Functions & Natural Language

All function call styles: traditional, natural language, nested, and mixed.

From testdata/eval/success/features/functions.cm, testdata/eval/success/features/natural_language.cm, and testdata/eval/success/features/growth_functions.cm.

Traditional Function Syntax #

avg(10, 20, 30)
avg(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
sqrt(16)
sqrt(2)

Results

avg(10, 20, 30)	→	20
avg(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)	→	3
sqrt(16)	→	4
sqrt(2)	→	1.414214

Natural Language Function Syntax #

average of 10, 20, 30
average of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
square root of 16
square root of 2

Results

average of 10, 20, 30	→	20
average of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5	→	3
square root of 16	→	4
square root of 2	→	1.414214

read…from / compress…using / transfer…across #

read 100 MB from ssd
read 1 GB from nvme
read 500 MB from hdd
read 10 GB from pcie_ssd

compress 1 GB using gzip
compress 500 MB using lz4
compress 2 GB using zstd
compress 100 MB using snappy

transfer 1 GB across regional gigabit
transfer 500 MB across global wifi
transfer 100 MB across local ten_gig
transfer 10 GB across continental hundred_gig

Results

read 100 MB from ssd	→	0.1818 second
read 1 GB from nvme	→	0.2926 second
read 500 MB from hdd	→	3.33 second
read 10 GB from pcie_ssd	→	1.46 second
compress 1 GB using gzip	→	341 MB
compress 500 MB using lz4	→	250 MB
compress 2 GB using zstd	→	585 MB
compress 100 MB using snappy	→	40 MB
transfer 1 GB across regional gigabit	→	8.2 second
transfer 500 MB across global wifi	→	40.2 second
transfer 100 MB across local ten_gig	→	0.0805 second
transfer 10 GB across continental hundred_gig	→	0.8692 second

NL Functions with Variable References #

NL functions accept variables in place of literal quantities:

data = 1 GB
compress data using gzip
read data from ssd
transfer data across regional gigabit

Results

data = 1 GB	→	1 GB
compress data using gzip	→	341 MB
read data from ssd	→	1.86 second
transfer data across regional gigabit	→	8.2 second

Growth Functions: compound…by…over / grow…by…over / depreciate…by…over #

# Compound growth - functional
compound($1000, 5%, 10)
compound(500 customers, 20%, 12)
compound($1000, 5%, 10 years, monthly)
compound($1000, 5%, 10 years, quarterly)

# Compound growth - natural language
compound $1000 by 5% over 10 years
compound $1000 by 5% monthly over 10 years
compound $1000 by 5% per month over 12 months

# Linear growth - functional
grow($500, $100, 36)
grow(100, 20, 5)

# Linear growth - natural language
grow 100 by 20 over 5 months

# Depreciation - functional
depreciate($50000, 15%, 5)
depreciate($50000, 15%, 20, $5000)

# Depreciation - natural language
depreciate $50000 by 15% over 5 years
depreciate $50000 by 15% over 5 years to $5000

Results

compound($1000, 5%, 10)	→	$1,628.89
compound(500 customers, 20%, 12)	→	4.46K customers
compound($1000, 5%, 10 years, monthly)	→	$1,647.01
compound($1000, 5%, 10 years, quarterly)	→	$1,643.62
compound $1000 by 5% over 10 years	→	$1,628.89
compound $1000 by 5% monthly over 10 years	→	$1,647.01
compound $1000 by 5% per month over 12 months	→	$1,795.86
grow($500, $100, 36)	→	$4,100.00
grow(100, 20, 5)	→	200
grow 100 by 20 over 5 months	→	200
depreciate($50000, 15%, 5)	→	$22.19K
depreciate($50000, 15%, 20, $5000)	→	$5,000.00
depreciate $50000 by 15% over 5 years	→	$22.19K
depreciate $50000 by 15% over 5 years to $5000	→	$22.19K

Functions with Expressions #

x = 10
y = 20
z = 30
a = 5
b = 4

avg(x, y, z)
avg(10 + 5, 20 * 2, 30 - 10)
sqrt(x + y)
square root of (a + b)

Results

x = 10	→	10
y = 20	→	20
z = 30	→	30
a = 5	→	5
b = 4	→	4
avg(x, y, z)	→	20
avg(10 + 5, 20 * 2, 30 - 10)	→	25
sqrt(x + y)	→	5.477226
square root of (a + b)	→	3

Nested Functions #

avg(sqrt(16), sqrt(25))
sqrt(avg(1, 2, 3))
average of square root of 4, square root of 9

Results

avg(sqrt(16), sqrt(25))	→	4.5
sqrt(avg(1, 2, 3))	→	1.414214
average of square root of 4, square root of 9	→	2.5

Functions in Assignments #

mean = avg(10, 20, 30)
root = sqrt(16)
calculated = average of 100, 200, 300
side = square root of 25

Results

mean = avg(10, 20, 30)	→	20
root = sqrt(16)	→	4
calculated = average of 100, 200, 300	→	200
side = square root of 25	→	5

Mixed Syntax in Same Document #

Traditional syntax:
total1 = avg(1, 2, 3)

Natural language syntax:
total2 = average of 1, 2, 3

Both should produce same result:
same = total1 == total2

Results

total1 = avg(1, 2, 3)	→	2
total2 = average of 1, 2, 3	→	2
same = total1 == total2	→	true

What This Demonstrates #

Traditional fn(args) and natural language name of args syntax
Multi-argument read...from, compress...using, transfer...across patterns (with literals or variables)
Growth functions: compound...by...over, grow...by...over, depreciate...by...over
Expressions and variables as function arguments
Nested function calls
Assignment from function results
Both syntaxes produce identical results