2.4 Multiple Representations for Abstract Data

how to isolate different design choices to coexist in a program?

type tags
data objects that include explicit information about
how it should be processed
data-directed
style of programming by additively assembling
systems with generic operations

2.4.1 representations for complex numbers

develop a system for complex number arithmetic with two underlying
implementations:

  • rectangular form
  • polar form
(define (add-complex z1 z2)
  (make-from-real-imag (+ (real-part z1) (real-part z2))
                       (+ (imag-part z1) (real-part z2))))
(define (sub-complex z1 z2)
  (make-from-real-imag (- (real-part z1) (real-part z2))
                       (- (imag-part z1) (real-part z2))))
(define (mul-complex z1 z2)
  (make-from-mag-ang (* (magnitude z1) (magnitude z2))
                     (+ (angle z1) (angle z2))))
(define (div-complex z1 z2)
  (make-from-mag-ang (/ (magnitude z1) (magnitude z2))
                     (- (angle z1) (angle z2))))

two lispers take on the challenge…

;; BEN BITDIDDLE
(define (real-part z) (car z))
(define (imag-part z) (cdr z))
(define (magnitude z)
  (sqrt (+ (square (real-part z)) (square (imag-part z)))))
(define (angle z)
  (atan (imag-part z) (real-part z)))
(define (make-from-real-imag x y) (cons x y))
(define (make-from-mag-ang r a)
  (cons (* r (cos a)) (* r (sin a))))
;; ALYSSA P. HACKER
(define (real-part z)
  (* (magnitude z) (cos (angle z))))
(define (imag-part z)
  (* (magnitude z) (sin (angle z))))
(define (magnitude z) (car z))
(define (angle z) (cdr z))
(define (make-from-real-imag x y)
  (cons (sqrt (+ (square x) (square y)))
        (atan y x)))
(define (make-from-mag-ang r a) (cons r a))

2.4.2 tagged data

to keep this two systems and to keep them separate, you could make a
tagging system for data

(define (attach-tag type-tag contents)
  (cons type-tag contents))
(define (type-tag datum)
  (if (pair? datum)
      (car datum)
      (error "Bad tagged datum -- TYPE-TAG" datum)))
(define (contents datum)
  (if (pair? datum)
      (cdr datum)
      (error "Bad tagged datum -- CONTENTS" datum)))

and then it would be simple to identify the said type

(define (rectangular? z)
  (eq? (type-tag z) 'rectangular))
(define (polar? z)
  (eq? (type-tag z) 'polar))

and so alyssa and ben could use this in their procedures, then name
their procedures to reflect the work they are doing

(define (magnitude z)
  (cond ((rectangular? z)
         (magnitude-rectangular (contents z)))
        ((polar? z)
         (magnitude-polar (contents z)))
        (else (error "Unknown type -- MAGNITUDE" z))))

we will come back to this in ยง2.5

2.4.3 data-directed programming and additivity

Author: jordyn

Created: 2021-02-15 Mon 16:09