X-Git-Url: http://lambda.jimpryor.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=lambda.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=assignment4.mdwn;h=54a3bf201d1914997fbf3d49cc669059d36a16e4;hp=34fb044d6197fd875e56a4f15ecc26bc2a233e37;hb=075d7652f07175e96cc07ab2392186c4f3524c08;hpb=0a6cb8dd4a9460b13006f75f6a5b84d434aba212 diff --git a/assignment4.mdwn b/assignment4.mdwn index 34fb044d..54a3bf20 100644 --- a/assignment4.mdwn +++ b/assignment4.mdwn @@ -1,43 +1,89 @@ -Assignment 4 ------------- - #Reversing a list# -How would you define an operation to reverse a list? (Don't peek at the +
    +
  1. How would you define an operation to reverse a list? (Don't peek at the [[lambda_library]]! Try to figure it out on your own.) Choose whichever implementation of list you like. Even then, there are various strategies you can use. +(See [[hints/Assignment 4 hint 1]] if you need some hints.) +
+ #Comparing lists for equality# - + +
    +
  1. Suppose you have two lists of integers, `left` and `right`. You want to determine whether those lists are equal: that is, whether they have all the same members in the same order. (Equality for the lists we're working with is *extensional*, or parasitic on the equality of their members, and the list structure. Later in the course we'll see lists which aren't extensional in this way.) + +How would you implement such a list comparison? + +(See [[hints/Assignment 4 hint 2]] if you need some hints.) +
+ #Enumerating the fringe of a leaf-labeled tree# -[[Implementing trees]] +First, read this: [[Implementing trees]] + +
    +
  1. blah + +(See [[hints/Assignment 4 hint 3]] if you need some hints.) +
+ + +#Mutually-recursive functions# + +
    +
  1. (Challenging.) One way to define the function `even` is to have it hand off part of the work to another function `odd`: + + let even = \x. iszero x + ; if x == 0 then result is + true + ; else result turns on whether x's pred is odd + (odd (pred x)) + +At the same tme, though, it's natural to define `odd` in such a way that it hands off part of the work to `even`: + + let odd = \x. iszero x + ; if x == 0 then result is + false + ; else result turns on whether x's pred is even + (even (pred x)) + +Such a definition of `even` and `odd` is called **mutually recursive**. If you trace through the evaluation of some sample numerical arguments, you can see that eventually we'll always reach a base step. So the recursion should be perfectly well-grounded: + + even 3 + ~~> iszero 3 true (odd (pred 3)) + ~~> odd 2 + ~~> iszero 2 false (even (pred 2)) + ~~> even 1 + ~~> iszero 1 true (odd (pred 1)) + ~~> odd 0 + ~~> iszero 0 false (even (pred 0)) + ~~> false + +But we don't yet know how to implement this kind of recursion in the lambda calculus. + +The fixed point operators we've been working with so far worked like this: + + let X = Y T in + X <~~> T X + +Suppose we had a pair of fixed point operators, `Y1` and `Y2`, that operated on a *pair* of functions `T1` and `T2`, as follows: + + let X1 = Y1 T1 T2 in + let X2 = Y2 T1 T2 in + X1 <~~> T1 X1 X2 and + X2 <~~> T2 X1 X2 + +If we gave you such a `Y1` and `Y2`, how would you implement the above definitions of `even` and `odd`? + + +
  2. (More challenging.) Using our derivation of Y from the [Week3 notes](/week3/#index4h2) as a model, construct a pair `Y1` and `Y2` that behave in the way described. +(See [[hints/Assignment 4 hint 4]] if you need some hints.) +