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Intermediate

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Recursion for Coding Interviews in C++

The ultimate guide to recursion interviews. Developed by FAANG engineers, practice with real-world C++ problems, interactive code playgrounds, and get interview-ready in just a few hours.

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If you’ve ever struggled with solving coding problems using recursion, or if you’ve just got an interview coming up and want to brush up on your knowledge, you’ll definitely find this course helpful. You’ll start with the basics of what recursion is and why it’s important before diving into what it looks like in practice. You’ll see how recursion can help you solve a variety of different math, string, and data structure problems, using interactive code playgrounds you can execute directly in your browser. You’ll have access to detailed explanations and visualizations for each problem to help you along the way. By the time you’re done, you’ll be able to use what you’ve learned to solve complex real-world problems, and even advance more easily through your interviews at top tech companies.

If you’ve ever struggled with solving coding problems using recursion, or if you’ve just got an interview coming up and want to ...Show More

Content

38 Lessons5 Quizzes6 Challenges

Recursion Fundamentals

5 Lessons

Learn how to use recursion, compare it with iteration, and transform iterative code.

What is Recursion?

Direct vs. Indirect Recursion

Advantages and Disadvantages

Recursion vs. Iteration

Changing Iterative Code to Recursive

Recursion with Numbers

9 Lessons

Walk through recursive methods to compute factorial, sum, modulo, Fibonacci, GCD, and prime checks.

Computing Factorials

Sum of Integers from 1 to n

Modulo Using Recursion

Computing Fibonacci Sequence

Challenge 1: Find the greatest common divisor

Solution Review 1: Find the Greatest Common Divisor

Challenge 2: Check for Prime Number

Solution Review 2: Check for Prime Number

Quick Quiz on Recursion with Numbers!

Recursion With Strings

9 Lessons

Examine recursive string manipulations: reversing, removing spaces/duplicates, merging, counting vowels, and checking palindromes.

Reversing a String

Removing Spaces in a String

Removing Duplicates in a String

Merging Strings in Alphabetic Order

Challenge 1: Let's find the total number of vowels

Solution Review 1: Let's Find the Total Number of Vowels

Challenge 2: Is this String a Palindrome?

Solution Review 2: Is this String a Palindrome?

Quick Quiz on Recursion with Strings!

Recursion With Arrays

9 Lessons

Enhance your skills in applying recursion techniques to solve various array-based problems.

Find the First Occurrence of a Number in an Array

Count the Number of Occurrences of a Number in an Array

Replacing each Negative Integer with 0 in an Array

Invert the Position of Elements in an Array

Challenge 1 : Find if the Array is a Palindrome

Solution Review 1: Find if the Array is a Palindrome

Challenge 2: Sort an Array

Solution Review 2: Sort an Array

Quick Quiz on Recursion with Arrays!

Recursion with Data Structures

6 Lessons

Dig into recursion techniques for linked lists, BST operations, and graph algorithms.

Print a Reversed Linked List

Sum Numbers in a Linked List

Insert Values in a Binary Search Tree

Depth First Search in Graphs

Topological Sort in Graphs

Quick Quiz on Recursion with Data Structures!

Certificate of Completion

Showcase your accomplishment by sharing your certificate of completion.

Developed by MAANG Engineers

Every Educative resource is designed by our in-house team of ex-MAANG software engineers and PhD computer science educators — subject matter experts who’ve shipped production code at scale and taught the theory behind it. The goal is to get you hands-on with the skills you need to stay ahead in today's constantly evolving tech landscape. No videos, no fluff — just interactive, project-based learning with personalized feedback that adapts to your goals and experience.

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Hands-on Learning Powered by AI

See how Educative uses AI to make your learning more immersive than ever before.

Personalized Interview Prep

Skip the LeetCode grind with a custom roadmap that adapts to your goals. Hands-on practice for Coding Interviews, System Design, and more.

Mock Interviews

Test your skills in a simulated interview setting. Receive personalized feedback based on your performance. Available for Coding Interviews, System Design, and more.

AI Prompt

Build prompt engineering skills. Practice implementing AI-informed solutions.

Code Feedback

Evaluate and debug your code with the click of a button. Get real-time feedback on test cases, including time and space complexity of your solutions.

Explain with AI

Select any text within any Educative course, and get an instant explanation — without ever leaving your browser.

AI Code Mentor

AI Code Mentor helps you quickly identify errors in your code, learn from your mistakes, and nudge you in the right direction — just like a 1:1 tutor!

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Free Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is recursion in C++, and how is it used in coding interviews?

Recursion in C++ involves a function calling itself to solve smaller problems, often used in coding interviews to test problem-solving and algorithmic thinking.

Should I use recursion in C++ coding interviews?

Recursion is commonly tested in C++ interviews for problems like tree traversal and dynamic programming, but iterative solutions may also be expected.

What are common recursion mistakes to avoid in C++ interviews?

Watch for stack overflows due to deep recursion, incorrect base cases, and inefficient algorithms without optimization techniques like memoization.

Can I use C++ for recursion in coding interviews?

Yes, C++ is widely used in coding interviews, and recursion is an important topic, particularly for solving problems that require breaking tasks into subproblems.

What are the key differences between recursion in C++ and other languages?

C++ gives more control over memory and optimization but, compared to languages like Python, requires careful handling of stack memory and performance tuning.