20 Questions
What is the basis of the design of functional programming languages?
Mathematical functions
What is a characteristic of functional programming languages?
They have neither variables nor state
Which of the following is a functional programming language?
Lisp
What is an advantage of functional programming languages?
They result in programs that are more readable, more reliable, and more likely to be correct
What is a use of Lisp?
Knowledge representation and machine learning
What is a common use of functional programming languages?
Database processing
What is a mathematical function?
A mapping of members of one set, called the domain set, to another set, called the range set
What is specified in a function definition?
The domain and range sets, either explicitly or implicitly, along with the mapping
How is mathematical function evaluation controlled?
By recursion and conditional expressions
What is a characteristic of mathematical functions?
They map a particular element of the domain to the same element of the range
What is a lambda expression?
A specification of the parameter(s) and the mapping of a function
How are lambda expressions applied to parameter(s)?
By placing the parameter(s) after the expression
What is a higher-order function?
A function that either takes functions as parameters or yields a function as its result, or both
What is an example of a functional form?
Function Composition
What is the primary objective of the design of Functional Programming Languages (FPL)?
To mimic mathematical functions to the greatest extent possible
What is a key difference between imperative languages and Functional Programming Languages (FPL)?
FPLs do not use variables, unlike imperative languages
What is the main characteristic of logic programming languages?
They are declarative languages that use logical inferencing
What is a common application of logic programming languages?
Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMSs)
What is the name of the main example of a logic programming language?
Prolog
How do logic programming languages express programs?
In the form of symbolic logic
Study Notes
Functional Programming Languages
- Functional programming languages are based on mathematical functions, whereas imperative languages are based on the Von Neumann architecture.
- Functional languages are argued to be more readable, reliable, and correct than imperative languages.
- Common functional languages include Lisp, ML, Haskell, OCaml, and F#.
- Functional languages do not have variables or state like imperative languages do.
Mathematical Functions
- A mathematical function is a mapping of a domain set to a range set.
- A function definition specifies the domain and range sets, along with the mapping.
- Mathematical functions are evaluated using recursion and conditional expressions, unlike imperative languages which use sequencing and iterative repetition.
- Mathematical functions always map a particular element of the domain to the same element of the range.
Lambda Expressions
- A lambda expression specifies the parameter(s) and the mapping of a function.
- Lambda expressions are applied to parameter(s) by placing the parameter(s) after the expression.
- Example: (λ(x) x * x * x)(2) evaluates to 8.
Higher-Order Functions
- A higher-order function takes functions as parameters or yields a function as its result, or both.
- Function Composition is a common kind of higher-order function.
- It takes two functions as parameters and yields a function whose value is the first actual parameter function applied to the result of the second.
Fundamentals of Functional Programming Languages
- The objective of functional programming language design is to mimic mathematical functions.
- Repetition is specified with recursion rather than iteration.
- The basic process of computation is fundamentally different in a functional programming language than in an imperative language.
- Variables are not necessary in functional programming languages, unlike imperative languages.
Logic Programming Languages
- Logic programming expresses programs in the form of symbolic logic and uses a logical inferencing process to produce results.
- Logic programming languages are declarative languages that state the specifications of the desired results rather than detailed procedures.
- Programs in logic programming languages are collections of facts and rules.
- Prolog is a main example of a logic programming language, with applications in Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMSs), Expert Systems, and Natural-Language Processing.
This quiz covers the fundamentals of functional programming languages and an overview of logic programming, as part of the Principles of Programming Languages course.
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