Prolog - giving value to query variable (list recursion) - list

I need to create a rule that has an input list and then takes values from it 2 at a time, compares them and creates a new list with the bigger values.
It needs to work like this:
INPUT: bigger([1,2,6,8,5], X).
OUTPUT: X = [2,6,8,8,5].
Here's my code:
%stop
bigger([],_).
%last element
bigger([H1|[]],L2):-
append(L2, [H1], L3),
bigger([],L3).
%compare first 2
bigger([H1,H2|T], L2):-
( H1 > H2,
append(L2, [H1], L3),
bigger([H2|T], L3) )
;
( H2 > H1,
append(L2, [H2], L3),
bigger([H2|T], L3) ).
If I replace the base case with
%stop
bigger([],L):-
write(L).
then I will get this output:
[2,6,8,8,5]
X = [] ;
[_G3685,2,6,8,8,5]
X = [_G3685] ;
[_G3685,_G3691,2,6,8,8,5]
X = [_G3685, _G3691] ;
[_G3685,_G3691,_G3697,2,6,8,8,5]
X = [_G3685, _G3691, _G3697]
.
I can see that at when it reaches the base case technically the second variable has the correct value. But then it unifies to an empty list. Not only that but it continues to add unknown elements.
How do I deal with this?

There are some things you need to change. For example the clause :
bigger([H1|[]],L2):-
append(L2, [H1], L3),
bigger([],L3).
calls bigger([],L3) which matches with the clause bigger([],_). but '_' matches with anything so this gives you the unknown elements. It is not very good idea ti use append but it would be better to use pattern matching like:
bigger([],[]).
bigger([H],[H]).
bigger([H1,H2|T], [X|T1]):-
( H1 > H2->
X=H1,
bigger([H2|T], T1)
;H2 > H1->
X=H2,
bigger([H2|T],T1) ).
here you instantiate one element of the output list L3 in every recursive call and do the same with the rest until it has one element. The clause bigger([],[]). is useful only when the input is the empty list. When input is not empty the recursion stops when one element has left in the list. Also it is better to use -> for the if-else statement.
The result:
?- bigger([1,2,6,8,5], X).
X = [2, 6, 8, 8, 5] ;
false.

Related

Fold-add all items in List, using Prolog

I'm trying to write a function that recursively adds the first two items in a List, and returns when one item remains.
Example:
addList([1,2,3,4], X)
x = [10]
(Steps here would be: [1,2,3,4] -> [3,3,4] -> [6,4] -> [10] )
This is what I have:
addList([],[]).
addList([H|[H2|T]], []) :- L is H+H2, addList(T, [L|T]).
addList([H|T], [H2|_]) :- L is H+H2, addList(T, [L|T]).
In my mind, this would do something like the following:
addList([1,2,3,4], X).
L=1+2 --> addList([3,4], [3,3,4])
L=3+3 --> addList([4], [6, 4])
L=6+4 --> addList([], [10])
This actually causes an error - "Arguments are not sufficiently instantiated"
If I make the first addList into addList([],[_])., it'll output X = [] . first, then have the same error if I use ; to continue.
It should end in false.
(After having the chain of X = [1,2,3,4] ; X = [3,3,4] ; X = [6,4] ; X = [10] ; false.
First, note that you can write [H|[H2|T]] equivalently as [H,H2|T].
Also, as far as I know in Prolog the preferred style is to use snake_case instead of camelCase.
add_list([H1,H2|T], []) :- ...
In the above clause, you already unifiy the second term with the empty list, and what happens in ... is just a way of checking if the relationship holds. The L that occurs in the body is only a local variable; likewise, the recursive call to add_list is not used to compute the "result" (the second parameter).
You expect the result to always be a singleton list containing the total sum of your values, except if the list is empty (in which case the result is empty). The base cases are then:
add_list([], []).
add_list([N], [N]).
The general case is necessarily something like:
add_list([H1,H2|T], [Sum]) :- ...
And you have to expression the recursive relationship in terms of H1, H2, T and Sum. In fact until you reach a base case you are likely to only pass down the second argument unmodified, so you do not need to write [Sum] explicitly, you could just write Res:
add_list([H1,H2|T], Res) :-
...,
add_list(..., Res).

