MIT Course 6.044J
Computability Theory of and with Scheme
(Revised Content)
Units: 3-0-9, Fall
Prereq.: 6.001; 6.042J or 18.310
Alternate Years, Not Offered Fall '97
(Same subject as 18.423J)
Course description
Theory for programmers. Introduction to programming and computability
theory focusing on mathematical models of computation for the Scheme
language. Computation as algebraic manipulation: provable and valid
identities for multivariate polynomials; Scheme evaluation as algebraic
manipulation. Term rewriting theory; paradoxes from self-application and
the mathematical meaning of applicative programs; Hilbert's Tenth Problem;
the Non-Halting Problem; the Turing tarpit: are all programming languages
equally powerful? Introduction to logic for program specification and
verification.