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FAFL

The document provides information about deterministic finite automata (DFA) and non-deterministic finite automata (NFA). It defines what a DFA and NFA are through their 5-tuple representation. It then gives several examples of DFAs that accept certain strings, and provides the procedure to convert an NFA to an equivalent DFA. The key steps are: 1) the start state of the NFA is the start state of the DFA, 2) the transitions for each DFA state are the unions of the NFA state transitions, and 3) a DFA state is accepting if any component NFA state is accepting.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)

572 views136 pages

FAFL

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Hariprasad Mutalikdesai

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FLAT notes for V sem students

Definition: A DFA is 5-tuple or quintuple M = (Q, , , q0, A) where

Q is non-empty, finite set of states.
is non-empty, finite set of input alphabets.
is transition function, which is a mapping from Q x to Q.
q0 Q is the start state.
A Q is set of accepting or final states.
Note: For each input symbol a, from a given state there is exactly one transition (there can be
no transitions from a state also) and we are sure (or can determine) to which state the
machine enters. So, the machine is called Deterministic machine. Since it has finite number
of states the machine is called Deterministic finite machine or Deterministic Finite
Automaton or Finite State Machine (FSM).
The language accepted by DFA is
L(M) = { w | w * and *(q0, w) A }
The non-acceptance of the string w by an FA or DFA can be defined in formal notation as:
L(M) = { w | w * and *(q0, w) A }
Obtain a DFA to accept strings of as and bs starting with the string ab

q0
b

a,b
q2

q3
a,b
Fig.2.7 Transition diagram to accept string ab(a+b)*
So, the DFA which accepts strings of as and bs starting with the string ab is given by M =
(Q, , , q0, A) where
Q = {q0, q1, q2, q3}
= {a, b}
q0 is the start state
A = {q2}.
is shown the transition table 2.4.
ab States
q0q1q3 q1q3q2 q2q2
q3q3q3
q2

Draw a DFA to accept string of 0s and 1s ending with the string 011.

1
q0

0
1

Obtain a DFA to accept strings of as and bs having a sub string aa

a,b
a

Obtain a DFA to accept strings of as and bs except those containing the substring aab.

a
a

a,b

b
Obtain DFAs to accept strings of as and bs having exactly one a,
b

b
a

a,b
a

a, b
a

q0
b
q0

b
a

a, b

b
a

Obtain a DFA to accept strings of as and bs having even number of as and bs

The machine to accept even number of as and bs is shown in fig.2.22.

a
q
b

q
2

a
b

a
a

q
3

b
2

Fig.2.22 DFA to accept even no. of as and bs

a
q0
b

a
b

a
q2

a
a

q0
b

a
b

a
q2

a
a

q0
b

a
b

a
q2

Regular language
Definition: Let M = (Q, , , q0, A) be a DFA. The language L is regular if there exists a
machine M such that L = L(M).
* Applications of Finite Automata *
String matching/processing
Compiler Construction
The various compilers such as C/C++, Pascal, Fortran or any other compiler is designed
using the finite automata. The DFAs are extensively used in the building the various phases
of compiler such as

Lexical analysis (To identify the tokens, identifiers, to strip of the comments etc.)

Syntax analysis (To check the syntax of each statement or control statement used in
the program)
3

Code optimization (To remove the un wanted code)

Code generation (To generate the machine code)

