State-space problem-reduction, and theorem proving—some relationships

  • Authors:

  • Gordon J. VanderBrug;Jack Minker

  • Affiliations:

  • Univ. of Maryland, College Park;Univ. of Maryland, College Park

  • Venue:
  • Communications of the ACM
  • Year:
  • 1975

Quantified Score

Hi-index 48.22

Visualization

Abstract

This paper suggests a bidirectional relationship between state-space and problem-reduction representations. It presents a formalism based on multiple-input and multiple-output operators which provides a basis for viewing the two types of representations in this manner. A representation of the language recognition problem which is based on the Cocke parsing algorithm is used as an illustration. A method for representing problems in first-order logic in such a way that the inference system employed by a resolution-based theorem prover determines whether the set of clauses is interpreted in the state-space mode or in the problem-reduction mode is presented. The analogous concepts in problem-reduction and theorem proving, and the terminology used to refer to them, are noted. The relationship between problem-reduction, input resolution, and linear resolution is is discussed.