Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Account
Menu
Find a journal Publish with us Track your research
Search
Cart
  1. Home
  2. Mathematics in Computer Science
  3. Article

Automating Change of Representation for Proofs in Discrete Mathematics (Extended Version)

  • Open access
  • Published: 18 July 2016
  • Volume 10, pages 429–457, (2016)
  • Cite this article
Download PDF

You have full access to this open access article

Mathematics in Computer Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript
Automating Change of Representation for Proofs in Discrete Mathematics (Extended Version)
Download PDF
  • Daniel Raggi1,
  • Alan Bundy1,
  • Gudmund Grov2 &
  • …
  • Alison Pease3 
  • 1082 Accesses

  • 5 Citations

  • 1 Altmetric

  • Explore all metrics

Abstract

Representation determines how we can reason about a specific problem. Sometimes one representation helps us to find a proof more easily than others. Most current automated reasoning tools focus on reasoning within one representation. There is, therefore, a need for the development of better tools to mechanise and automate formal and logically sound changes of representation. In this paper we look at examples of representational transformations in discrete mathematics, and show how we have used tools from Isabelle’s Transfer package to automate the use of these transformations in proofs. We give an overview of a general theory of transformations that we consider appropriate for thinking about the matter, and we explain how it relates to the Transfer package. We show a few reasoning tactics we developed in Isabelle to improve the use of transformations, including the automation of search in the space of representations. We present and analyse some results of the use of these tactics.

Article PDF

Download to read the full article text

Similar content being viewed by others

On Verified Automated Reasoning in Propositional Logic

Chapter © 2022

Induction in Saturation-Based Proof Search

Chapter © 2019

Learning Guided Automated Reasoning: A Brief Survey

Chapter © 2024

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.
  • Applications of Discrete Mathematics
  • Discrete Mathematics in Computer Science
  • Discrete Mathematics
  • Register-Transfer-Level Implementation
  • Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation
  • Integral Transforms and Operational Calculus
Use our pre-submission checklist

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

References

  1. Ballarin, C.: Interpretation of locales in Isabelle: theories and proof contexts. In: International Conference on Mathematical Knowledge Management, pp. 31–43. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2006)

  2. Blanchette, J.C., Nipkow, T.: Nitpick: a counterexample generator for higher-order logic based on a relational model finder. In: International conference on interactive theorem proving, pp. 131–146. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2010)

  3. Böhme, S., Nipkow, T.: Sledgehammer: judgement day. In: International Joint Conference on Automated Reasoning, pp. 107–121. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2010)

  4. Bóna, M.: A walk through combinatorics: an introduction to enumeration and graph theory. World scientific, Singapore (2011)

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Bulwahn, L.: The new Quickcheck for Isabelle. In: International Conference on Certified Programs and Proofs, pp. 92–108. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2012)

  6. Farmer, W.M., Guttman, J.D., Thayer, F.T.: Little theories. In: International Conference on Automated Deduction, pp. 567–581. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (1992)

  7. Farmer, W.M., Guttman, J.D., Thayer, F.T.: IMPS: an interactive mathematical proof system. J. Autom. Reasoning 9(11), 213–248 (1993)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Goguen, J.A., Burstall, R.M.: Institutions: abstract model theory for specication and programming. J. ACM (JACM) 39(1), 95–146 (1992)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Haftmann, F., Krauss, A., Kunčar, O., Nipkow, T.: Data refinement in Isabelle/HOL. In: International Conference on Interactive Theorem Proving, pp. 100–115. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2013)

  10. Haftmann, F., Wenzel, M,: Constructive type classes in Isabelle. In: International Workshop on Types for Proofs and Programs, pp. 160–174. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2006)

  11. Huffman, B., Kunčar, O.: Lifting and transfer: a modular design for quotients in Isabelle/HOL. In: International Conference on Certified Programs and Proofs, pp. 131–146. Springer, Switzerland (2013)

