Fundamentals of Functional Programming

Question 1

What is a function?

Answer 1

A rule that for each element in some set of inputs, assigns an output chosen from set B, but without necessarily using every member of B.

Question 2

What defines a First-Class Object?

Answer 2

• appear in objects
• be assigned to a variable
• be assigned as arguments
• be returned in function calls

Question 3

What is a Partial Function?

Answer 3

Takes advantage of the inability of a function to take more than one input.
In partial function application, one of the arguments is fixed, leading to a more restricted, specialised function.

Question 4

What is Functional Composition?

Answer 4

Act of combining two functions to create a new function.
Creates a benefit that the user can use the functions both separately or in conjunction.

Question 5

How can you combine two functions?

Answer 5

As long as the domain of one of the functions is the co-domain of the other.
Indicated by o symbol

Question 6

Explain the purpose of the REDUCE or FOLD function in a functional programming function:

Answer 6

Reduces a list of values to a single value by applying a combining function

Question 7

What is a Higher-Order Function?

Answer 7

A function that takes a function as an argument

Question 8

What does MAP do?

Answer 8

applies the function ‘x’ to each list element