Other applications
The concept of finite automata is used in wide applications. It is not possible to list all the
applications as there are infinite number of applications. This section lists some applications:
1. Large natural vocabularies can be described using finite automaton which includes
the applications such as spelling checkers and advisers, multi-language dictionaries,
to indent the documents, in calculators to evaluate complex expressions based on the
priority of an operator etc. to name a few. Any editor that we use uses finite
automaton for implementation.
2. Finite automaton is very useful in recognizing difficult problems i.e., sometimes it is
very essential to solve an un-decidable problem. Even though there is no general
solution exists for the specified problem, using theory of computation, we can find
the approximate solutions.
3. Finite automaton is very useful in hardware design such as circuit verification, in
design of the hardware board (mother board or any other hardware unit), automatic
traffic signals, radio controlled toys, elevators, automatic sensors, remote sensing or
controller etc.
4. In game theory and games wherein we use some control characters to fight against a
monster, economics, computer graphics, linguistics etc., finite automaton plays a very
important role.
Non deterministic finite automata(NFA)
Definition: An NFA is a 5-tuple or quintuple M = (Q, , , q0, A) where
Q is non empty, finite set of states.
is non empty, finite set of input alphabets.
is transition function which is a mapping from
Q x { U } to subsets of 2Q. This function shows
the change of state from one state to a set of states
based on the input symbol.
q0 Q is the start state.
A Q is set of final states.
Acceptance of language
Definition: Let M = (Q, , , q0, A) be a DFA where Q is set of finite states, is set of input
alphabets (from which a string can be formed), is transition function from Q x {U} to 2Q,
q0 is the start state and A is the final or accepting state. The string (also called language) w
accepted by an NFA can be defined in formal notation as:
4

L(M) = { w | w and (q0, w) = Q with atleast one

Component of Q in A}
Obtain an NFA to accept the following language L = {w | w ababn or aban where n 0}
The machine to accept either ababn or aban where n 0 is shown below:

a
q7

i. Conversion from NFA to DFA

Let MN = (QN, N, N, q0, AN) be an NFA and accepts the language L(M N). There should be an
equivalent DFA MD = (QD, D, D, q0, AD) such that L(MD) = L(MN). The procedure to
convert an NFA to its equivalent DFA is shown below:
Step1:
The start state of NFA MN is the start state of DFA M D. So, add q0(which is the start
state of NFA) to QD and find the transitions from this state. The way to obtain
different transitions is shown in step2.
Step2:
For each state [qi, qj,.qk] in QD, the transitions for each input symbol in can be
obtained as shown below:
1. D([qi, qj,.qk], a) = N(qi, a) U N(qj, a) U N(qk, a)
= [ql, qm,.qn] say.
2. Add the state [ql, qm,.qn] to QD, if it is not already in QD.
3. Add the transition from [qi, qj,.qk] to [ql, qm,.qn] on the input symbol a iff the
state [ql, qm,.qn] is added to QD in the previous step.
Step3:
The state [qa, qb,.qc] QD is the final state, if at least one of the state in qa, qb, ..
qc AN i.e., at least one of the component in [q a, qb,.qc] should be the final state of
NFA.
Step4:
If epsilon () is accepted by NFA, then start state q0 of DFA is made the final state.
5

Convert the following NFA into an equivalent DFA.

0
q0

0,1 q 0, 1 q
1
2

Step1: q0 is the start of DFA (see step1 in the conversion procedure).

So, QD = {[q0]}

(2.7)

Step2: Find the new states from each state in QD and obtain the corresponding transitions.
Consider the state [q0]:
When a = 0
D([q0], 0)

When a = 1
D([q0], 1)

= N([q0], 0)
= [q0, q1]
(2.8)
= N([q0], 1)
= [q1]
(2.9)

Since the states obtained in (2.8) and (2.9) are not in QD(2.7), add these two states to QD so
that
QD = {[q0], [q0, q1], [q1] }

(2.10)

The corresponding transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 are shown below.

Q
Consider the
When

[q0]
[q0, q1]
[q1]
D([q0,
0)

When a = 1
D([q0,

0
[q0, q1]

1
[q1]

state [q0, q1]:

a=0

q1], =
=
=
=

N([q0, q1], 0)
N(q0, 0) U N(q1, 0)
{q0, q1}
U {q2}
[q0, q1, q2]
(2.11)

q1], = N([q0, q1], 1)

= N(q0, 1) U N(q1, 1)
= {q1} U {q2}
= [q1, q2]
(2.12)

Since the states obtained in (2.11) and (2.12) are the not defined in Q D(see 2.10), add these
two states to QD so that
QD = {[q0], [q0, q1], [q1], [q0, q1, q2], [q1, q2] } (2.13)
and add the transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 as shown below:

Q
Consider the
When

[q0]
[q0, q1]
[q1]
[q0, q1, q2]
[q1, q2]
D([q1], 0)

