I have a list of type (int * float) list.
So, as far as I understand it (I'm new to OCaml/Functional Programming)
the list is structured like this: [(3, 1.0); (4, 2.0); (6, 0.1)].
Now I want to access the first element in each tuple in the list.
I'd be happy with an example solution and an explanation.
The suggestion from @glennsl in the comments about learning resources is spot on.
If you want an example of getting a list comprised of the first element in each tuple:
List.map (fun (i, _) -> i) [(3, 1.0); (4, 2.0); (6, 0.1)]
List.map applies a function to each element in a list and builds a list of the resulting values. It's a simple concept and easy enough to implement in a few lines.
let rec my_map f lst =
match lst with
| [] -> []
| first::rest -> f first :: my_map f rest
Or more tersely using function:
let rec my_map f =
function
| [] -> []
| first::rest -> f first :: my_map f rest
If we evaluated my_map (fun (i, _) -> i) [(3, 1.0); (4, 2.0); (6, 0.1)] it would work out something like:
my_map (fun (i, _) -> i) [(3, 1.0); (4, 2.0); (6, 0.1)]
3 :: my_map (fun (i, _) -> i) [(4, 2.0); (6, 0.1)]
3 :: 4 :: my_map (fun (i, _) -> i) [(6, 0.1)]
3 :: 4 :: 6 :: my_map (fun (i, _) -> i) []
3 :: 4 :: 6 :: []
[3; 4; 6]
The anonymous function fun (i, _) -> i is one which takes a tuple of two items and returns the first. The second is unimportant to us, so we use _ rather than giving it a name.
Note that this function is already defined in the standard library.
# Stdlib.fst;;
- : 'a * 'b -> 'a = <fun>