Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!aioe.org!feeder.news-service.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <torriem@gmail.com>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.024
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.95; '*S*': 0.00; 'cases.': 0.09; 'recursion': 0.09; 'pm,': 0.11; 'wrote:': 0.14; 'from:addr:torriem': 0.16; 'from:name:michael torrie': 0.16; 'algorithm': 0.16; 'code.': 0.18; 'subject:list': 0.22; 'header :In-Reply-To:1': 0.22; 'cases': 0.25; 'message-id:@gmail.com': 0.30; 'pattern': 0.31; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.32; 'implemented': 0.33; 'received:192': 0.34; 'header:User-Agent:1': 0.35; 'received:192.168': 0.37; 'received:org': 0.38; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; "it's": 0.40; 'header:Received:5': 0.40; 'yourself': 0.66; 'inductive': 0.84
X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at torriefamily.org
Date: Sun, 08 May 2011 21:31:35 -0600
From: Michael Torrie <torriem@gmail.com>
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.2.15) Gecko/20110307 Fedora/3.1.9-0.39.b3pre.fc14 Lightning/1.0b3pre Thunderbird/3.1.9
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: python-list@python.org
Subject: Re: checking if a list is empty
References: <BANLkTikF18n2dBU6hhFngcAPkE2ZpErVAw@mail.gmail.com>	<BANLkTimWdAijp6vWm9sC_9rFMgpoRf35Hg@mail.gmail.com>	<mailman.1260.1304710333.9059.python-list@python.org>	<9hYwp.5805$xo2.3333@newsfe07.iad>	<4dc502c7$0$29991$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com>	<Aqoxp.67882$7N3.65130@newsfe10.iad>	<4dc6a39a$0$29991$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com>	<iq766e$vqt$1@dough.gmane.org> <BANLkTingfjEAwiWGg8hJVoLfBG+T2YZSpw@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <BANLkTingfjEAwiWGg8hJVoLfBG+T2YZSpw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language <python-list.python.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list>
List-Post: <mailto:python-list@python.org>
List-Help: <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=subscribe>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Message-ID: <mailman.1319.1304911910.9059.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 9
NNTP-Posting-Host: 82.94.164.166
X-Trace: 1304911910 news.xs4all.nl 81483 [::ffff:82.94.164.166]:43853
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:4972

On 05/08/2011 05:36 PM, Dan Stromberg wrote:
> Just what is an inductive algorithm?

>From what I can remember, it's just an implementation of a proof
essentially.  Any algorithm that can be inductively proven can be
implemented with recursion and specific base cases.  In other words you
program just like you'd do the proof.  First you deal with the base
cases and then you can call yourself for F(n) and F(n-1).  The inductive
proof provides the pattern for the code.