Binary Search Tree implemented in Java - Find Element recursively - recursion

Question

Using Java, is it possible to write a recursive method to find an element in a binary search tree? I say no because of the nature of recursive re-tracing back unless I implemented incorrectly? I have been searching the internet and all i can find is an iterative version. Here is my method:
public boolean findValueRecursively(BSTNode node, int value){
boolean isFound = false;
BSTNode currentNode = node;
if (value == currentNode.getData()){
isFound = true;
return isFound;
} else if (value < currentNode.getData()){
findValueRecursively(currentNode.getLeftNode(), value);
} else{
findValueRecursively(currentNode.getRightNode(), value);
}
return isFound;
}
// Node data structure
public class BSTNode
{
private BSTNode leftNode;
private BSTNode rightNode;
private int data;
public BSTNode(int value, BSTNode left, BSTNode right){
this.leftNode = left;
this.rightNode = right;
this.data = value;
}
}
public static void main(String[] args){
BST bst = new BST();
// initialize the root node
BSTNode bstNode = new BSTNode(4, null, null);
bst.insert(bstNode, 2);
bst.insert(bstNode, 5);
bst.insert(bstNode, 6);
bst.insert(bstNode, 1);
bst.insert(bstNode, 3);
bst.insert(bstNode, 7);
if (bst.findValueRecursively(bstNode, 7)){
System.out.println("element is found! ");
} else{
System.out.println("element is not found!");
}
}
I get the print as "element is not found".
Any help/tips or suggestions, more than welcome.
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

A recursive version:
public boolean findValueRecursively(Node node, int value){
if(node == null) return false;
return
node.data == value ||
findValueRecursively(leftNode, value) ||
findValueRecursively(rightNode, value);
}

Answer 2

A recursive version that returns a reference to the node found:
public BinaryNode find(BinaryNode node, int value) {
// Finds the node that contains the value and returns a reference to the node.
// Returns null if value does not exist in the tree.
if (node == null) return null;
if (node.data == value) {
return node;
} else {
BinaryNode left = find(node.leftChild, value);
BinaryNode right = find(node.rightChild, value);
if (left != null) {
return left;
}else {
return right;
}
}
}

Answer 3

I believe your isFound = false; is what is always getting returned.
It should be like this:
isFound= findValueRecursively(currentNode.getLeftNode(), value);

Answer 4

public TreeNode<E> binarySearchTree(TreeNode<E> node, E data){
if(node != null) {
int side = node.getData().compareTo(data);
if(side == 0) return node;
else if(side < 0) return binarySearchTree(node.getRightChild(), data);
else if(side > 0 ) return binarySearchTree(node.getLeftChild(), data);
}
return null;
}
That will return a reference to the node, which is a little more useful IRL. You can change it to return a boolean though.