and some rules:
leaf(X) :- \+ edge(X,_).
child(X,Y) :- edge(Y,X).

I'm trying to recursively define the height of a node as:
zero if the node is a leaf (has no children, no edge(X,_). )
1 + the max of the heights of all of its children otherwise.

I can get the base case easily:
height(H,X) :- leaf(X), H=0.

But when I try to do the recursive part... how do I handle the multiple
children?  I don't know in advance how many there are.

height(H,X) :- child(Z,X),             /* get all the children of X */
                      maxheight(H1,Z),   /* set H1 to the max height of all
children */
                      H = 1 + H1.

Should that be [Z] to make it be a list?  Or is it automatically a list?  I
notice if I put child(Z,amy0), write(Z). in a program, I only get the first
one.  At the prompt, of course, I can use ; to get the rest of them.

maxheight(H1,[]) :- H1=0.

maxheight(H1,[H|T]) :-
   maxheight(H2,H),
   maxheight(H3,T),
   H1 = max(H2,H3).

Am I even close?  I'm getting so confused.  I'm going to go try to figure
out what information trace. is giving me.

--
Wendy in Chandler, AZ

--

The University of Melbourne         |  of excellence is a lethal habit"
WWW: <http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~fjh>  |     -- the last words of T. S. Garp.