Re: [Haskell-cafe] General function to count list elements?

I know functions can be compared in Scheme Welcome to DrScheme, version 4.1 [3m]. Language: Swindle; memory limit: 128 megabytes.

(equal? equal? equal?) #t

but apparently not in Haskell [michael@localhost ~]$ ghci GHCi, version 6.10.1: http://www.haskell.org/ghc/  :? for help Loading package ghc-prim ... linking ... done. Loading package integer ... linking ... done. Loading package base ... linking ... done. Prelude> (==) (==) (==) <interactive>:1:0:     No instance for (Eq (a -> a -> Bool))       arising from a use of `==' at <interactive>:1:0-13     Possible fix: add an instance declaration for (Eq (a -> a -> Bool))     In the expression: (==) (==) (==)     In the definition of `it': it = (==) (==) (==) Prelude> though I'm new at Haskell and may not be posing the question properly. I would think a language with 1st-class support for functions would certainly include comparing them. To compare two functions in C, I would compare their machine addresses. Michael --- On Sat, 4/18/09, Eugene Kirpichov wrote: From: Eugene Kirpichov Subject: Re: [Haskell-cafe] General function to count list elements? To: "michael rice" Cc: haskell-cafe@haskell.org Date: Saturday, April 18, 2009, 11:39 AM Could you then provide an example of two functions that *are* equal, or, even better, a definition of equality for arbitrary functions? Since Haskell may be compiled into C, this must be a definition that is implementable in C. 2009/4/18 michael rice :

Though I haven't tried it out, it's trying to use my function to count functions.

The first argument is the identity function.

The second argument is a list of a different form of the identity function.

Though the two identity functions, given the same input, would produce the same output, I doubt they would be equal.

So my guess at an answer would be zero.

Michael

--- On Sat, 4/18/09, Eugene Kirpichov wrote:

From: Eugene Kirpichov Subject: Re: [Haskell-cafe] General function to count list elements? To: "michael rice" Cc: haskell-cafe@haskell.org Date: Saturday, April 18, 2009, 11:03 AM

What should

count (\x -> x) (replicate 10 (\y -> if 1==1 then y else undefined))

return?

2009/4/18 michael rice :

...

Is there a general function to count list elements. I'm trying this

count :: a -> [a] -> Int count x ys = length (filter (== x) ys)

with this error upon loading

=============

[michael@localhost ~]$ ghci count GHCi, version 6.10.1: http://www.haskell.org/ghc/  :? for help Loading package ghc-prim ... linking ... done. Loading package integer ... linking ... done. Loading package base ... linking ... done. [1 of 1] Compiling Main             ( count.hs, interpreted )

count.hs:2:29:     Could not deduce (Eq a) from the context ()       arising from a use of `==' at count.hs:2:29-32     Possible fix:       add (Eq a) to the context of the type signature for `count'     In the first argument of `filter', namely `(== x)'     In the first argument of `length', namely `(filter (== x) ys)'     In the expression: length (filter (== x) ys) Failed, modules loaded: none. Prelude>

=============

Not sure what it's trying to tell me other than I need an (Eq a) somewhere.

Michael

_______________________________________________ Haskell-Cafe mailing list Haskell-Cafe@haskell.org http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/haskell-cafe

-- Eugene Kirpichov Web IR developer, market.yandex.ru

-- Eugene Kirpichov Web IR developer, market.yandex.ru