Paul Schlie wrote:
> - Should there be an observable difference between assoc failing to find
>   a match given operands with well defined values, vs. given operands having
>   un-specified values?

Values are values. When we say "this expression returns an unspecified
value" we mean "this expression returns a value, but precisely which
value is unspecified". There is nothing special about unspecified
values. So, no, assoc should not (indeed, cannot) do anything special
with unspecified values because assoc sees them as plain values.

> - Should a comparison operation (= 0 X) return #t #f or something else
>   if the value of X is an unspecified NaN value? [as such a value may or may
>   not be 0]?

Section 5.7 of IEEE 754 says #f.

> - what should (list-ref x y) return if y had an un-specified value?

NaNs are inexact, so this should signal an error as y must be exact.

> - or more generally, what value should (car #t) or (if #f #f) return?

The former should signal an error and the value of the latter is
unspecified.

Regards,

Alan
--
Dr Alan Watson
Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica
Universidad Astronómico Nacional de México