  12. Hurd, J.: System description: the Metis proof tactic. In: Benzmüller, C., Harrison, J., Schürmann, C. (eds.) Empirically Successful Automated Reasoning in Higher-Order Logic (ESHOL), pp. 103–104, Montego Bay (2005)

  13. Kerber, M., Präcklein, A.: Using tactics to reformulate formulae for resolution theorem proving. Ann. Math. Artif. Intell. 18(2), 221–241 (1996)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. Kumar, R., Arthan, R., Myreen, M.O., Owens, S.: HOL with definitions: semantics, soundness, and a verified implementation. In: International Conference on Interactive Theorem Proving, pp. 308–324. Springer, Switzerland (2014)

  15. Kunčar, O., Popescu, A.: A consistent foundation for Isabelle/HOL. In: International Conference on Interactive Theorem Proving, pp. 234–252. Springer, Switzerland (2015)

  16. Meng, J., Paulson, L.C.: Translating higher-order clauses to first-order clauses. J. Autom. Reasoning 40(1), 35–60 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. Mossakowski, T., Maeder, C., Lüttich, K.: The heterogeneous tool set, HETS. In: International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems, pp, 519–522. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2007)

  18. Nipkow, T., Paulson, L.C., Wenzel, M.: Isabelle/HOL: a proof assistant for higher-order logic, vol. 2283. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2002)

  19. Paulson, L.C., Blanchette, J.C.: Three years of experience with Sledgehammer, a practical link between automatic and interactive theorem provers. In: 8th International Workshop on the Implementation of Logics, 2010. Invited talk

  20. Sozeau, M.: A new look at generalized rewriting in type theory. J. Formalized Reasoning 2(1), 41–62 (2009)

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. van Lint, J.H., Wilson, R.M.: A course in combinatorics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2001)

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. Weber, T.: SMT solvers: new oracles for the HOL theorem prover. Int. J. Softw. Tools Technol. Transfer 13(5), 419–429 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Zimmermann, T., Herbelin, H.: Automatic and transparent transfer of theorems along isomorphisms in the Coq proof assistant. arXiv preprint, arXiv:1505.05028 (2015)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Daniel Raggi & Alan Bundy

  2. School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Gudmund Grov

  3. School of Computing, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK

    Alison Pease

Authors
  1. Daniel Raggi
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alan Bundy
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gudmund Grov
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alison Pease
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Raggi.

Additional information

D. Raggi: This work has been supported by the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), with scholarship no. 214095.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Raggi, D., Bundy, A., Grov, G. et al. Automating Change of Representation for Proofs in Discrete Mathematics (Extended Version). Math.Comput.Sci. 10, 429–457 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11786-016-0275-z

Download citation

  • Received: 22 December 2015

  • Revised: 16 March 2016

  • Accepted: 17 May 2016

  • Published: 18 July 2016

  • Issue Date: December 2016

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11786-016-0275-z

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Keywords

  • Change of representation
  • Transformation
  • Automated reasoning
  • Isabelle proof assistant

Mathematics Subject Classification

  • 68T15 Theorem proving (deduction, resolution, etc.)
  • 68T20 Problem solving (heuristics, search strategies, etc.)
  • 68T27 Logic in artificial intelligence
  • 68T30 Knowledge representation
  • 68R01 General (discrete mathematics in relation to computer science)
  • 03B35 Mechanization of proofs and logical operations
Use our pre-submission checklist

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Advertisement

Search

Navigation

  • Find a journal
  • Publish with us
  • Track your research

Discover content

  • Journals A-Z
  • Books A-Z

Publish with us

  • Journal finder
  • Publish your research
  • Language editing
  • Open access publishing

Products and services

  • Our products
  • Librarians
  • Societies
  • Partners and advertisers

Our brands

  • Springer
  • Nature Portfolio
  • BMC
  • Palgrave Macmillan
  • Apress
  • Discover
  • Your US state privacy rights
  • Accessibility statement
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Help and support
  • Legal notice
  • Cancel contracts here

Not affiliated

Springer Nature

© 2025 Springer Nature