Skip to main content
Practice

Explanation for Recursively Calculating the Sum of a List

Write a function that calculates the sum of all elements in a list.

This function uses recursion and slicing.


Sample Solution
def solution(numbers):
    # Return 0 if the list is empty
    if not numbers:
        return 0
    else:
        # Calculate the recursive sum of the first element and the rest of the list
        return numbers[0] + solution(numbers[1:])

  • if not numbers checks if the list is empty. If it is, it returns 0.

  • numbers[0] + solution(numbers[1:]) calculates the recursive sum of the first element and the rest of the list.


Example Usage​

Input/Output Example
print(solution([1, 2, 3, 4, 5]))  # Output: 15

Want to learn more?

Join CodeFriends Plus membership or enroll in a course to start your journey.