0
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1, q2]

1
[q1]
[q1, q2]

state [q1]:
a=0

= N([q1], 0)
= [q2]
(2.14)

When a = 1
D([q1], 1)

= N([q1], 1)
= [q2]
(2.15)

Since the states obtained in (2.14) and (2.15) are same and the state q 2 is not in QD(see 2.13),
add the state q2 to QD so that
QD = {[q0], [q0, q1], [q1], [q0, q1, q2], [q1, q2], [q2]}

(2.16)

and add the transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 as shown below:

0
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1, q2]
[q2]

1
[q1]
[q1, q2]
[q2]

[q0]
state [q0,q1,q2]:
[q0, q1]
[q1]
a=0
[q0, q1, q2]
[q1, q2]
= N([q0,q1,q2], 0)
D([q0,q[q1,q
2],
2]
= N(q0, 0) U N(q1, 0) U N(q2, 0)
0)
= {q0,q1} U {q2} U {}
=

Consider the
Q
When

[q0,q1,q2]
(2.17)

When a = 1
D([q0,q1,q2],
1)

=
=
=
=

N([q0,q1,q2], 1)
N(q0, 1) U N(q1, 1) U N(q2, 1)
{q1} U {q2} U {q2}
[q1, q2]
(2.18)

Since the states obtained in (2.17) and (2.18) are not new states (are already in Q D, see 2.16),
do not add these two states to Q D. But, the transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 should be added to
the transitional table as shown below:

[q0]
Consider the [q0, q1]
Q
[q1]
When [q0, q1, q2]
D([q1,q[q2],1, 0)
q2] =
=
[q2]
=
=
When a = 1
D([q1,q2], 1)

=
=
=
=

0
1
[q0, q1]
[q1]
[q0, q1, q2] [q1, q2] state [q1,q2]:
[q2]
[q2]
[q0,q1,q2]
[q1, q2] a = 0
N([q1,q2], 0)
N(q1, 0) U N(q2, 0)
{q2} U {}
[q2]
(2.19)
N([q1,q2], 1)
N(q1, 1) U N(q2, 1)
{q2} U {q2}
[q2]
(2.20)

Since the states obtained in (2.19) and (2.20) are not new states (are already in Q D see 2.16),
do not add these two states to Q D. But, the transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 should be added to
the transitional table as shown below:

Consider the
Q

0
[q0]
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1, q2]
[q1]
[q2]
[q0, q1, q2] [q0,q1,q2]
[q1, q2]
[q2]
[q2]

1
[q1]
[q1, q2]
[q2]
[q1, q2]
[q2]

state [q2]:
8

When a = 0
D([q2], 0)

= N([q2], 0)
= {}
(2.21)

When a = 1
D([q2], 1)

= N([q2], 1)
= [q2]
(2.22)

Since the states obtained in (2.21) and (2.22) are not new states (are already in Q D, see 2.16),
do not add these two states to Q D. But, the transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 should be added to
the transitional table. The final transitional table is shown in table 2.14. and final DFA is
shown in figure 2.35.

[q0]

[q0,q1]

[q2[q
] 1]

0
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1, q2]

1
[q1]
[q1, q2]

[q2]

[q0,q1,q2]

[q1, q2]

[q2]

[q2]
[q2]

[q0 ]

[q0,q1,q2]

[q1,q2]

[q0, q 1]

[q0, q 1, q 2]

[q1 ]

[q1, q 2 ]

0, 1

[q2 ]

Fig.2.35 The DFA

Convert the following NFA to its equivalent DFA.

