/**
 * This file contains the definition of the GeneralizedReduceApp interface.
 * Any parallel reduction implementation (such as SumReduction) must implement
 * this interface.
 *
 * Interface uses a generic to define the type of object
 * that will be reduced and combined
 *
 * Do not alter this file for your homework submission.
 *
 * @author Vivek Sarkar (vsarkar@rice.edu)
 */
public interface GeneralizedReduceApp<T> {

    /**
     * return identity element for clients reduction operation
     * @return The identity element
     */
    T init();

    /**
     * perform associative operation on left and right operands, in accordance with the
     * clients reduction operation, and return the result
     * @param left - One of the elements to be combined
     * @param right - The other element to be combined
     * @return - The combination of the two elements
     */
    T combine(T left, T right);
}