"""File:      recursive_sum0.py
   Purpose:   Try to find the sum of the first n positive integers 
              using recursion

   Run:       python recursive_sum0.py

   Input:     A positive int n
   Output:    Should be the sum of the first n positive integers
   Note:      This program has a serious bug
"""
def rsum(val):
   """ Use recursion to find the sum 1 + 2 + . . . + val"""
   sum = val + rsum(val-1)
   return sum

val = int(raw_input("Enter a whole number >= 1\n   "))
sum = rsum(val)
print "The sum of the first", val, "whole numbers is", sum