recursion exercise

string_recurse.py

name = 'Dakota'

# data_struct = {
	
# 	'data1': {
# 		'data2': {}
# 	}
# }


def iterative_reverse(name):
	reverse_name = ''
	num_char = len(name)
	while num_char > 0:
		print(name[num_char - 1])
		reverse_name += name[num_char -1]
		num_char -= 1  
	return reverse_name

#beacause the stack is list in first out we can use this to reverse items (as an example) without loops
def recursive_reverse(name):
	print('not at base case')
	# this is our exit case or are "base case" as we call it in recursion land.
	# as we can see here we check if we are at our last character and just return it starting the return up the stack. 
	if len(name) == 1:
		print('base case')
		return name[0]
	# this calls itself which means this function will not return until the new one does all the way down 
	# (which since the last in functions return first will result in the characters coming back in reverse order)
	return recursive_reverse(name[1:]) + name[0] # this is our current character which gets append to the return value we are waiting for 
	#(which is putting our current char beind it's next one on the way back up the stack)

print(iterative_reverse(name))

print(recursive_reverse(name))