Beta reduction

[lambda-calculus] The application of a lambda abstraction to an argument expression.

A copy of the body of the lambda abstraction is made and occurrences of the bound variable being replaced by the argument.

E.g.

(\ x . x+1) 4

-->

4+1

Beta reduction is the only kind of reduction in the pure lambda-calculus.

The opposite of beta reduction is beta abstraction.

These are the two kinds of beta conversion.

See also name capture.

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