Just for variety, this can also be done with a DCG, which is easy to read for a problem like this:
split([], []) --> [].
split([X|T], N) --> [X], { X >= 0 }, split(T, N).
split(P, [X|T]) --> [X], { X < 0 }, split(P, T).
split(L, A, B) :-
phrase(split(A, B), L).
As in:
| ?- split([1,2,-4,3,-5], A, B).
A = [1,2,3]
B = [-4,-5] ? ;
no
It also provides all the possible solutions in reverse:
| ?- split(L, [1,2,3], [-4,-5]).
L = [1,2,3,-4,-5] ? ;
L = [1,2,-4,3,-5] ? ;
L = [1,2,-4,-5,3] ? ;
L = [1,-4,2,3,-5] ? ;
L = [1,-4,2,-5,3] ? ;
L = [1,-4,-5,2,3] ? ;
L = [-4,1,2,3,-5] ? ;
L = [-4,1,2,-5,3] ? ;
L = [-4,1,-5,2,3] ? ;
L = [-4,-5,1,2,3] ? ;
(2 ms) no
Gaurav's solution will also do this if the cut is removed and an explicit X < 0
check placed in the third clause of the split/3
predicate.