java - Return object with max value in linked list using recursive method -

i have custom linked list student object stored node object in it. have method, public student worststudentrec(node list) takes head node (list) , recursively finds node containing student highest gpa. code below works purpose, i'm confused on whether or not can change method code works without declaring variables outside of class. example, declared private node basecase serve node containing student lowest gpa, , worststudent serve eventual return variable. i'm stuck , can't figure out whether can done without declaring these variables outside of method or not. code method below. thanks!

  private node basecase = new node (new student ("", double.max_value, 0));   private student worststudent;   public student worststudentrec(node list)   {     if (list == null)       return worststudent;     else if (list.next == null)         return worststudent;     else       worststudent = (basecase.data.compareto(list.data) <= 0) ? basecase.data : list.data;        basecase = (basecase.data.compareto(list.data) <= 0) ? basecase : list;       return worststudentrec(list.next);   } 

you can:

  public student worststudentrec(node list)   {     if (list == null)       return null;  // add null-handling     else if (list.next == null)         return list.data;      node theworstfromothers = worststudentrec(list.next);     return (list.data.compareto(theworstfromothers.data) <= 0) ? list.data : theworstfromothers.data;   } 

when use recursion - keep in mind can not chain execution computation. in other words - can(and in many cases) should use result of recursion in computations.