Prof.

Busch - LSU 1
Deterministic
Finite Automata

And Regular Languages
Prof. Busch - LSU 2
Deterministic Finite Automaton (DFA)

Input Tape
Accept
or
Reject
String
Finite
Automaton
Output
Prof. Busch - LSU 3
Transition Graph

initial
state
accepting
state
state
transition
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
Prof. Busch - LSU 4

0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
} , { b a = E
For every state, there is a transition
for every symbol in the alphabet
Alphabet
Prof. Busch - LSU 5
Initial Configuration

1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
Input String
a
b b
a
b a,
0
q
Initial state
Input Tape
head
Prof. Busch - LSU 6
Scanning the Input

0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
a
b b
a
b a,
Prof. Busch - LSU 7

0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
a
b b
a
b a,
Prof. Busch - LSU 8

0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
a
b b
a
b a,
Prof. Busch - LSU 9
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
accept
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
a
b b
a
b a,
Input finished
Last state determines the outcome
Prof. Busch - LSU 10

1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
a
b
a
b a,
0
q
A Rejection Case
Input String
Prof. Busch - LSU 11

0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
a
b
a
b a,
Prof. Busch - LSU 12

0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
a
b
a
b a,
Prof. Busch - LSU 13
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
reject
a
b
a
b a,
Input finished
Last state determines the outcome
Prof. Busch - LSU 14

1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
) (
Another Rejection Case
Tape is empty
reject
Input Finished (no symbol read)
Prof. Busch - LSU 15
Language Accepted: { } abba L =
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
This automaton accepts only one string
Prof. Busch - LSU 16
To accept a string:
all the input string is scanned
and the last state is accepting
To reject a string:
all the input string is scanned
and the last state is non-accepting
Prof. Busch - LSU 17
Another Example
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
{ } abba ab L , , =
Accept
state
Accept
state
Accept
state

Prof. Busch - LSU 18
) (
Empty Tape
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
accept
Input Finished
Prof. Busch - LSU 19
Another Example
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
Accept
state
trap state
Prof. Busch - LSU 20
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b
a
Input String
Prof. Busch - LSU 21
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b
a
Prof. Busch - LSU 22
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b
a
Prof. Busch - LSU 23
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b
a
accept
Input finished
Prof. Busch - LSU 24
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b b
A rejection case
Input String
Prof. Busch - LSU 25
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b b
Prof. Busch - LSU 26
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b b
Prof. Busch - LSU 27
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
a
b b
reject
Input finished
Prof. Busch - LSU 28
Language Accepted:
} 0 : { > = n b a L
n
a
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
Prof. Busch - LSU 29
Another Example
0
q
1
q
1
1
} 1 { = E
Alphabet:
Language Accepted:
even} is and : {
*
x x x EVEN E e =
} , 111111 , 1111 , 11 , { =
Prof. Busch - LSU 30
Formal Definition
Deterministic Finite Automaton (DFA)
( ) F q Q M , , , ,
0
o E =
Q
E
o
0
q
F
: set of states
: input alphabet
: transition function
: initial state
: set of accepting states
E e
Prof. Busch - LSU 31
Set of States

Q
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
{ }
5 4 3 2 1 0
, , , , , q q q q q q Q=
b a,
Example
Prof. Busch - LSU 32
Input Alphabet

E
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
{ } b a, = E
b a,
:the input alphabet never contains
E e
Example
Prof. Busch - LSU 33
Initial State

0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
Example
Prof. Busch - LSU 34
Set of Accepting States

Q F _
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
{ }
4
q F =
b a,
4
q
Example
Prof. Busch - LSU 35
Transition Function

Q Q E : o
q
q
'
x
q x q
'
= ) , ( o
Describes the result of a transition
from state with symbol
q x
Prof. Busch - LSU 36

2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
( )
1 0
, q a q = o
Example:
Prof. Busch - LSU 37

( )
5 0
, q b q = o
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
Prof. Busch - LSU 38
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
( )
3 2
, q b q = o
Prof. Busch - LSU 39

o
a
b
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
5
q
1
q
5
q
5
q
2
q
5
q
3
q
4
q
5
q
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
5
q
5
q
5
q
5
q
Transition Table for
s
t
a
t
e
s

symbols
o
Prof. Busch - LSU 40
Extended Transition Function

Q Q E
* *
: o
q w q
'
= ) , (
*
o
Describes the resulting state
after scanning string from state
w
q
Prof. Busch - LSU 41

( )
2 0
*
, q ab q = o
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
Example:
Prof. Busch - LSU 42
( )
5 0
*
, q abbbaa q = o
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
0
q
Prof. Busch - LSU 43
( )
4 1
*
, q bba q = o
0
q
1
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
a
b b
a
5
q
a
a
b
b
b a,
b a,
Prof. Busch - LSU 44
Special case:
( ) q q = o ,
*
for any state
q
Prof. Busch - LSU 45
( ) q w q
'
= ,
*
o
q
q
'
w
q
q
'
k
w o o o
2 1
=
1
o
2
o
k
o
states may be repeated
In general:
implies that there is a walk of transitions
Prof. Busch - LSU 46
Language accepted by DFA :
Language Accepted by DFA
it is denoted as and contains
all the strings accepted by
( ) M L
M
M
( ) M L We also say that recognizes
M
Prof. Busch - LSU 47

For a DFA

Language accepted by :



( ) F q Q M , , , ,
0
o E =
M
( ) ( ) { } F w q w M L e E e = , :
0
* *
o
0
q q
'
w
F q e
'
Prof. Busch - LSU 48
Language rejected by :
( ) ( ) { } F w q w M L e E e = , :
0
* *
o
M
0
q q
'
w
F q e
'
Prof. Busch - LSU 49
0
q
More DFA Examples
b a,
} , { b a = E
*
) ( E = M L
0
q
b a,
} { ) ( = M L
Empty language All strings
Prof. Busch - LSU 50
0
q
b a,
} , { b a = E
0
q
b a,
} { ) ( = M L
Language of the empty string
Prof. Busch - LSU 51

( ) M L = { all strings with prefix }
ab
a
b
b a,
0
q
1
q
2
q
accept
b a,
3
q
a
b
} , { b a = E
Prof. Busch - LSU 52

( ) M L
= { all binary strings containing
substring } 001

0 00 001
1
0
1
1 0
0
1 , 0
Prof. Busch - LSU 53

( ) M L
= { all binary strings without
substring } 001

0 00 001
1
0
1
1 0
0
1 , 0
Prof. Busch - LSU 54


{ } { }
*
, : ) ( b a w awa M L e =
a
b
b a,
a
b
b
a
0
q
2
q
3
q
4
q
Prof. Busch - LSU 55
Regular Languages
Definition:
A language is regular if there is
a DFA that accepts it ( )



The languages accepted by all DFAs
form the family of regular languages

L
M
L M L = ) (
Prof. Busch - LSU 56
{ } abba { } abba ab, ,
} 0 : { > n b a
n
{ all strings in {a,b}* with prefix }
ab
{ all binary strings without substring } 001
Example regular languages:
There exist DFAs that accept these
languages (see previous slides).
{ } { }
*
, : b a w awa e
even} is and } 1 { : {
*
x x x e
} {
} {
*
} , { b a
Prof. Busch - LSU 57
There exist languages which are not Regular:
} 0 : { > = n b a L
n n
There are no DFAs that accept these languages
(we will prove this in a later class)
} n
, 1 z , 1 y , 1 x : {
m n
k m
z y x ADDITION
k
= +
= = = = + =