CSE 341 Final Exam, Part I (Take Home), A'2003

In this part of the final exam, you'll have an opportunity to compare two of our programming languages by writing a program in each one, to solve the same problem.

Programming

Choose one of the following options

OPTION 1: In this option, use PROLOG as one language and choose either Lisp, ML, or Perl as the other language. Each of your two programs should print out the words to "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", keeping the program itself concise. (Use looping and/or recursion to avoid repetitive code.) Use the version of the Old MacDonald words given here.
OPTION 2: In this option, choose any two languages for the following problem. Evaluate a given polynomial at a given value of x, using Horner's method. You may assume that the user inputs the polynomial by adding an assignment statement (or binding construct) to your program that binds a list of real numbers to a variable. The value of x is also input by assignment or binding.
Horner's method for polynomial evaluation, where the polynomial is assumed to have real coefficients works as follows. To evaluate the polynomial
```
       n        n-1          
    a x  + a   x   + ... + a x + a
     n      n-1             1     0
```
perform the operations given by
```
 (... ((a x + a   )x + ... + a )x + a
         n     n-1            1      0
```
That is, start with a_n, multiply it by x, add a_n-1, multiply it by x, etc., until you finally add a₀.
OPTION 3: In this option, choose either Lisp or ML and either Perl or Prolog. Then, write a function or predicate that takes in an integer in the range 0-999 and prints out the number in words: e.g., 247 -> two hundred forty seven. Show your results for the following four numbers: 99, 117, 747, 801.

Comparison

After you have written both programs, answer the following questions.

What is the paradigm for each of the two languages you used?

What language feature was most important in facilitating the solution of this problem?

What differences are most notable in your two solutions?

Does one paradigm best fit the needs of this problem? Why or why not?

Individual Work Policy

Each student should do this problem without any collaboration with other students or any other people, for that matter. By making it "take-home" rather than in-class, you will have the benefit of the use of computers, books, lecture notes, and flexibility in exactly how much time you spend on it. This is not a homework problem, and therefore, you should not seek help from others if you get stuck. However, you are encouraged to use any of our course materials, or the general documentary resources of the World-Wide Web. You are expected to hold yourselves to the department's academic integrity standards. Violations are taken very seriously and can lead to expulsion from the university.

Turn-in Instructions

Make sure your name appears in comments in each program. Print out both programs, and print out a transcript of a session with each program to show it works as required. Print out your answers to the comparison questions, and make sure your name is on that. Staple the pages together and turn them in on Wednesday morning, Dec. 17, at 8:30 AM, at the final examination.

Points

This part of the Final Exam will be worth approximately 20 percent of the total.