Prolog: compare list elements and sum

New to prolog and trying to implement the following function that takes 3 lists:
True if lists are the same length
True if elements of third list is sum of the two lists
Example: fn([1,2,3],[4,5,6],[5,7,9]) returns true. Note that the sum is element-wise addition.
This is what I have so far:
fn([],[],[]).
fn([_|T1], [_|T2], [_|T3]) :-
fn(T1,T2,T3), % check they are same length
fn(T1,T2,N1), % check that T3=T1+T2
N1 is T1+T2,
N1 = T3.
From what I understand, the error is due to the base case (it has empty lists which causes error with evaluation of addition?)
Thanks for any help and explanations!
In addition to #GuyCoder's answer, I would point out that it is worthwhile to consider using one of the maplist predicates from library(apply) when modifying all elements of lists. You can use a predicate to describe the relation between three numbers...
:- use_module(library(apply)). % for maplist/4
num_num_sum(X,Y,S) :-
S is X+Y.
... and subsequently use maplist/4 to apply it to entire lists:
fn(X,Y,Z) :-
maplist(num_num_sum,X,Y,Z).
This predicate yields the desired results if the first two lists are fully instantiated:
?- fn([1,2,3],[4,5,6],X).
X = [5,7,9]
However, due to the use of is/2 you get instantiation errors if the first two lists contain variables:
?- fn([1,A,3],[4,5,6],[5,7,9]).
ERROR at clause 1 of user:num_num_sum/3 !!
INSTANTIATION ERROR- X is _+B: expected bound value
?- fn([1,2,3],[4,5,A],[5,7,9]).
ERROR at clause 1 of user:num_num_sum/3 !!
INSTANTIATION ERROR- X is A+B: expected bound value
If you only want to use the predicate for lists of integers, you can use CLP(FD) to make it more versatile:
:- use_module(library(apply)).
:- use_module(library(clpfd)). % <- use CLP(FD)
int_int_sum(X,Y,S) :-
S #= X+Y. % use CLP(FD) constraint #=/2 instead of is/2
fnCLP(X,Y,Z) :-
maplist(int_int_sum,X,Y,Z).
With this definition the previously problematic queries work as well:
?- fnCLP([1,A,3],[4,5,6],[5,7,9]).
A = 2
?- fnCLP([1,2,3],[4,5,A],[5,7,9]).
A = 6
Even the most general query yields results with this version:
?- fnCLP(X,Y,Z).
X = Y = Z = [] ? ;
X = [_A],
Y = [_B],
Z = [_C],
_A+_B#=_C ? ;
X = [_A,_B],
Y = [_C,_D],
Z = [_E,_F],
_A+_C#=_E,
_B+_D#=_F ? ;
.
.
.
Since the numbers in the above answers are not uniquely determined, you get residual goals instead of actual numbers. In order to get actual numbers in the answers, you have to restrict the range of two of the lists and label them subsequently (see documentation for details), e.g. to generate lists containing the numbers 3,4,5 in the first list and 6,7,8 in the second list, you can query:
label the lists
restrict the domain | |
v v v v
?- fnCLP(X,Y,Z), X ins 3..5, Y ins 6..8, label(X), label(Y).
X = Y = Z = [] ? ;
X = [3],
Y = [6],
Z = [9] ? ;
X = [3],
Y = [7],
Z = [10] ? ;
.
.
.
X = [3,4],
Y = [6,7],
Z = [9,11] ? ;
X = [3,4],
Y = [6,8],
Z = [9,12] ? ;
.
.
.
On an additional note: there are also clp libraries for booleans (CLP(B)), rationals and reals (CLP(Q,R)) that you might find interesting.
From what I understand, the error is due to the base case.
I don't see it that way.
The first problem I see is that you are trying to process list which leads to thinking about using DCGs, but since you are new I will avoid that route.
When processing list you typically process the head of the list then pass the tail back to the predicate using recursion.
e.g. for length of list you would have
ln([],N,N).
ln([_|T],N0,N) :-
N1 is N0+1,
ln(T,N1,N).
ln(L,N) :-
ln(L,0,N).
The predicate ln/2 is used to set up the initial count of 0 and the predicate ln/3 does the work using recursion. Notice how the head of the list is taken off the front of the list and the tail of the list is passed recursively onto the predicate again. When the list is empty the predicate ln([],N,N). unifies, in this case think copies, the intermediate count from the second position into the third position, which it what is passed back with ln/2.
Now back to your problem.
The base case is fine
fn([],[],[]).
There are three list and for each one look at the list as [H|T]
fn([H1|T1],[H2|T2],[H3|T3])
and the call to do the recursion on the tail is
fn(T1,T2,T3)
all that is left is to process the heads which is
H3 is H1 + H2
putting it all together gives us
fn([],[],[]).
fn([H1|T1], [H2|T2], [H3|T3]) :-
H3 is H1 + H2,
fn(T1,T2,T3).
and a quick few checks.
?- fn([],[],[]).
true.
?- fn([1],[1],[2]).
true.
?- fn([1,2],[3,4],[4,6]).
true.
?- fn([1,2],[3,4,5],[4,6,5]).
false.
With regards to the two conditions. When I look at exercises problems for logic programming they sometimes give a condition like True if lists are the same length or some other condition that returns true. I tend to ignore those at first and concentrate on getting the other part done first, in this case elements of third list is sum of the two lists then I check to see if the other conditions are correct. For most simple classroom exercises they are. I sometimes think teacher try to give out these extra conditions to confuse the student, but in reality the are there just to clarify how the code should work.

