Question

Write a recursive method that returns the largest integer in an

array list. Write a test program that prompts the user to enter an
array list of integers and displays the largest element.

Answer 1

The question is about creating a recursive method to find the largest integer in an array list, suitable for a computer science student at the college level. A simplified version of the method and its usage in a test program was provided.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to writing a recursive method in a programming language to find the largest integer in an array list. A recursive function calls itself with a modified argument until a base case is reached. When working with arrays, the base case often occurs when the size of the array is 1 or when an index reaches the last element.

Example Recursive Method

Here's a simplified example of what the recursive method might look like in Java:

public static int findLargest(ArrayList list, int index, int max) {
if (index == list.size() - 1) { return Math.max(max, list.get(index)); }
return findLargest(list, index + 1, Math.max(max, list.get(index)));
}
To use this method, you could call findLargest(yourArrayList, 0, Integer.MIN_VALUE), initializing the index at 0 and starting with the smallest possible integer.

Test Program

In the test program, you would prompt the user to input the values in the array list, after which you would call the recursive method and display the result.