ACL2 was used to prove properties of two simplification procedures. The
procedures differ in complexity but solve the same programming problem that
arises in the context of a resolution/paramodulation theorem proving system.
Term rewriting is at the core of the two procedures, but details of the
rewriting procedure itself are irrelevant. The ACL2 encapsulate construct was
used to assert the existence of the rewriting function and to state some of its
properties. Termination, irreducibility, and soundness properties were
established for each procedure. The availability of the encapsulation mechanism
in ACL2 is considered essential to rapid and efficient verification of this
kind of algorithm.Comment: 6 page
