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An Introduction to the Bird−Meertens Formalism

Jeremy Gibbons

Abstract

The Bird-Meertens Formalism, or `Squiggol', is a calculus for the construction of programs from their specifications by a process of equational reasoning. Developments are directed by considerations of \em data, as opposed to \em program, structure. \par This paper presents a brief introduction to the philosophy and notation of the calculus, in the guise of the (well-known) derivation of a linear-time solution to the `maximum segment sum' problem.

Address
Hamilton
Book Title
Proceedings of the First New Zealand Formal Program Development Colloquium
Editor
Steve Reeves
Month
nov
Pages
1–12
Year
1994