(*
   FIRST_ARG (F,X)
   -- F is a binary function (its argument is a pair)
      X is suitable as the first component of F's argument
      FIRST_ARG (F,X) returns a unary function G such that (G Y) = F (X,Y)
          e.g.  Given: fun F (X:int,Y) = X + Y;
                       FIRST_ARG (F,1)  would be the "increment" function
*)

fun FIRST_ARG (F,X) = fn Y => F (X,Y);

local
     fun F (X:int,Y) = X + Y
in
val increment = FIRST_ARG (F,1)
end;