Instruction: Explain how you would use higher-order functions in R to abstract a pattern of computation. Provide an example using a scenario where repetitive tasks need to be abstracted.
Context: This question tests the candidate's understanding of functional programming principles in R, including the use of higher-order functions like lapply, sapply, or custom function generators. The response should show how these concepts can be used to write clean, efficient, and reusable code.
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To clarify, when we talk about higher-order functions in R, we're referring to functions that either take other functions as arguments or return them as results. This capability is a cornerstone of functional programming, allowing us to abstract patterns of computation into more general, reusable components.
Let's consider a scenario common in data science – data cleaning and preparation. Imagine we have multiple datasets from different sources, and we need to apply a series of data cleaning operations to each dataset. These operations might include removing NA values, filtering out outliers, and standardizing column names....