Final answer:
Pattern matching detects programmer errors by identifying syntax errors, data validation errors, and mismatched patterns.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pattern matching is a technique used in programming languages to detect errors by comparing a given pattern to the data being analyzed. Here are three ways pattern matching detects programmer errors:
- Syntax errors: Pattern matching can detect syntax errors by examining the structure and syntax of the code. For example, if a conditional statement is missing its closing parenthesis, pattern matching can identify the error.
- Data validation errors: By comparing the pattern to the input data, pattern matching can detect errors such as invalid data types, incorrect formatting, or out-of-range values.
- Mismatched patterns: Pattern matching can detect errors when a given pattern does not match the expected structure or content. For instance, if a function expects a specific number of arguments but receives a different number, pattern matching can identify the mismatch.