SICP exercise 1.32
From Drewiki
This exercise has two parts.
Contents |
Problem A
Show that sum from section 1.3.1 of the text and product from exercise 1.31 are both special cases of a still more general notion called accumulate that combines a collection of terms, using some general accumulation function:
(accumulate combiner null-value term a next b)
accumulate takes as arguments the same term and range specifications as sum and product, together with a combiner procedure (of two arguments) that specifies how the current term is to be combined with the accumulation of the preceding terms and a null-value that specifies what base value to use when the terms run out. Write accumulate and show how sum and product can both be defined as simple calls to accumulate.
Solution A
Here's a recursive process-generating accumulate procedure:
And here are a couple of tests using sum and product:
Output:
0.25
Output:
1
Output:
2
Output:
6
Output:
24
Output:
120
Output:
720
Problem B
If your accumulate procedure generates a recursive process, write one that generates an iterative process. If it generates an iterative process, write one that generates a recursive process.
Solution B
The definition of accumulate given above in Solution A generates a recursive process, so here's one that generates an iterative process:
Tests:
Output:
0.25
Output:
1
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Output:
2
Output:
6
Output:
24
Output:
120
Output:
720
