[ { "level": 0, "description": "A lone free variable. What does x reduce to?", "expr": "x", "answer": "x" }, { "level": 1, "description": "Another free variable. What does y reduce to?", "expr": "y", "answer": "y" }, { "level": 2, "description": "A free variable with a fancy name. Identifiers can include special characters like #, %, @, etc.", "expr": "#%foo", "answer": "#%foo" }, { "level": 3, "description": "A lambda abstraction: lam (x) x is the identity function. It is already in normal form.", "expr": "(lam (x) x)", "answer": "(lam (x) x)" }, { "level": 4, "description": "A function application where both sides are free variables. (x y) has no redex to reduce.", "expr": "(x y)", "answer": "(x y)" }, { "level": 5, "description": "Apply the identity function to y. ((lam (x) x) y) performs one beta-reduction step.", "expr": "((lam (x) x) y)", "answer": "y" }, { "level": 6, "description": "Multi-argument lambda applied to one argument. lam (x y) x takes two arguments and returns the first (the K combinator). What is the result of applying it to just z?", "expr": "((lam (x y) x) z)", "answer": "(lam (y) z)" }, { "level": 7, "description": "A constant function applied to its argument, then the result applied to y. (lam (z) x) ignores z and always returns the free variable x.", "expr": "(((lam (z) x) z) y)", "answer": "(x y)" }, { "level": 8, "description": "Apply the two-argument K combinator lam (x y) x to both z and t. It selects its first argument.", "expr": "((lam (x y) x) z t)", "answer": "z" }, { "level": 9, "description": "Apply the K combinator to three arguments. Remember that application is left-associative, so this is ((K z t) foo). What does K z t reduce to, and what happens when you apply that to foo?", "expr": "((lam (x y) x) z t foo)", "answer": "(z foo)" }, { "level": 10, "description": "A let-binding introduces a local definition. Here id is bound to the identity function. What does (id z) evaluate to?", "expr": "(let ((id (lam (x) x))) (id z))", "answer": "z" }, { "level": 11, "description": "The same let-binding as level 10. let desugars into an immediate lambda application: ((lam (id) (id z)) (lam (x) x)).", "expr": "(let ((id (lam (x) x))) (id z))", "answer": "z" }, { "level": 12, "description": "Church-encoded booleans: False = lam (f t) f, True = lam (f t) t. A boolean selects one of two arguments \u2014 False picks the first, True picks the second. Not flips a boolean by applying it to True and False in swapped order. What is (Not True)?", "expr": "(let ((False (lam (f t) f))\n (True (lam (f t) t))\n (Not (lam (b) (b True False))))\n (Not True))", "answer": "(lam (f t) f)" }, { "level": 13, "description": "Double negation. Applying Not twice should return the original boolean. What is (Not (Not True))?", "expr": "(let ((False (lam (f t) f))\n (True (lam (f t) t))\n (Not (lam (b) (b True False))))\n (Not (Not True)))", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 14, "description": "The same boolean logic as level 13, but using top-level def declarations instead of let. def binds names in the global environment for the rest of the program.", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n (def True (lam (f t) t))\n (def Not (lam (b) (b True False)))\n (Not (Not True)))", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 15, "description": "Three def declarations with no final expression to evaluate. def statements produce no output on their own \u2014 they only extend the environment.", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n (def True (lam (f t) t))\n (def Not (lam (b) (b True False)))", "answer": "" }, { "level": 16, "description": "Define Or in the global environment. Or a b = a b True: if a is True it selects its first argument (b); if a is False it selects its second argument (True). Again, no expression to evaluate.", "expr": "(def Or (lam (a b) (a b True)))", "answer": "" }, { "level": 17, "description": "Use the previously defined Or and Not (assumed in scope from prior levels). Evaluate (Or (Not True) False). What boolean does this reduce to?", "expr": "(Or (Not True) False)", "answer": "(Or (Not True) False)" }, { "level": 18, "description": "Integer literals are native values in this interpreter \u2014 they are already fully reduced and need no evaluation. What does the integer 42 reduce to?", "expr": "42", "answer": "42" }, { "level": 19, "description": "Zero is also a valid integer literal that self-evaluates. What does 0 reduce