title: Anchor case definition in recursion
body: <p>Anchor case definition is as follows:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>The value of the function is specified for one or more values of the parameter.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Now let's take a look at the recursive factorial function:</p>
  
  <pre><code>int fact(int n)
  {
     if (n == 0)
        return 1;
     else
        return n * fact(n - 1);
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I understand this bit: "the value of the function is specified..."
  I get that; when the function reaches anchor case, it simply returns 1. </p>
  
  <p>What I don't understand is that how the value of the function is "specified for one or more values of the parameter"?</p>
  
  <p>Is the definition talking about the function parameter or the mathematical terms of parameter? I just don't see the value of the function is specified for one or more values of the [function] parameters when the run-time stack gets popped.</p>