_coin(5) = 10.

Hint: Refer the implementation of count_partitions for an example of how to count the ways to sum up to a total with smaller parts. If you need to keep track of more than one value across recursive calls, consider writing a helper function.

def next_largest_coin(coin):
    """Return the next coin. 
    >>> next_largest_coin(1)
    5
    >>> next_largest_coin(5)
    10
    >>> next_largest_coin(10)
    25
    >>> next_largest_coin(2) # Other values return None
    """
    if coin == 1:
        return 5
    elif coin == 5:
        return 10
    elif coin == 10:
        return 25

def count_coins(total):
    """Return the number of ways to make change for total using coins of value of 1, 5, 10, 25.
    >>> count_coins(15)
    6
    >>> count_coins(10)
    4
    >>> count_coins(20)
    9
    >>> count_coins(100) # How many ways to make change for a dollar?
    242
    >>> from construct_check import check
    >>> # ban iteration
    >>> check(HW_SOURCE_FILE, 'count_coins', ['While', 'For'])                                          
    True
    """
    "*** YOUR CODE HERE ***"

Watch the hints video below for somewhere to start:


Use Ok to test your code:

python3 ok -q count_coins

Submit

Make sure to submit this assignment by running:

python3 ok --submit

Just for Fun Questions

This question demonstrates that it's possible to write recursive functions without assigning them a name in the global frame.

Q5: Anonymous factorial

The recursive factorial function can be written as a single expression by using a conditional expression.

>>> fact = lambda n: 1 if n == 1 else mul(n, fact(sub(n, 1)))
>>> fact(5)
120

However, this implementation relies on the fact (no pun intended) that fact has a name, to which we refer in the body of fact. To write a recursive function, we have always given it a name using a def or assignment statement so that we can refer to the function within its own body. In this question, your job is to define fact recursively without giving it a name!

Write an expression that computes n factorial using only call expressions, conditional expressions, and lambda expressions (no assignment or def statements). Note in particular that you are not allowed to use make_anonymous_factorial in your return expression. The sub and mul functions from the operator module are the only built-in functions required to solve this problem:

from operator import sub, mul

def make_anonymous_factorial():
    """Return the value of an expression that computes factorial.

    >>> make_anonymous_factorial()(5)
    120
    >>> from construct_check import check
    >>> # ban any assignments or recursion
    >>> check(HW_SOURCE_FILE, 'make_anonymous_factorial', ['Assign', 'AugAssign', 'FunctionDef', 'Recursion'])
    True
    """
    return 'YOUR_EXPRESSION_HERE'

Use Ok to test your code:

python3 ok -q make_anonymous_factorial