to?", "expr": "0", "answer": "0" }, { "level": 20, "description": "Negative integers are written with a minus sign immediately preceding the digits, with no space: -7 is a single integer literal, not the identifier - applied to 7. What does -7 reduce to?", "expr": "-7", "answer": "-7" }, { "level": 21, "description": "Apply the identity function to an integer. ((lam (x) x) 99) beta-reduces by substituting 99 for x. What is the result?", "expr": "((lam (x) x) 99)", "answer": "99" }, { "level": 22, "description": "A two-argument constant function applied to an integer and a free variable. (lam (x y) y) ignores its first argument and returns the second. What does ((lam (x y) y) 42 z) reduce to?", "expr": "((lam (x y) y) 42 z)", "answer": "z" }, { "level": 23, "description": "A let-binding wraps an integer in a local name. (let ((n 5)) n) desugars to ((lam (n) n) 5) and reduces to 5. What is the result?", "expr": "(let ((n 5)) n)", "answer": "5" }, { "level": 24, "description": "An integer passed as argument to a free variable f produces a stuck neutral term \u2014 f has no definition, so (f 42) cannot reduce further. What does (f 42) reduce to?", "expr": "(f 42)", "answer": "(f 42)" }, { "level": 25, "description": "An integer in function position applied to an argument cannot reduce \u2014 42 is not a lambda. The result is a stuck neutral application. What does (42 x) reduce to?", "expr": "(42 x)", "answer": "(42 x)" }, { "level": 26, "description": "Chained neutral applications. (42 a) is already stuck; applying that to b gives a left-associative neutral term. Remember that (f a b) pretty-prints as (f a b). What does ((42 a) b) reduce to?", "expr": "((42 a) b)", "answer": "(42 a b)" }, { "level": 27, "description": "A def declaration binds an integer to a name globally. Evaluating n afterwards should return the integer. What does the following program produce?", "expr": "(def n -3)\nn", "answer": "-3" }, { "level": 28, "description": "The interpreter now has built-in arithmetic operators. + takes two integers and returns their sum. What does (+ 3 4) reduce to?", "expr": "(+ 3 4)", "answer": "7" }, { "level": 29, "description": "The built-in - subtracts its second argument from its first. What does (- 10 3) reduce to?", "expr": "(- 10 3)", "answer": "7" }, { "level": 30, "description": "The built-in * multiplies two integers. What does (* 6 7) reduce to?", "expr": "(* 6 7)", "answer": "42" }, { "level": 31, "description": "div performs integer division (truncated toward negative infinity). What does (div 17 5) reduce to?", "expr": "(div 17 5)", "answer": "3" }, { "level": 32, "description": "mod returns the remainder of integer division. What does (mod 17 5) reduce to?", "expr": "(mod 17 5)", "answer": "2" }, { "level": 33, "description": "neg is a unary built-in that negates its argument. What does (neg 5) reduce to?", "expr": "(neg 5)", "answer": "-5" }, { "level": 34, "description": "Built-ins compose freely. * and + can be nested just like lambda applications. What does (* 2 (+ 3 4)) reduce to?", "expr": "(* 2 (+ 3 4))", "answer": "14" }, { "level": 35, "description": "Pythagorean-style expression: (+ (* 3 3) (* 4 4)) computes 9 + 16. What is the result?", "expr": "(+ (* 3 3) (* 4 4))", "answer": "25" }, { "level": 36, "description": "= is a built-in equality test. It returns the Church boolean True (lam (f t) t) when both arguments are equal and False (lam (f t) f) otherwise. What does (= 42 42) reduce to?", "expr": "(= 42 42)", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 37, "description": "What does (= 42 0) reduce to? The two integers are not equal, so = returns the Church boolean False.", "expr": "(= 42 0)", "answer": "(lam (f t) f)" }, { "level": 38, "description": "< is a built-in less-than test. It returns the Church boolean True when the first argument is strictly less than the second, False otherwise. What does (< 3 5) reduce to?", "expr": "(< 3 5)", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 39, "description": "What does (< 5 3) reduce to? 5 is not less than 3, so < returns the Church boolean False.", "expr": "(< 5 3)", "answer": "(lam (f t) f)" }, { "level": 40, "description": "Built-ins support partial application just like lambdas. Applying + to only one argument produces a function waiting for its second argument. What does (+ 1) reduce to?", "expr": "(+ 1)", "answer": "(+ 1)" }, { "level": 41, "description": "A partially applied built-in is a first-class value that can be