The Multiple Assignment Statement

The conventional axiomatic definitions are given for multiple assignment to simple variables and for assignment to a single subscripted variable, along with examples to illustrate their use. The original contributions of this paper are the extension of the definition to include multiple assignment to several subscripted variables, and the development of a nontrivial, practical algorithm in which multiple assignment to several subscripted variables is indeed useful. Arguments are given to support the conjecture that the use of subscripted variables, like the use of pointers, can lead to exponential explosion of the length of a proof (and thus of the time needed to understand a program) unless the programmer is careful.