Java recursive functions explained // Using recursion to sum an array of numbers

Java is a very powerful object oriented language. If you search for recursion in wikipedia you will find this definition "Recursion, in mathematics and computer science, is a method of defining functions in which the function being defined is applied within its own definition." This means, that the function will call itself again and again until it gets the correct answer.

There are many pages where you can find great explanations to recursion theory. Most of them use the example of the Towers of Hanoi:

• Cut The Knot --Towers of Hanoi--
• Recursion --Towers of Hanoi--
• Java Recursion with examples

What I'm going to show you is an easy way to sum arrays of numbers. This example lets you see how easy can recursion be and how useful it is.

public class recursive {
    public recursive() {
                /** We create the array of numbers we want to sum
                    It can be any subclass of java.lang.Number*/
                Double[] test = {100d, 0.05d, 88d, 99d, 0.05d, 88d, 99d, 0.05d, 88d, 99d};
                /* We call our function */
                System.out.println(sum(test));
    }
    /* This is the initial function, it calculates the starting fields and results
     *automatically*/
    public Number sum(Number[] numbers){
        return sum(numbers[numbers.length - 1], numbers, numbers.length - 2);
    }
    /* This is our RECURSIVE FUNCTION */
    public Number sum(Number initialValue, Number[] numbers, int location){ 
        /* If we've reached the end of the array we return the final RESULT */
        if(location < 0){
            return initialValue;
        }
        /* Or else we are recursive */
        else{
            /*First we cast the java.lang.Number to its subclass so we can do the 
             *sum */
            if(numbers instanceof BigInteger[]){
                return sum(
                        ((BigInteger)initialValue).add((BigInteger)numbers[location]),
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
            else if(numbers instanceof  BigDecimal[]){
                return sum(
                        ((BigDecimal)initialValue).add((BigDecimal)numbers[location]),
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
            else if(numbers instanceof  Byte[]){
                return sum(
                        ((Byte)initialValue) + (Byte)numbers[location],
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
            else if(numbers instanceof  Double[]){
                return sum(
                        ((Double)initialValue) + ((Double)numbers[location]),
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
            else if(numbers instanceof  Integer[]){
                return sum(
                        ((Integer)initialValue)+ ((Integer)numbers[location]),
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
            else if(numbers instanceof  Long[]){
                return sum(
                        ((Long)initialValue)+ ((Long)numbers[location]),
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
            else if(numbers instanceof  Short[]){
                return sum(
                        ((Short)initialValue)+ ((Short)numbers[location]),
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
            else{
                return sum(
                        ((Float)initialValue)+ ((Float)numbers[location]),
                        numbers,
                        (location - 1) );
            }
        }   
    }
    /* THis is our main method */
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        new recursive();      
    }
}

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