passed to and invoked by a lambda. What does ((lam (f) (f 10)) (+ 5)) reduce to?", "expr": "((lam (f) (f 10)) (+ 5))", "answer": "15" }, { "level": 42, "description": "When a built-in operator receives a free variable as one of its arguments it cannot reduce and stays as a stuck neutral term. What does (+ x 1) reduce to?", "expr": "(+ x 1)", "answer": "(+ x 1)" }, { "level": 43, "description": "Division by zero cannot be reduced \u2014 it stays as a stuck neutral application. What does (div 7 0) reduce to?", "expr": "(div 7 0)", "answer": "(div 7 0)" }, { "level": 44, "description": "Use def to bind a lambda that uses * to square its argument, then apply it. What does (square 9) produce in this program?", "expr": "(def square (lam (x) (* x x)))\n(square 9)", "answer": "81" }, { "level": 45, "description": "Use let to bind two integers and compute the sum of their squares. What does (let ((x 3) (y 4)) (+ (* x x) (* y y))) reduce to?", "expr": "(let ((x 3) (y 4)) (+ (* x x) (* y y)))", "answer": "25" }, { "level": 46, "description": "Built-in operators are first-class values: they can be passed as arguments to lambdas. Here a lambda takes an operator f and two arguments x y and applies (f x y). What does ((lam (f x y) (f x y)) + 10 20) reduce to?", "expr": "((lam (f x y) (f x y)) + 10 20)", "answer": "30" }, { "level": 47, "description": "Introduce And. And a b = a False b: if a is True it selects its second argument (b); if a is False it selects its first argument (False). Evaluate (And True True).", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def Or (lam (a b) (a b True)))\n(def And (lam (a b) (a False b)))\n(And True True)", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 48, "description": "Combine Or, And and Not. Evaluate (And (Or False True) (Not False)). Both sub-expressions must reduce to True for And to return True.", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def Not (lam (b) (b True False)))\n(def Or (lam (a b) (a b True)))\n(def And (lam (a b) (a False b)))\n(And (Or False True) (Not False))", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 49, "description": "Xor (exclusive or) is True when exactly one argument is True. It can be defined as And (Or a b) (Not (And a b)). Evaluate (Xor True False).", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def Not (lam (b) (b True False)))\n(def And (lam (a b) (a False b)))\n(def Or (lam (a b) (a b True)))\n(def Xor (lam (a b) (And (Or a b) (Not (And a b)))))\n(Xor True False)", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 50, "description": "Evaluate (Xor False False). Two identical inputs to Xor should always yield False.", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def Not (lam (b) (b True False)))\n(def And (lam (a b) (a False b)))\n(def Or (lam (a b) (a b True)))\n(def Xor (lam (a b) (And (Or a b) (Not (And a b)))))\n(Xor False False)", "answer": "(lam (f t) f)" }, { "level": 51, "description": "Church-encoded if-then-else. Because our True selects its second argument and False selects its first, ite must swap the branches: ite c t e = c e t. Evaluate (ite True a b) \u2014 which branch is returned?", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def Not (lam (b) (b True False)))\n(def And (lam (a b) (a False b)))\n(def Or (lam (a b) (a b True)))\n(def ite (lam (c t e) (c e t)))\n(ite True a b)", "answer": "a" }, { "level": 52, "description": "Evaluate (ite False a b). When the condition is False, the else-branch should be returned.", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def Not (lam (b) (b True False)))\n(def And (lam (a b) (a False b)))\n(def Or (lam (a b) (a b True)))\n(def ite (lam (c t e) (c e t)))\n(ite False a b)", "answer": "b" }, { "level": 53, "description": "Church-encoded pairs. pair x y = lam f -> f x y stores two values by passing them to a selector function. fst p = p (lam x y -> x) retrieves the first. Evaluate (fst (pair a b)).", "expr": "(def pair (lam (x y f) (f x y)))\n(def fst (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) x))))\n(def snd (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) y))))\n(fst (pair a b))", "answer": "a" }, { "level": 54, "description": "snd p = p (lam x y -> y) retrieves the second element of a Church pair. Evaluate (snd (pair a b)).", "expr": "(def pair (lam (x y f) (f x y)))\n(def fst (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) x))))\n(def snd (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) y))))\n(snd (pair a b))", "answer": "b" }, { "level": 55, "description": "Pairs can be nested. (pair a (pair b c)) is a pair whose second element is itself a pair. Evaluate (snd (snd (pair a (pair b c)))).", "expr": "(def pair (lam (x y f) (f x y)))\n(def fst (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) x))))\n(def snd (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) y))))\n(snd (snd (pair a (pair b c))))", "answer": "c" }, { "level": 56, "description": "swap exchanges the two elements of a pair: swap p = pair (snd p) (fst p). Evaluate (fst (swap (pair a b))). After swapping, fst should return what was previously snd.", "expr": "(def pair (lam (x y f) (f x y)))\n(def fst (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) x))))\n(def snd (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) y))))\n(def swap (lam (p) (pair (snd p) (fst p))))\n(fst (swap (pair a b)))", "answer": "b" }, { "level": 57, "description": "Church numerals encode natural numbers as higher-order functions: n applies its first argument (the successor step) to its second argument (the base) exactly n times. zero = lam s z -> z applies s zero times. Evaluate (zero f x).", "expr": "(def zero (lam (s z) z))\n(zero f x)", "answer": "x" }, { "level": 58, "description": "two = lam s z -> s (s z) applies s twice. Evaluate (two f x) \u2014 you should see f applied to x twice.", "expr": "(def two (lam (s z) (s (s z))))\n(two f x)", "answer": "(f (f x))" }, { "level": 59, "description": "three = lam s z -> s (s (s z)) applies s three times. Evaluate (three f x).", "expr": "(def three (lam (s z) (s (s (s z)))))\n(three f x)", "answer": "(f (f (f x)))" }, { "level": 60, "description": "isZero tests whether a Church numeral is zero. isZero n = n (lam x -> False) True: if n > 0 the step function (lam x -> False) is applied at least once, discarding its argument and returning False; if n = 0 the base True is returned. Evaluate (isZero zero).", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def zero (lam (s z) z))\n(def isZero (lam (n) (n (lam (x) False) True)))\n(isZero zero)", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 61, "description": "Evaluate (isZero three). Three is not zero, so the step function fires and the result is False.", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def three (lam (s z) (s (s (s z)))))\n(def isZero (lam (n) (n (lam (x) False) True)))\n(isZero three)", "answer": "(lam (f t) f)" }, { "level": 62, "description": "The I combinator (identity): I x = x. It is the simplest combinator and the building block of the SKI calculus. Evaluate (I a).", "expr": "(def I (lam (x) x))\n(I a)", "answer": "a" }, { "level": 63, "description": "The K combinator (constant): K x y = x. It ignores its second argument and always returns its first. Evaluate (K a b).", "expr": "(def K (lam (x y) x))\n(K a b)", "answer": "a" }, { "level": 64, "description": "The S combinator (substitution): S f g x = f x (g x). It distributes its third argument over two functions and applies the results. Evaluate (S f g x) \u2014 f and g are free variables here.", "expr": "(def S (lam (f g x) ((f x) (g x))))\n(S f g x)", "answer": "(f x (g x))" }, { "level": 65, "description": "SKI completeness: S K K encodes the identity function. S K K x = K x (K x) = x. Evaluate (S K K a) and confirm it equals a.", "expr": "(def S (lam (f g x) ((f x) (g x))))\n(def K (lam (x y) x))\n(S K K a)", "answer": "a" }, { "level": 66, "description": "The B combinator (composition): B f g x = f (g x). It is function composition. Evaluate (B f g x) \u2014 you should see f applied to the result of g applied to x.", "expr": "(def B (lam (f g x) (f (g x))))\n(B f g x)", "answer": "(f (g x))" }, { "level": 67, "description": "The C combinator (flip): C f x y = f y x. It flips the order of the last two arguments of a function. Evaluate (C f a b).", "expr": "(def C (lam (f x y) (f y x)))\n(C f a b)", "answer": "(f b a)" }, { "level": 68, "description": "The W combinator (duplication): W f x = f x x. It applies f to x twice, duplicating the argument. Evaluate (W f a).", "expr": "(def W (lam (f x) (f x x)))\n(W f a)", "answer": "(f a a)" }, { "level": 69, "description": "Scott-encoded lists. nil = lam c n -> n (the empty list). cons h t = lam c n -> c h t stores head and tail directly. head l = l (lam h t -> h) nil extracts the first element. Evaluate (head (cons a nil)).", "expr": "(def nil (lam (c n) n))\n(def cons (lam (h t c n) (c h t)))\n(def head (lam (l) (l (lam (h t) h) nil)))\n(head (cons a nil))", "answer": "a" }, { "level": 70, "description": "tail l = l (lam h t -> t) nil retrieves the rest of a Scott-encoded list. Evaluate (head (tail (cons a (cons b nil)))) \u2014 the head of the tail of a two-element list is its second element.", "expr": "(def nil (lam (c n) n))\n(def cons (lam (h t c n) (c h t)))\n(def head (lam (l) (l (lam (h t) h) nil)))\n(def tail (lam (l) (l (lam (h t) t) nil)))\n(head (tail (cons a (cons b nil))))", "answer": "b" }, { "level": 71, "description": "isNil tests whether a Scott-encoded list is empty. isNil l = l (lam h t -> False) True: a non-empty list immediately calls its cons branch returning False; nil returns its base True. Evaluate (isNil nil).", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def nil (lam (c n) n))\n(def cons (lam (h t c n) (c h t)))\n(def isNil (lam (l) (l (lam (h t) False) True)))\n(isNil nil)", "answer": "(lam (f t) t)" }, { "level": 72, "description": "Evaluate (isNil (cons a nil)). A non-empty list is not nil, so the result should be False.", "expr": "(def False (lam (f t) f))\n(def True (lam (f t) t))\n(def nil (lam (c n) n))\n(def cons (lam (h t c n) (c h t)))\n(def isNil (lam (l) (l (lam (h t) False) True)))\n(isNil (cons a nil))", "answer": "(lam (f t) f)" }, { "level": 73, "description": "Church-encoded sum types (Either). Left x = lam l r -> l x tags a value as Left; Right x = lam l r -> r x tags it as Right. either f g e = e f g eliminates the sum by applying the matching handler. Evaluate (either f g (Left a)).", "expr": "(def Left (lam (x l r) (l x)))\n(def Right (lam (x l r) (r x)))\n(def either (lam (f g e) (e f g)))\n(either f g (Left a))", "answer": "(f a)" }, { "level": 74, "description": "Evaluate (either f g (Right a)). The Right handler g should be applied to a.", "expr": "(def Left (lam (x l r) (l x)))\n(def Right (lam (x l r) (r x)))\n(def either (lam (f g e) (e f g)))\n(either f g (Right a))", "answer": "(g a)" }, { "level": 75, "description": "Church-encoded option (Maybe). None = lam n s -> n is the absent case. Some x = lam n s -> s x wraps a value. fromOption default opt = opt default (lam x -> x) returns the wrapped value or the default. Evaluate (fromOption a None).", "expr": "(def None (lam (n s) n))\n(def Some (lam (x n s) (s x)))\n(def fromOption (lam (default opt) (opt default (lam (x) x))))\n(fromOption a None)", "answer": "a" }, { "level": 76, "description": "Evaluate (fromOption a (Some b)). The option contains b, so the default a is ignored and b is returned.", "expr": "(def None (lam (n s) n))\n(def Some (lam (x n s) (s x)))\n(def fromOption (lam (default opt) (opt default (lam (x) x))))\n(fromOption a (Some b))", "answer": "b" }, { "level": 77, "description": "mapOption applies a function inside an Option without unwrapping it. mapOption f opt = opt None (lam x -> Some (f x)): None maps to None; Some x maps to Some (f x). Evaluate (mapOption f (Some a)) and give its fully reduced form.", "expr": "(def None (lam (n s) n))\n(def Some (lam (x n s) (s x)))\n(def mapOption (lam (f opt) (opt None (lam (x) (Some (f x))))))\n(mapOption f (Some a))", "answer": "(lam (n s) (s (f a)))" }, { "level": 78, "description": "The Kleene predecessor uses a pair-stepping trick to compute pred n = n - 1 (with pred zero = zero). Starting from (pair zero zero), each step shifts: (pair (snd p)) (succ (snd p)). After n steps fst of the pair is n-1. Evaluate (pred zero) \u2014 it should return zero.", "expr": "(def zero (lam (s z) z))\n(def one (lam (s z) (s z)))\n(def pair (lam (x y f) (f x y)))\n(def fst (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) x))))\n(def snd (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) y))))\n(def succ (lam (n s z) (s ((n s) z))))\n(def pred (lam (n) (fst (n (lam (p) (pair (snd p) (succ (snd p)))) (pair zero zero)))))\n(pred zero)", "answer": "(lam (s z) z)" }, { "level": 79, "description": "Evaluate (pred one) using the same Kleene predecessor. After one pair-step starting from (pair zero zero) the fst is still zero. Confirm that the predecessor of one is zero.", "expr": "(def zero (lam (s z) z))\n(def one (lam (s z) (s z)))\n(def pair (lam (x y f) (f x y)))\n(def fst (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) x))))\n(def snd (lam (p) (p (lam (x y) y))))\n(def succ (lam (n s z) (s ((n s) z))))\n(def pred (lam (n) (fst (n (lam (p) (pair (snd p) (succ (snd p)))) (pair zero zero)))))\n(pred one)", "answer": "(lam (s z) z)" } ]