8
6

Let QD = {0}

(A)

Consider the state [A]:

When input is a:
(A, a)
When input is b:
( A, b)

= N(0, a)
= {1}
(B)
= N(0, b)
= {}

Consider the state [B]:

When input is a:
(B, a)
When input is b:
( B, b)

= N(1, a)
= {}
= N(1, b)
= {2}
= {2,3,4,6,9}

(C)

This is because, in state 2, due to -transitions (or without giving any input) there
can be transition to states 3,4,6,9 also. So, all these states are reachable from state 2.
Therefore,
(B, b) = {2,3,4,6,9} = C
Consider the state [C]:
When input is a:
(C, a)

= N({2,3,4,6,9}, a)
= {5}
10

= {5, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
= {3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9}
order) (D)

(ascending

This is because, in state 5 due to -transitions, the states reachable are {8, 9, 3, 4,
6}. Therefore,
(C, a) = {3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9} = D
When input is b:
( C, b)

N({2, 3, 4, 6, 9}, b)
{7}
{7, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9}(ascending order)
(E)
This is because, from state 7 the states that are reachable without any input (i.e., transition) are {8, 9, 3, 4, 6}. Therefore,
=
=
=
=

(C, b) = {3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9} = E
Consider the state [D]:
When input is a:
(D, a)

=
=
=
=

N({3,4,5,6,8,9}, a)
{5}
{5, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9}
order) (D)

=
=
=
=

N({3,4,5,6,8,9}, b)
{7}
{7, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9}
order) (E)

=
=
=
=

N({3,4,6,7,8,9}, a)
{5}
{5, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9}(ascending order)
(D)

(ascending

When input is b:
(D, b)

(ascending

Consider the state [E]:

When input is a:
(E, a)

When input is b:
(E, b)

N({3,4,6,7,8,9}, b)
{7}
{7, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9}(ascending order)
(E)

=
=
=
=

Since there are no new states, we can stop at this point and the transition table for the DFA is
shown in table 2.15.

A
B

a
B
D
D
D

b
C
E
E
E

Table 2.15 Transitional table

D
The states C,D and E are final states, since 9 (final state of NFA) is present in C, D and E.
E
The final transition diagram
of DFA is shown in figure 2.36
a
A

C
b
E

a
b

b
Fig. 2.36 The DFA

Regular Languages
Regular expression
Definition: A regular expression is recursively defined as follows.
1. is a regular expression denoting an empty language.
2. -(epsilon) is a regular expression indicates the language containing an empty string.
3. a is a regular expression which indicates the language containing only {a}
12

4. If R is a regular expression denoting the language LR and S is a regular expression

denoting the language LS, then
a. R+S is a regular expression corresponding to the language LRULS.
b. R.S is a regular expression corresponding to the language LR.LS..
c. R* is a regular expression corresponding to the language LR*.
5. The expressions obtained by applying any of the rules from 1-4 are regular
expressions.
The table 3.1 shows some examples of regular expressions and the language corresponding to these
regular expressions.

Regular
expressions
(a+b)*

Meaning

Set of strings of as and bs of any length

including the NULL string.
(a+b)*abb
Set of strings of as and bs ending with the
string abb
ab(a+b)*
Set of strings of as and bs starting with the
string ab.
(a+b)*aa(a+b) Set of strings of as and bs having a sub string
*
aa.
a*b*c*
Set of string consisting of any number of
as(may be empty string also) followed by any
number of bs(may include empty string)
followed by any number of cs(may include
empty string).
a+b+c+
Set of string consisting of at least one a
followed by string consisting of at least one b
followed by string consisting of at least one c.
aa*bb*cc*
Set of string consisting of at least one a
followed by string consisting of at least one b
followed by string consisting of at least one c.
(a+b)* (a + Set of strings of as and bs ending with either a
bb)
or bb
(aa)*(bb)*b
Set of strings consisting of even number of as
followed by odd number of bs
(0+1)*000
Set of strings of 0s and 1s ending with three
consecutive zeros(or ending with 000)
(11)*
Set consisting of even number of 1s
Table 3.1 Meaning of regular expressions
Obtain a regular expression to accept a language consisting of strings of as and bs of even length.

String of as and bs of even length can be obtained by the combination of the strings aa, ab,
ba and bb. The language may even consist of an empty string denoted by . So, the regular
expression can be of the form
(aa + ab + ba + bb)*
The * closure includes the empty string.
Note: This regular expression can also be represented using set notation as
L(R) = {(aa + ab + ba + bb)n | n 0}
Obtain a regular expression to accept a language consisting of strings of as and bs of odd length.

