#
# Name: CS 111 Course Staff
#
# lab4task3.py
#

def remove_spaces(s):
    """ uses recursion to return a version of the string s with 
        spaces removed.
        input: 's' is an arbitrary string
    """
    if s == '':
        return ''
    else:
        rest_no_spaces = remove_spaces(s[1:])
        if s[0] == ' ':
            return rest_no_spaces
        else:
            return s[0] + rest_no_spaces

# optional test function
def test():
    test1 = remove_spaces('a b c d')
    print('first test returns', test1)

    test2 = remove_spaces('  fine thanks!  ')
    print('second test returns', test2)

    test3 = remove_spaces('      a   b   ')
    print('third test returns', test3)