Different Ways to Calculate Factorial in C# (with Full Code Examples)

Calculating factorial is a common task in programming. In C#, a factorial can be calculated in several ways, including loops and recursion. In this article, we will explore different ways to calculate factorial in C# and provide full code examples with explanations.

What is Factorial in C#?

Factorial is a mathematical operation that multiplies a given number by all the positive integers that come before it. In C#, it is commonly used in various programming tasks, such as probability calculations and combinatorial analysis.

Different Ways to Calculate Factorial in C#:

In C#, you can calculate the factorial of a number by using a loop that continues until the number is no longer equal to 1.
Simply set the initial value of n to the number for which you want to find the factorial, and then loop through until n is no longer equal to 1.

The following are the different ways to calculate factorial in C#.

01. Using For Loop: 

We can use a for loop to calculate factorial in C#. Here is an example:

using System;
namespace FactorialUsingForLoop
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int n = 5;
            int factorial = 1;
            for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++)
            {
                factorial = factorial * i;
            }
            Console.WriteLine($"Factorial of {n} is {factorial}");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}

Output:

Factorial of 5 is 120

02. Using Recursion:

Recursion is another way to calculate factorial in C#. Here is an example:

using System;
namespace FactorialUsingRecursion
{
    class Program
    { 
        // Factorial Using Recursion Method:
        public static int Factorial(int n)
        {
            if (n == 0)
                return 1;
            return n * Factorial(n - 1);
        }
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int n = 5;
            Console.WriteLine("Factorial of {0} is {1}", n, Factorial(n));
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }   
}
// Output: Factorial of 5 is 120

Code Explanation:

The above C# code calculates the factorial of a number using a recursive function. The factorial of a number is the product of all the positive integers from 1 to that number.

For example, the factorial of 5 is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1, which equals 120.
The function Factorial(int n) takes a number as its input and returns its factorial. If the input number is 0, the function returns 1.

Otherwise, it calculates the factorial recursively by calling itself with the argument n-1 and multiplying the result with the original n. This process continues until the input number becomes 0. When the function returns 1, then recursion ends.

03. Using While Loop: 

We can also use a while loop to calculate factorial in C#. Here is an example:

using System;
namespace FactorialUsingWhileLoop
{
    class Program
    { 
        
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int n = 5;
            int factorial = 1;
            int i = 1;
            while (i <= n)
            {
                factorial = factorial * i;
                i++;
            }

            Console.WriteLine($"Factorial of {n} is {factorial}");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }   
}
// Output: Factorial of 5 is 120

04. Using do While Loop: 

do while loop can also be used to calculate factorial in C#. Here is an example:

using System;
namespace FactorialUsingDoWhileLoop
{
    class Program
    { 
        
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int n = 5;
            int factorial = 1;
            int i = 1;
            do
            {
                factorial = factorial * i;
                i++;
            }
            while (i <= n);
            Console.WriteLine($"Factorial of {n} is {factorial}");

            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }   
}
// Output: Factorial of 5 is 120

05. Calculate Factorial in C# Using LINQ:

C# provides a powerful feature called Language-Integrated Query (LINQ) which allows us to perform complex queries on data. We can use LINQ to calculate factorial as follows:

using System;
using System.Linq;
namespace FactorialUsingLINQ
{
    class Program
    {       
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int n = 5;
            int factorial = Enumerable.Range(1, n).Aggregate((x, y) => x * y);
            Console.WriteLine("Factorial of {0} is: {1}", n, factorial);

            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }   
}
//Output: Factorial of 5 is: 120

In the code above, we first create a range of numbers from 1 to n using the Enumerable.Range method. We then use the Aggregate method to multiply all the numbers in the range together, resulting in the factorial value.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, calculating factorial in C# can be done in several ways, including loops and recursion. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of method depends on the specific requirements of the task. It is important to choose the right method to optimize performance and accuracy.

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Shekh Ali

Meet Sheikh Ali, a skilled Software engineer and passionate a blogger. He enjoys sharing his expertise in C#, Java, SQL, Design Patterns, and other related topics through his writing. When he's not coding, Sheikh Ali can often indulge in his passions for reading books and fitness training.

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