String of as and bs of odd length can be obtained by the combination of the strings aa, ab,
ba and bb followed by either a or b. So, the regular expression can be of the form
(aa + ab + ba + bb)* (a+b)
String of as and bs of odd length can also be obtained by the combination of the strings aa,
ab, ba and bb preceded by either a or b. So, the regular expression can also be represented as
(a+b) (aa + ab + ba + bb)*
Note: Even though these two expression are seems to be different, the language
corresponding to those two expression is same. So, a variety of regular expressions can be
obtained for a language and all are equivalent.
Obtain NFA from the regular expression
Theorem: Let R be a regular expression. Then there exists a finite automaton M = (Q, , ,
q0, A) which accepts L(R).
Proof: By definition, , and a are regular expressions. So, the corresponding machines to
recognize these expressions are shown in figure 3.1.a, 3.1.b and 3.1.c respectively.
q0

(a)

qf
(b)

qf
(c)

Fig 3.1 NFAs to accept , and a

The schematic representation of a regular expression R to accept the language L(R) is shown
in figure 3.2. where q is the start state and f is the final state of machine M.
L(R)
q

M f
14

Fig 3.2 Schematic representation of FA accepting L(R)

In the definition of a regular expression it is clear that if R and S are regular expression, then
R+S and R.S and R* are regular expressions which clearly uses three operators +, - and
.. Let us take each case separately and construct equivalent machine. Let M1 = (Q1, 1, 1,
q1, f1) be a machine which accepts the language L(R1) corresponding to the regular
expression R1. Let M2 = (Q2, 2, 2, q2, f2) be a machine which accepts the language L(R2)
corresponding to the regular expression R2.
Case 1: R = R1 + R2. We can construct an NFA which accepts either L(R1) or L(R2) which can
be represented as L(R1 + R2) as shown in figure 3.3.
L(R1)

q1 M 1
f1
q2 M 2
f2 L(R )
2

Fig. 3.3 To accept the language L(R1 + R2)

It is clear from figure 3.3 that the machine can either accept L(R1) or L(R2). Here, q0 is the
start state of the combined machine and qf is the final state of combined machine M.
Case 2: R = R1 . R2. We can construct an NFA which accepts L(R1) followed by L(R2) which
can be represented as L(R1 . R2) as shown in figure 3.4.
L(R1)
L(R2)

q1 M 1
q2 M2
f1
f2
Fig. 3.4To accept the language L(R1 . R2)
It is clear from figure 3.4 that the machine after accepting L(R 1) moves from state q1 to f1.
Since there is a -transition, without any input there will be a transition from state f 1 to state
q2. In state q2, upon accepting L(R2), the machine moves to f2 which is the final state. Thus, q1
which is the start state of machine M1 becomes the start state of the combined machine M
and f2 which is the final state of machine M 2, becomes the final state of machine M and
accepts the language L(R1.R2).
Case 3: R = (R1)*. We can construct an NFA which accepts either L(R1)*) as shown in figure
3.5.a. It can also be represented as shown in figure 3.5.b.

q1
f1

L(R1)
(a)

q1
f1

(b)

Fig. 3.5 To accept the language L(R1)*

It is clear from figure 3.5 that the machine can either accept or any number of L(R1)s thus
accepting the language L(R1)*. Here, q0 is the start state qf is the final state.
Obtain an NFA which accepts strings of as and bs starting with the string ab.

The regular expression corresponding to this language is ab(a+b)*.

Step 1: The machine to accept a is shown below.
a

Step 2: The machine to accept b is shown below.

Step 3: The machine to accept (a + b) is shown below.

Step 4: The machine to accept (a+b)* is shown below.

8
6

9
16

Step 5: The machine to accept ab is shown below.

Step 6: The machine to accept ab(a+b)* is shown below.

