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 at the end of the semester (solving assignments is a necessary precondition to be admitted to the exam).

Organization

Winter Semester 2011.

• Number: 326.028
• Title: Logic Programming
• Lecturer: Temur Kutsia
• Time: Wed 16:15-18:00
• Place: T 212
• Language: English
• Final exam: Wednesday, February 1, 2012. 16:15 - 17:45 T 211
• Final exam, alternative date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012. 12:00 - 13:30 Seminar room, RISC, Castle of Hagenberg.
• Repeat exam: Friday, March 30, 2012. 09:30 - 11:00, UFO seminar room, RISC, Castle of Hagenberg.

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 (New)
  • Manipulating programs - pdf
• Assignments: Assignments are for individual work. They are to be submitted by email. There will be three assignments in total. Please write LP11-AS1, LP11-AS2, LP11-AS3, in the subject of your mail when you submit assignments.
  • Assignment 1. Due: November 20.
  • Assignment 2. Due: December 18.
  Assignment 3. Due: January 16.
• Programs:
  • Crossword puzzle. Problem: Exercise 2.4, solution.
  • Logic grid puzzle.
  • Dutch national flag problem.
  • Missionaries and Cannibals.
  • Crypto-arithmetic problems.
  • Unification.
• 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.
  • Prolog mode for (X)Emacs.
• Some interesting on-line resources:
  • Prolog newsgroup.
  • Prolog Development Center.
  • SICStus Prolog web page.
  • Quintus Prolog web page.
  • Related Web resources from the SWI-Prolog Web page.

Maintained by Temur Kutsia