QuestionJuly 4, 2025

75. Consider the following Java code which declares an integer. What could happen if we created a recursive function to find the factorial of a large number? int inputNumber; Data overflow Decreased memory usage Erroneous calculations Increased run- time

75. Consider the following Java code which declares an integer. What could happen if we created a recursive function to find the factorial of a large number? int inputNumber; Data overflow Decreased memory usage Erroneous calculations Increased run- time
75. Consider the following Java code which declares an integer. What could happen if we created a recursive function to find the factorial of a large
number?
int inputNumber;
Data
overflow
Decreased memory
usage
Erroneous
calculations
Increased run-
time

Solution
4.1(275 votes)

Answer

Data overflow, Decreased memory usage, Erroneous calculations, Increased run-time Explanation 1. Identify Potential Issues with Large Factorials Calculating the factorial of a large number recursively can lead to several issues due to the limitations of data types and system resources. 2. Data Overflow **Data overflow** occurs when the calculated factorial exceeds the maximum value that an `int` can store, leading to incorrect results. 3. Increased Memory Usage Recursive functions use stack memory for each call. A large number of recursive calls can lead to **increased memory usage** and potentially a stack overflow error. 4. Erroneous Calculations Due to overflow, calculations may become erroneous as the values wrap around within the limits of the data type. 5. Increased Run-Time Recursive functions have overhead due to repeated function calls, leading to **increased run-time**, especially for large inputs.

Explanation

1. Identify Potential Issues with Large Factorials<br /> Calculating the factorial of a large number recursively can lead to several issues due to the limitations of data types and system resources.<br /><br />2. Data Overflow<br /> **Data overflow** occurs when the calculated factorial exceeds the maximum value that an `int` can store, leading to incorrect results.<br /><br />3. Increased Memory Usage<br /> Recursive functions use stack memory for each call. A large number of recursive calls can lead to **increased memory usage** and potentially a stack overflow error.<br /><br />4. Erroneous Calculations<br /> Due to overflow, calculations may become erroneous as the values wrap around within the limits of the data type.<br /><br />5. Increased Run-Time<br /> Recursive functions have overhead due to repeated function calls, leading to **increased run-time**, especially for large inputs.
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