Fig. 3.6 To accept the language L(ab(a+b)*)

Obtain the regular expression from FA
Theorem: Let M = (Q, , , q0, A) be an FA recognizing the language L. Then there exists an
equivalent regular expression R for the regular language L such that L = L(R).
The general procedure to obtain a regular expression from FA is shown below. Consider the
generalized graph
r1
q0

q1 4

Fig. 3.93Generalized transition graph

where r1, r2, r3 and r4 are the regular expressions and correspond to the labels for the edges.
The regular expression for this can take the form:
r = r1*r2 (r4 + r3r1*r2)*

(3.1)

Note:
1. Any graph can be reduced to the graph shown in figure 3.9. Then substitute the
regular expressions appropriately in the equation 3.1 and obtain the final regular
expression.
2. If r3 is not there in figure 3.9, the regular expression can be of the form
r = r1*r2 r4*
(3.2)
17

3. If q0 and q1 are the final states then the regular expression can be of the form
r = r1* + r1*r2 r4*
(3.3)
Obtain a regular expression for the FA shown below:

0
q0
0

q1
1

0
q3

0,1

The figure can be reduced as shown below:

01
q0
10
It is clear from this figure that the machine accepts strings of 01s and 10s of any length and
the regular expression can be of the form
(01 + 10)*
What is the language accepted by the following FA

0
q0

0,
q2 1

Since, state q2 is the dead state, it can be removed and the following FA is obtained.
1

0
q0

So, the final regular expression is obtained by adding 0* and 0*11*. So, the regular expression
is
R.E = 0* + 0*11*
= 0* ( + 11*)
= 0* ( + 1+)
= 0* (1*) = 0*1*
It is clear from the regular expression that language consists of any number of 0s (possibly
) followed by any number of 1s(possibly ).
Applications of Regular Expressions
Pattern Matching refers to a set of objects with some common properties. We can match an
identifier or a decimal number or we can search for a string in the text.
An application of regular expression in UNIX editor ed.

In UNIX operating system, we can use the editor ed to search for a specific pattern in the
text. For example, if the command specified is
/acb*c/
then the editor searches for a string which starts with ac followed by zero or more bs and
followed by the symbol c. Note that the editor ed accepts the regular expression and searches
for that particular pattern in the text. As the input can vary dynamically, it is challenging to
write programs for string patters of these kinds.

Definition: A DFA is 5-tuple or quintuple M = (Q, , , q0, A) where

a,b
a

q0
b

a
q3
a,b

Fig.2.7 Transition diagram to accept string ab(a+b)*

So, the DFA which accepts strings of as and bs starting with the string ab is given by M =
(Q, , , q0, A) where
Q = {q0, q1, q2, q3}
= {a, b}
q0 is the start state
A = {q2}.
is shown the transition table 2.4.

ab States
q0q1q3 q1q3q2 q2q2
q3q3q3
q2

Draw a DFA to accept string of 0s and 1s ending with the string 011.

1
q0

0
1
Obtain a DFA to accept strings of as and bs having a sub string aa

b
q0

a,b
a

b
Obtain a DFA to accept strings of as and bs except those containing the substring aab.

b
q0

a
a

a,b
q3

b
Obtain DFAs to accept strings of as and bs having exactly one a,
b
q0

b
a

a,b
a

a, b
a

q0
b
q0

b
a

a, b

b
a

Obtain a DFA to accept strings of as and bs having even number of as and bs

The machine to accept even number of as and bs is shown in fig.2.22.

a
q0
b

a
b

a
q2

Fig.2.22 DFA to accept even no. of as and bs

a
q0
b

a
b

a
q2

a
q0
b

a
b

a
q2

a
a

q0
b

a
b

a
q2

Lexical analysis (To identify the tokens, identifiers, to strip of the comments etc.)
Syntax analysis (To check the syntax of each statement or control statement used in
the program)
Code optimization (To remove the un wanted code)
Code generation (To generate the machine code)

Q is non empty, finite set of states.

is non empty, finite set of input alphabets.
is transition function which is a mapping from
Q x { U } to subsets of 2Q. This function shows
the change of state from one state to a set of states
based on the input symbol.
q0 Q is the start state.
A Q is set of final states.
Acceptance of language
Definition: Let M = (Q, , , q0, A) be a DFA where Q is set of finite states, is set of input
alphabets (from which a string can be formed), is transition function from Q x {U} to 2Q,
q0 is the start state and A is the final or accepting state. The string (also called language) w
accepted by an NFA can be defined in formal notation as:
L(M) = { w | w *and *(q0, w) = Q with atleast one
component of Q in A }
Obtain an NFA to accept the following language L = {w | w ababn or aban where n 0}

