Turn my (easy) for loop into a recursive function?

Hi all. I'm really stuck on this problem - probably simple for many people here. I'm given a number as an input. As my output, I just want a row vector of those digits. The code I have below works FINE and gives the desired result: say my input is N = 65479 and I run baseDigits(N).

function D = baseDigits(N)
    D = zeros(1,length(num2str(N)));
    for i = 1:length(num2str(N))
        if N>0
            D(i) = rem(N,10);
            N = floor(N/10);
        end
    end
    D = D(end:-1:1);
end

This gives me D = [6 5 4 7 9] as expected. The problem is, I'm supposed to use a while loop and make it a recursive function to do the same thing. It's supposed to be less than 10 lines long and it's supposed to be an easy problem... I just don't think it's 'clicked' on how recursive functions store intermediate values. I have something like:

function D = baseDigits(N)
    if N<10
        D = N
    end
    while N>=10
        N = floor(N/10)
        D = [baseDigits(N),rem(N,10)]
    end
end

I'm not sure how to properly append the values or how they're stored in the meantime. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks! :)

Answer 1

[Alfonso Nieto-Castanon]

You almost got it. Your are just: 1) overwriting the variable N, which you probably did not intend; and 2) including an unnecessary while loop, recursivity takes care of that:

 function D = baseDigits(N)
    if N<10
        D = N;
    else
        M = floor(N/10);
        D = [baseDigits(M),rem(N,10)];
    end
 end

EDIT: my guess is that the 'while loop' and the 'recursive function' are likely two separate requirements, because a recursive function for this problem that also includes a while loop seems awfully strange...

[Michael]

1) Thanks so much for the fast response!

2) The only requirement was to do it as a recursive function. However, a while loop was given as a direct hint from one of the instructors but I'm not sure why. It really confused me in that context. Thanks again!