Prolog bigger from list element pairs to new list

I want to find the bigger value from a list's element's pairs.
Ie. list=[5,7,4,5,6,8] the pairs are [5,7], [7,4], [4,5] etc.
Right now I have this little code snippet:
bigger([],X).
bigger([E1],[H|E1]).
bigger([E1,E2|T],[H|_]):-
(E1>E2,bigger([E2|T],[H|E1]));
(E1<E2,bigger([E2|T],[H|E2])).
The solution should look like:
?- bigger([5,7,4,5,6,8],X).
X = [7,7,5,6,8,8]
EDIT:
Deleted the remove/3 lines, since they're wrong.
I'll give MY understanding of how the code works.
Empty given list check.
One element list check, adds it to output list end ([H|E1])
More than one element in given list, output list
3.1 First two element check (E1 >/< E2)
3.2 New recursive query without E1 (first element)
3.3 Whichever is bigger is output list's last element now.
First I'll show you my solution of your problem (and the result shouldn't be X = [7,7,5,6,8]? I'll make this version.)
gtr(X,Y,Y) :-
Y>=X.
gtr(X,_,X).
bigger([],[]).
bigger([_], []).
bigger([X,Y|R], [Z|H]) :-
bigger([Y|R],H), gtr(X,Y,Z),!.
If you want to have last element appear in this list anyway than just change second bigger function.
Since the relation is describing lists you could opt to use DCGs for the task:
max_of(X,X,Y) :- X >= Y. % X is maximum if X>=Y
max_of(Y,X,Y) :- Y > X. % Y is maximum if Y>X
list_biggers(L,B) :-
phrase(biggers(L),B). % the DCG biggers//1 describes B based on L
biggers([]) --> % if the list is empty
[]. % there's no element in the biggers list
biggers([X]) --> % if the list contains just one element
[X]. % it is in the biggers list
biggers([X,Y|Xs]) --> % if the list contains at least two elements
{max_of(M,X,Y)}, % the maximum of them
[M], % is in the biggers list
biggers([Y|Xs]). % the same holds for [Y|Xs]
This definition is sticking to your reading of the task, that is, in the case of a one-element list the only element is in the list of bigger elements:
?- list_biggers([5,7,4,5,6,8],B).
B = [7, 7, 5, 6, 8, 8] ;
false.
?- list_biggers([1],B).
B = [1] ;
false.
If you prefer the reading suggested by #Armatorix, just change the second DCG-rule to
biggers([_X]) -->
[].
This way the queries above yields the following results:
?- list_biggers([5,7,4,5,6,8],B).
B = [7, 7, 5, 6, 8] ;
false.
?- list_biggers([1],B).
B = [] ;
false.
Note that the list has to be sufficiently instantiated. Otherwise you get an error:
?- list_biggers([X,Y,Z],B).
ERROR: >=/2: Arguments are not sufficiently instantiated
If the list only contains integers, you can remedy this problem by using CLP(FD). Add a line to include the library and change max_of/2 like so:
:- use_module(library(clpfd)).
max_of(X,X,Y) :- X #>= Y.
max_of(Y,X,Y) :- Y #> X.
Now the query above delivers all 4 expected solutions:
?- list_biggers([X,Y,Z],B).
B = [X, Y, Z],
X#>=Y,
Y#>=Z ;
B = [X, Z, Z],
X#>=Y,
Y#=<Z+ -1 ;
B = [Y, Y, Z],
X#=<Y+ -1,
Y#>=Z ;
B = [Y, Z, Z],
X#=<Y+ -1,
Y#=<Z+ -1 ;
false.
In order to construct logical programs, one needs to think logical. Based on the problem statement, there are three possibilities here:
we have an empty list, in that case the result is an empty list as well:
bigger([],[]).
in case we have a list with one element, the problem is underspecified. I would say that the result should be an empty list, but your example seems to suggest that we return that number, since we then have a 1-tuple, and the maximum of a 1-tuple is of course the single element in the tuple:
bigger([H],[H]).
in case the list contains two or more elements [H1,H2|T], then H1 and H2 are the first two elements. In that case we construct a vitual tuple in our head [H1,H2] and calculate the maximum, which is thus M is max(H1,H2). We prepend M to the resulting list of the recursion. That recursion is done on the list [H2|T]: the list where we popped H1 from:
bigger([H1,H2|T],[M|U]) :-
M is max(H1,H2),
bigger([H2|T],U).
Or putting this all together:
bigger([],[]).
bigger([H],[H]).
bigger([H1,H2|T],[M|U]) :-
M is max(H1,H2),
bigger(T,U).

