Calling recursive function inside a loop

Question

I'm getting two problem when I call the recursive function inside a loop. Consider the following sample code: ``` int fact(int x) { if(x == 1) return 1; return x*fact(x-1); } int main() { int n = 2; for(int i = 0; i < n; i++); std::cout << fact(4) << std::endl; // 24 ?? return 0; } ``` Problem 1: My expected result for this program is `24 24` (two times `24` to be printer) but the actual result I got only one `24`. Problem 2: What is the reason for the `main()` function called repetitively even I'm not recursively calling the main function. It'd be great if anyone give me your thoughts about how to call the recursive function inside the loop for getting multiple output.

Accepted Answer

```
for(int i=0; i < n; i++); <---------------------- notice this
       std::cout << fact(4) << std::endl; // 24 ??
```

Notice the`;` after the `for` loop. That is the reason why you get only one output. The `std::cout` is executed after the loop exits; it is outside the loop.

That is the answer to your first question. Now the second question:

What is the reason for the main() function called repetitively even I'm not recursively called the main function.

I don't think the code which you've posted has this problem. You must be doing something else in the code which you've not posted, because of which `main()` is getting called recursively.

Note that calling `main()` from your code (recursively or otherwise) is forbidden by C++ language specification. So if you compile it with `-pedantic` option with GCC, then it shouldn't compile if you, by chance, call `main()` from your program.

Calling recursive function inside a loop

Solution

Problem