Any SML coders able to translate this to Python?

[Antoon Pardon]

On 06-09-18 10:50, Chris Angelico wrote:
> On Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 6:44 PM, Marko Rauhamaa <marko at pacujo.net> wrote:
>> Chris Angelico <rosuav at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> On Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 2:29 PM, Marko Rauhamaa <marko at pacujo.net> wrote:
>>>> Marko Rauhamaa <marko at pacujo.net> (Marko Rauhamaa):
>>>>> Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python at pearwood.info>:
>>>>>> I have this snippet of SML code which I'm trying to translate to Python:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> fun isqrt n = if n=0 then 0
>>>>>>              else let val r = isqrt (n/4)
>>>>>>                   in
>>>>>>                     if n < (2*r+1)^2 then 2*r
>>>>>>                     else 2*r+1
>>>>>>                   end
>>>>> [...]
>>>>> You must make sure "r" doesn't leak outside its syntactic context so:
>>>>>
>>>>> def isqrt(n):
>>>>>     if n == 0:
>>>>>         return 0
>>>>>     else:
>>>>>         def f2398478957():
>>>>>             r = isqrt(n//4)
>>>>>             if n < (2*r+1)**2:
>>>>>                 return 2*r
>>>>>             else:
>>>>>                 return 2*r+1
>>>>>         return f2398478957()
>>>> Actually, this is a more direct translation:
>>>>
>>>>    def isqrt(n):
>>>>        if n == 0:
>>>>            return 0
>>>>        else:
>>>>            def f2398478957(r):
>>>>                if n < (2*r+1)**2:
>>>>                    return 2*r
>>>>                else:
>>>>                    return 2*r+1
>>>>            return f2398478957(isqrt(n//4))
>>>>
>>> I don't understand why you created that nested function instead of
>>> something simple like renaming the variable. Is there a difference
>>> here?
>> Yes, in understanding the semantics of "let."
>>
>> "let" is used to introduce local bindings in some functional programming
>> languages. I must admit I'm not fully versed in ML but it looks like the
>> analogue in Lisp variants. This is how the above function would be
>> written in Scheme:
>>
>>    (define (isqrt n)
>>       (if (= n 0)
>>           0
>>           (let ((r (isqrt (quotient n 4))))
>>             (if (< n (expt (1+ (* 2 r)) 2))
>>                 (* 2 r)
>>                 (1+ (* 2 r))))))
>>
>> Now, Lisp's "let" can be implemented/defined using "lambda":
>>
>>    (let ((X A) (Y B) ...) . BODY)
>>
>>    =>
>>
>>    ((lambda (X Y ...) . BODY) A B ...)
>>
>> which gives us:
>>
>>    (define (isqrt n)
>>       (if (= n 0)
>>           0
>>           ((lambda (r)
>>             (if (< n (expt (1+ (* 2 r)) 2))
>>                 (* 2 r)
>>                 (1+ (* 2 r))))
>>            (isqrt (quotient n 4)))))
>>
>> Python does have a limited form of "lambda" and even a conditional
>> expression so--as others have mentioned--this particular function could
>> be translated pretty directly into Python using its lambda.
>>
>> More generally and idiomatically, though, Python's functions are named.
>> So that explains the version I give above.
> And even more idiomatically, Python doesn't require a new scope just
> for a new variable.

You may have overlooked where Marko wrote:
    Actually, this is a more *direct* translation

-- 
Antoon.