The machine to accept either ababn or aban where n 0 is shown below:

a
q7

ii. Conversion from NFA to DFA

The start state of NFA MN is the start state of DFA M D. So, add q0(which is the start
state of NFA) to QD and find the transitions from this state. The way to obtain
different transitions is shown in step2.
Step2:
For each state [qi, qj,.qk] in QD, the transitions for each input symbol in can be
obtained as shown below:
4. D([qi, qj,.qk], a) = N(qi, a) U N(qj, a) U N(qk, a)
= [ql, qm,.qn] say.
5. Add the state [ql, qm,.qn] to QD, if it is not already in QD.
6. Add the transition from [qi, qj,.qk] to [ql, qm,.qn] on the input symbol a iff the
state [ql, qm,.qn] is added to QD in the previous step.
Step3:
The state [qa, qb,.qc] QD is the final state, if at least one of the state in qa, qb, ..
qc AN i.e., at least one of the component in [q a, qb,.qc] should be the final state of
NFA.
Step4:
If epsilon () is accepted by NFA, then start state q0 of DFA is made the final state.
Convert the following NFA into an equivalent DFA.

0
q0

0,1 q 0, 1 q
1
2

Step1: q0 is the start of DFA (see step1 in the conversion procedure).

So, QD = {[q0]}

(2.7)

Step2: Find the new states from each state in QD and obtain the corresponding transitions.
Consider the state [q0]:
When a = 0
D([q0], 0)

When a = 1
D([q0], 1)

= N([q0], 0)
= [q0, q1]
(2.8)
= N([q0], 1)
= [q1]
(2.9)

Since the states obtained in (2.8) and (2.9) are not in QD(2.7), add these two states to QD so
that
QD = {[q0], [q0, q1], [q1] }

(2.10)
25

The corresponding transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 are shown below.

Q
Consider the
When

[q0]
[q0, q1]
[q1]
D([q0,
0)

When a = 1
D([q0,
1)

0
[q0, q1]

q1], =
=
=
=

1
[q1]

state [q0, q1]:

a=0
N([q0, q1], 0)
N(q0, 0) U N(q1, 0)
{q0, q1}
U {q2}
[q0, q1, q2]
(2.11)
N([q0, q1], 1)
N(q0, 1) U N(q1, 1)
{q1} U {q2}
[q1, q2]
(2.12)

Q
Consider the
When

[q0]
[q0, q1]
[q1]
[q0, q1, q2]
[q1, q2]
D([q1], 0)

0
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1, q2]

1
[q1]
[q1, q2]

state [q1]:
a=0

= N([q1], 0)
= [q2]
(2.14)

When a = 1
D([q1], 1)

= N([q1], 1)
= [q2]
(2.15)

Since the states obtained in (2.14) and (2.15) are same and the state q 2 is not in QD(see 2.13),
add the state q2 to QD so that
QD = {[q0], [q0, q1], [q1], [q0, q1, q2], [q1, q2], [q2]}

(2.16)

and add the transitions on a = 0 and a = 1 as shown below:

[q0]
[q0, q1]
[q1]
[q0, q1, q2]
[q1, q2]
=
D([q0,q[q1,q
2],
2]
=
0)
=
=

Consider the
Q
When

When a = 1
D([q0,q1,q2],
1)

=
=
=
=

0
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1, q2]
[q2]

1
[q1]
[q1, q2]
[q2]

state [q0,q1,q2]:
a=0

N([q0,q1,q2], 0)
N(q0, 0) U N(q1, 0) U N(q2, 0)
{q0,q1} U {q2} U {}
[q0,q1,q2]
(2.17)

N([q0,q1,q2], 1)
N(q0, 1) U N(q1, 1) U N(q2, 1)
{q1} U {q2} U {q2}
[q1, q2]
(2.18)

