Discrete Structures for Computer Science

Tutorial 6 (Recursively defined functions and sets, structural induction,

Recursive Algorithms, Correctness of Recursive Algorithms, Recursion vs
Iteration)

1. Solve the recurrence relation and initial condition, an = an−1 + 3 for n = 1, 2, 3, . . ., and a1 =
2

2. Let F be the function such that F(n) is the sum of the first n positive integers. Give a recursive
definition of F(n).

3. Show that f0f1 + f1f2+ …+ f2n-1f2n = f2n2 a result of Fibonacci series when n is a positive
integer.

4. Let a1, a2, . . ., an, and b1, b2, . . ., bn be real numbers. Prove that max(−a1,−a2, . . . ,−an) =
−min(a1, a2, . . . , an)

5. Let S be the subset of the set of ordered pairs of integers defined recursively by
Basis step: (0, 0) ∈ S.
Recursive step: If (a, b) ∈ S, then (a, b + 1) ∈ S, (a + 1, b + 1) ∈ S, and (a + 2, b + 1) ∈ S.
a) List the elements of S produced by the first four applications of the recursive definition.
b) Use strong induction on the number of applications of the recursive step of the definition to
show that a ≤ 2b whenever (a, b) ∈ S.
c) Use structural induction to show that a ≤ 2b whenever (a, b) ∈ S.

6. Give a recursive algorithm for finding the reversal of a bit string.

7. Prove that the recursive algorithm for finding the reversal of a bit string is correct.

8. Use structural induction to prove that (w1w2)R = W2RW1R

9. Devise a recursive algorithm to find the nth term of the sequence defined by a0 = 1, a1 = 2,
and an = an−1 · an−2, for n = 2, 3, 4, . . . .

10. Devise an iterative algorithm to find the nth term of the sequence defined in question 9.

11. Is the recursive or the iterative algorithm for finding the sequence in question 9 more
efficient?