Prolog: How "length(+,-)" delete unassigned tail of the list keeping the list?

Again a Prolog beginner :-}
I build up a list element by element using
(1)
member(NewElement,ListToBeFilled).
in a repeating call,
(2)
ListToBeFilled = [NewElement|TmpListToBeFilled].
in a recursive call like
something(...,TmpListToBeFilled).
A concrete example of (2)
catch_all_nth1(List, AllNth, Counter, Result) :-
[H|T] = List,
NewCounter is Counter + 1,
(
0 is Counter mod AllNth
->
Result = [H|Result1]
;
Result = Result1
),
catch_all_nth1(T,AllNth,NewCounter,Result1),
!.
catch_all_nth1([], _, _, _).
As result I get a list which looks like
[E1, E2, E3, ..., Elast | _G12321].
Of course, the Tail is a Variable. [btw: are there better method to fill up the
list, directly avoiding the "unassigned tail"?]
I was now looking for a simple method to eliminate the "unassigned tail".
I found:
Delete an unassigned member in list
there it is proposed to use:
exclude(var, ListWithVar, ListWithoutVar),!,
[Found this too, but did not help as I do not want a dummy element at the end
Prolog list has uninstantiated tail, need to get rid of it ]
What I noticed is that using length\2 eliminate the "unassigned tail", too, and in addtion
the same List remains.
My Question is: How does it work? I would like to use the mechanism to eliminate the unassigned tail without using a new variable... [in SWI Prolog 'till now I did not get the debugger
entering length() ?!]
The example:
Z=['a','b','c' | Y],
X = Z,
write(' X '),write(X),nl,
length(X,Tmp),
write(' X '),write(X),nl.
13 ?- test(X).
X [a,b,c|_G3453]
X [a,b,c]
X = [a, b, c] .
I thought X, once initialized can not be changed anymore and you need
a new variable like in exclude(var, ListWithVar, ListWithoutVar).
Would be happy if someone explain the trick to me...
Thanks :-)
You're right about the strange behaviour: it's due to the ability of length/2 when called with unbound arguments
The predicate is non-deterministic, producing lists of increasing length if List is a partial list and Int is unbound.
example:
?- length([a,b,c|X],N).
X = [],
N = 3 ;
X = [_G16],
N = 4 ;
X = [_G16, _G19],
N = 5 ;
...
For your 'applicative' code, this tiny correction should be sufficient. Change the base recursion clause to
catch_all_nth1([], _, _, []).
here are the results before
4 ?- catch_all_nth1([a,b,c,d],2,1,R).
R = [b, d|_G75].
and after the correction:
5 ?- catch_all_nth1([a,b,c,d],2,1,R).
R = [b, d].
But I would suggest instead to use some of better know methods that Prolog provide us: like findall/3:
?- findall(E, (nth1(I,[a,b,c,d],E), I mod 2 =:= 0), L).
L = [b, d].
I think this should do it:
% case 1: end of list reached, replace final var with empty list
close_open_list(Uninstantiated_Var) :-
var(Uninstantiated_Var), !,
Uninstantiated_Var = '[]'.
% case 2: not the end, recurse
close_open_list([_|Tail]) :-
close_open_list(Tail).
?- X=[1,2,3|_], close_open_list(X).
X = [1, 2, 3].
Note that only variable X is used.. it simply recurses through the list until it hits the var at the end, replaces it with an empty list, which closes it. X is then available as a regular 'closed' list.
Edit: once a list element has been assigned to something specific, it cannot be changed. But the list itself can be appended to, when constructed as an open list ie. with |_ at the end. Open lists are a great way to build up list elements without needing new variables. eg.
X=[1,2,3|_], memberchk(4, X), memberchk(5,X).
X = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5|_G378304]
In the example above, memberchk tries tries to make '4', then '5' members of the list, which it succeeds in doing by inserting them into the free variable at the end in each case.
Then when you're done, just close it.

