Introduction to Logic Programming

Goals

• Introduction to logic programming.
• Understanding logical foundations and computational model.
• Learning practical programming in Prolog.

The final grade will depend on the assignment results and on the final exam result in February 2010 (the exact date will be announced).

Organization

Winter Semester 2009.

• Number: 326.028
• Title: Logic Programming
• Lecturer: Temur Kutsia
• Time: Wed 16:15-18:00
• Place: T 212
• First lecture: October 7.
• Final exam: The students can choose one of two alternatives: February 2, 16:15-18:00, T211 or February 3, 16:15-18:00, T211.

Registration

Please register for the course via the KUSSS system.

Contents

• Logical foundations. Introduction to Prolog programming.
• Questions, variables, conjunctions, rules, goals.
• Prolog syntax. Characters, operators, equality and matching, arithmetic.
• Using data structures. Programming techniques on Prolog (Mapping, recursion, accumulators, difference structures).
• Backtracking, generating multiple solutions, the cut.
• Selected examples.
• Unification, computational model of logic programs.
• Constraint logic programming.
• Grammar rules (DCG).
• Efficiency issues.

Course Materials

• Book: W. F. Clocksin and C. S. Mellish. Programming in Prolog. Fifth edition. Springer. 2003.
• Slides:
  • Introduction - pdf
  • Questions, variables, conjunctions, rules, goals - pdf
  • Prolog syntax - pdf
  • Data structures, mapping, recursion - pdf
  • Data structures, comparison, joining, accumulators, difference structures - pdf
  • Backtracking, the cut - pdf
  • Unification - pdf
  • Computational Model - pdf
  • Using Grammar Rules - pdf
  • Efficiency issues - pdf
  • Examples - pdf
  • Manipulating programs - pdf
• Assignments: Assignments are to be submitted by email. Please write LP09-AS1, LP09-AS2, LP09-AS3, etc. in the subject of your mail when you submit assignments.
  • Assignment 1. Submission deadline: Friday, November 20.
  • Assignment 2. Submission deadline: Friday, December 18.
  • Assignment 3. Submission deadline: Friday, January 22.
• Programs:
  • Einstein's puzzle: Description and solution.
  • Missionaries and cannibals.
  • Implementations of the unification algorithm: unification1.pro, unification2.pro
• Additional material:
  • M. A. Covington et al. Some Coding Guidelines for Prolog. (Highly recommended!)
  • M. A. Covington. Efficient Prolog: A Practical Guide. Research Report AI-1989-08, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 1989.
  • W. F. Clocksin. Prolog Programming (PowerPoint format).
  • J. Lloyd. Foundations of Logic Programming, second edition, 1987. Springer.
  • Open lists and difference lists. A section from Paul Brna's online Prolog book.
  • P. Gloess. Constraint Logic Programming (PowerPoint format).
• System(s):
  • SWI-Prolog. For Windows users there is a convenient SWI-Prolog editor.
  • GNU-Prolog.
• Some interesting on-line resources:
  • Prolog newsgroup.
  • Prolog Development Center.
  • SICStus Prolog web page.
  • Quintus Prolog web page.
  • WWW Virtual Library: Logic programming.

Maintained by Temur Kutsia