Automated Mathematical Induction

Hantao Zhang

ISBN 10: 9401072507 / ISBN 13: 9789401072502

Published by Springer Sep 2011, 2011

About this Item

Neuware - It has been shown how the common structure that defines a family of proofs can be expressed as a proof plan [5]. This common structure can be exploited in the search for particular proofs. A proof plan has two complementary components: a proof method and a proof tactic. By prescribing the structure of a proof at the level of primitive inferences, a tactic [11] provides the guarantee part of the proof. In contrast, a method provides a more declarative explanation of the proof by means of preconditions. Each method has associated effects. The execution of the effects simulates the application of the corresponding tactic. Theorem proving in the proof planning framework is a two-phase process: 1. Tactic construction is by a process of method composition: Given a goal, an applicable method is selected. The applicability of a method is determined by evaluating the method's preconditions. The method effects are then used to calculate subgoals. This process is applied recursively until no more subgoals remain. Because of the one-to-one correspondence between methods and tactics, the output from this process is a composite tactic tailored to the given goal. 2. Tactic execution generates a proof in the object-level logic. Note that no search is involved in the execution of the tactic. All the search is taken care of during the planning process. The real benefits of having separate planning and execution phases become appar ent when a proof attempt fails.

Seller Inventory # 9789401072502

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Automated Mathematical Induction
• Publisher: Springer Sep 2011
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9401072507
• ISBN 13: 9789401072502
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 240W x 160H x 13D millimeters 240 millimeters width by 160 millimeters height by 13 millimeters depth
• Weight: 378 grams

About this title

Synopsis

It has been shown how the common structure that defines a family of proofs can be expressed as a proof plan [5]. This common structure can be exploited in the search for particular proofs. A proof plan has two complementary components: a proof method and a proof tactic. By prescribing the structure of a proof at the level of primitive inferences, a tactic [11] provides the guarantee part of the proof. In contrast, a method provides a more declarative explanation of the proof by means of preconditions. Each method has associated effects. The execution of the effects simulates the application of the corresponding tactic. Theorem proving in the proof planning framework is a two-phase process: 1. Tactic construction is by a process of method composition: Given a goal, an applicable method is selected. The applicability of a method is determined by evaluating the method's preconditions. The method effects are then used to calculate subgoals. This process is applied recursively until no more subgoals remain. Because of the one-to-one correspondence between methods and tactics, the output from this process is a composite tactic tailored to the given goal. 2. Tactic execution generates a proof in the object-level logic. Note that no search is involved in the execution of the tactic. All the search is taken care of during the planning process. The real benefits of having separate planning and execution phases become appar­ ent when a proof attempt fails.