Reasoning algebraically about probabilistic loops

  • Authors:

  • Larissa Meinicke;Ian J. Hayes

  • Affiliations:

  • School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia;School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

  • Venue:
  • ICFEM'06 Proceedings of the 8th international conference on Formal Methods and Software Engineering
  • Year:
  • 2006

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Abstract

Back and von Wright have developed algebraic laws for reasoning about loops in the refinement calculus. We extend their work to reasoning about probabilistic loops in the probabilistic refinement calculus. We apply our algebraic reasoning to derive transformation rules for probabilistic action systems. In particular we focus on developing data refinement rules for probabilistic action systems. Our extension is interesting since some well known transformation rules that are applicable to standard programs are not applicable to probabilistic ones: we identify some of these important differences and we develop alternative rules where possible. In particular, our probabilistic action system data refinement rules are new.