catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  formal methods
       
           Mathematically based techniques
          for the specification, development and verification of
          software and hardware systems.
       
          Referentially transparent languages are amenable to symbolic
          manipulation allowing program transformation (e.g. changing
          a clear inefficient specification into an obscure but
          efficient program) and proof of correctness.
       
          Oxford FM archive
          http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/archive/formal-methods.html)" rel="nofollow">(http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/archive/formal-methods.html).
       
          (1996-05-15)