Associative

Associative -- an option name for method which allows associative methods to be created.

f = method(Associative=>true) -- creates an associative method which will call upon the appropriate binary methods for its arguments two at a time.

In the following example we install a method which isn't associative to illustrate the order of evaluation.

i1 : f = method(Associative => true)



o1 = f



o1 : Function

i2 : f(String,String) := (i,j) -> "(" | i | ")," | j;

i3 : f("a","b","c","d")



o3 = (((a),b),c),d



o3 : String