Why wont my recursive function work (Python)?

bryan hunt 0
Viewed 33

I am trying to make this recursive function work, but the only output I am getting is:

azcbobobegghakl

a

Here is the prompt:

Write a program that prints the longest substring of s in which the letters occur in alphabetical order. Please use s = 'azcbobobegghakl' to test your codes. Your program should print

Longest substring in alphabetical order is: "beggh"

In the case of ties, print the first substring. For example, if s = 'abcbcd', then your program should print: "Longest substring in alphabetical order is: abc"

Here is my code:

s = "azcbobobegghakl"
current_string = s[0]
longest_string = s[0]
n = 0


def sorting_string(n):
    if n == len(s):
        return 0
    if ord(s[n]) <= ord(s[n+1]):
        current_string = current_string + s[n]
    
        return (n * sorting_string(n + 1))

        if len(current_string) > len(longest_string):
            longest_string = current_string
        
        else:
            return (n * sorting_string(n + 1))
    
    else:
        current_string.clear()
        return sorting_string(n + 1)
    

print(s)
print(longest_string)
recursion python
2 Answers

You never called your function. Add in

sorting_string(s)

before the print

Eat Ing0

You're getting that output because you aren't calling the function you created. All you're doing is calling your last two print statements, which will always be azcbobobegghakl and a since you aren't actually changing their values.

Parker Watson0
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