Proof by Induction Using Test Sets

A new method for proving an equational formula by induction is presented. This method is based on the use of the Knuth-Bendix completion procedure for equational theories, and it does not suffer from limitations imposed by the inductionless induction methods proposed by Musser and Huet and Hullot. The method has been implemented in RRL, a Rewrite Rule Laboratory. Based on extensive experiments, the method appears to be more practical and efficient than a recently proposed method by Jouannaud and Kounalis. Using ideas developed for this method, it is also possible to check for sufficient completeness of equational axiomatizations.

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