count = (p) ->
  if (iscons(p))
    n = 0
    while (iscons(p))
      n += count(car(p)) + 1
      p = cdr(p)
  else
    n = 1
  return n

# this probably works out to be
# more general than just counting symbols, it can
# probably count instances of anything you pass as
# first argument but didn't try it.
countOccurrencesOfSymbol = (needle,p) ->
  n = 0
  if (iscons(p))
    while (iscons(p))
      n += countOccurrencesOfSymbol(needle,car(p))
      p = cdr(p)
  else
    if equal(needle,p)
      n = 1
  return n


# returns the total number of elements
# in an expression
countsize = (p) ->
  n = 0

  if (istensor(p))
    for i in [0...p.tensor.nelem]
      n += p.tensor.elem[i]
  else if (iscons(p))
    while (iscons(p))
      n += count(car(p)) + 1
      p = cdr(p)
  else
    n = 1

  return n