This paper describes the “formal computational model” and shows how it can be applied to some representation problems. The author derives his model by starting with semantic networks, showing how they relate to lambda calculus, and then showing how lambda calculus leads to his formal computational model. These are all used in the context of knowledge representation schemes based on LISP-like programming languages. Formal conversion techniques between the representation notations are given. Because of the formal notation, the author is able to describe primitives of the model and to prove propositions about properties of the model. This paper reads well, although it consists of a lot of formal notation which is only comprehensible to readers with a mathematical background. It is useful for researchers who would like to see a formal notation applied to the knowledge representation domain.