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I'm pretty sure that the words "tail recursion" or "tail call" should appear somewhere in this article - see e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tail_call which also explains in a remarkably simple way how tail recursion relates to iterative constructs (as are found, e.g. in Python). Why do people write 'introductory' articles that don't even mention common terminology?

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I discuss tail calls in part two. I am often surprised by the number of people who will criticize part one of an article for omitting certain details before reading the second part. Was "part one" unclear in some way?

Because the cost() function OP posted isn't doing tail calls and can't be converted into tail call form.

Not with that kind of attitude. :-)

Converting to continuation passing does result in tail calls.

Is there an equivalent of call/cc in Python?

No, you have to do it manually. I suppose you could write a code-transformer.

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