Prolog - summing numbers from two lists

I'm trying to write prolog program that sums items from two lists and present the result in another list.
For example:
List1:
[1, 3, 4, 2]
List2:
[5, 1, 3, 0]
Result:
[6, 4, 7, 2]
So far, I have this:
list_sum([],[],[]).
list_sum([H1|T1],[H2|T2],L3):-list_sum(T1,T2,[X|L3]), X is H1+H2.
?-list_sum([1,2,3,4],[1,2,3,4],R),write(R).
If you use SWI-Prolog you can use maplist, and module lambda found there : http://www.complang.tuwien.ac.at/ulrich/Prolog-inedit/lambda.pl :
:- use_module(library(lambda)).
list_sum(L1, L2, L3) :-
maplist(\X^Y^Z^(Z is X + Y), L1, L2, L3).
What #gusbro said. Further, you need to rearrange the order of operations and add a couple of additional special cases to deal with lists of differing lengths:
list_sum( [] , [] , [] ) .
list_sum( [] , [Y|Ys] , [Z|Zs] ) :- Z is 0+Y , list_sum( [] , Ys , Zs ) .
list_sum( [X|Xs] , [] , [Z|Zs] ) :- Z is X+0 , list_sum( Xs , [] , Zs ) .
list_sum( [X|Xs] , [Y|Ys] , [Z|Zs] ) :- Z is X+Y , list_sum( Xs , Ys , Zs ) .
You need to move the evaluation (Z is X+Y) in my example above, so that Z is evaluated before the recursion. This accomplishes two things:
First, it makes the predicate tail-recursive, meaning the solution is iterative and therefore doesn't consume stack space. In your code, the evaluations aren't performed until after the entire recursion is done. Each intermediate sum is kept on the stack and is evaluated right-to-left on your way back up. This means you'll blow your stack on a large list.
Second, evaluating each result before recursing down means you fail fast. The first sum that doesn't unify with the result fails the entire operation. Your solution fails slow. Consider 10,000,000 item lists where the first item doesn't sum to the first item in the result list: you'll traverse all 10,000,000 items, then — assuming you didn't blow your stack — you start evaluating sums right-to-left. Your predicate won't fail until the very last evalution.
it's one liner in SWI-Prolog:
list_sum(X,Y,S) :- maplist(plus, X,Y,S).
And it works also 'backward':
?- maplist(plus, [1,2,3],Y,[3,4,5]).
Y = [2, 2, 2].
You are almost there.
Your problem is that the result of the sum should be put in the head of the second clause, and not in the recursive call!
list_sum([H1|T1],[H2|T2],[X|L3]):-list_sum(T1,T2,L3), X is H1+H2.
Note that the way you had written it, L3 which is "returned" in as a result is a list in which you have removed the head (X) from the recusive call; whereas you meant the opposite: to add an element (X) to the resulting list.
the result should be a list, so you can't just say X is H1+H2 because X is not a list and you are only matching head of the lists with a single variable. also list_sum([],[],0) is not correct for same reason. the answer looks like this:
sum([],[],[]).
sum([H1| T1], [H2| T2], [ResH| ResT]) :-
sum(T1, T2, ResT),
ResH is H1+H2.
but when you run your own code, first X is matched with H1+H2, on the second recursive call X has a value and can not be matched with head of T1+T2. so it outputs a no.
domains
list=integer*
predicates
add(list,list,list)
clauses
add([],[],[]).
add([V1X|X],[V1Y|Y],[V1Z|Z]):-add(X,Y,Z),V1Z=V1X+V1Y.