Naive recursion no output

[fizanimtiaz93]

This function is supposed to take a base number and exponent and calculate the total. The syntax is all fine, but the problem is that no output comes out when I run the program. Here is the program:

#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
using namespace std;

int power2(unsigned int y,unsigned int z){
    if (z == 0) return 1;
    if (z == 1) return y;
    else {
	return y * power2(y, z - 1);
    }
}

int main(){
    int a, b;
    cin >> a;
    cin >> b;
    power2(a, b);
    return 0;
}

Any suggestion would be great. Thank you!

[coder777]

since you have no cout << ... there will be no output?

[fizanimtiaz93]

I tried putting in cout << ... and then it printed the value of y along with some really strange numbers. For example, if I put 2 as the base number and 3 as the exponent this is the output:

212591936
12591936

[JewelCpp]

I tried it with 2 and 3 and it printed 8
can you give us how you used cout?

[fizanimtiaz93]

int power2(int y,int z){
    if (z == 0) return 1;
    if (z == 1) return y;
    else if (z > 1) {
	cout << y * power2(y, z - 1) << endl;
}
}

[Sirolu]

Don't put the std::cout in there. Rather, you should place it where you invoke the function.

cout << power2(a, b);

[fizanimtiaz93]

So what should I put in the function itself in line 5?

[Disch]

You had the function right the first time. It should be returning the value.

[fizanimtiaz93]

Yes!! It worked. Thank you so much guys, I really appreciate it!