[q0]
Consider the [q0, q1]
Q
[q1]
When [q0, q1, q2]
D([q1,q[q2],1, 0)
q2] =
=
[q2]
=

0
1
[q0, q1]
[q1]
[q0, q1, q2] [q1, q2] state [q1,q2]:
[q2]
[q2]
[q0,q1,q2]
[q1, q2] a = 0
N([q1,q2], 0)
N(q1, 0) U N(q2, 0)
{q2} U {}
27

= [q2]
(2.19)
When a = 1
D([q1,q2], 1)

N([q1,q2], 1)
N(q1, 1) U N(q2, 1)
{q2} U {q2}
[q2]
(2.20)

=
=
=
=

0
[q0]
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1]
[q0, q1, q2]
Q
[q1]
[q2]
[q0, q1, q2] [q0,q1,q2]
Consider the [q1, q2]
[q2]
When [q ]
2
= N([q2], 0)
D([q2], 0)
= {}
(2.21)
When a = 1
D([q2], 1)

1
[q1]
[q1, q2]
[q2]
[q1, q2]
[q2]

state [q2]:
a=0

= N([q2], 1)
= [q2]
(2.22)

Table 2.14
Q

0[q0]
[q0, q1]
0 [q0, q1, q2]

[q0]
[q0,q1]
[q1]

[q2]
[q0,q1,q2]

[q1,q2]
[q2]
[q0, q 1, q 2]

[q2]
1

Transitional table

[q2]

[q0, q 1]

[q0,q1,q2]

1
[q1]
[q11, q2]

[q1, q 2 ]

[q1 ]

[q1, q2]
[q2]
[q2]
0, 1

0, 1

[q2 ]

Fig.2.35 The DFA

Convert the following NFA to its equivalent DFA.

8
6

Let QD = {0}

(A)

Consider the state [A]:

When input is a:
(A, a)
When input is b:
( A, b)

= N(0, a)
= {1}
(B)
= N(0, b)
= {}

Consider the state [B]:

When input is a:
(B, a)
When input is b:
( B, b)

= N(1, a)
= {}
= N(1, b)
= {2}
= {2,3,4,6,9}

=
=
=
=

N({2,3,4,6,9}, a)
{5}
{5, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9}
order) (D)

(ascending

This is because, in state 5 due to -transitions, the states reachable are {8, 9, 3, 4,
6}. Therefore,
(C, a) = {3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9} = D
When input is b:
( C, b)

(C, b) = {3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9} = E
Consider the state [D]:
When input is a:
(D, a)

=
=
=
=

N({3,4,5,6,8,9}, a)
{5}
{5, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9}
order) (D)

=
=
=
=

N({3,4,5,6,8,9}, b)
{7}
{7, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9}

(ascending

When input is b:
(D, b)

(ascending
30

order) (E)
Consider the state [E]:
When input is a:
(E, a)

=
=
=
=

N({3,4,6,7,8,9}, a)
{5}
{5, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9}(ascending order)
(D)

=
=
=
=

N({3,4,6,7,8,9}, b)
{7}
{7, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6}
{3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9}(ascending order)
(E)

When input is b:
(E, b)

Since there are no new states, we can stop at this point and the transition table for the DFA is
shown in table 2.15.

A
B
C
D
E

Table 2.15
Q
The
states
state of NFA)
transition

a
B
D
D
D

b
C
E
E
E

Transitional table
C,D and E are final states, since 9 (final
is present in C, D and E. The final
diagram of DFA is shown in figure 2.36

a
A

C
b
E

a
b

b
Fig. 2.36 The DFA

Regular Languages
Regular expression
Definition: A regular expression is recursively defined as follows.
is a regular expression denoting an empty language.
-(epsilon) is a regular expression indicates the language containing an empty string.
a is a regular expression which indicates the language containing only {a}
If R is a regular expression denoting the language LR and S is a regular expression
denoting the language LS, then
a. R+S is a regular expression corresponding to the language LRULS.
b. R.S is a regular expression corresponding to the language LR.LS..
c. R* is a regular expression corresponding to the language LR*.
10. The expressions obtained by applying any of the rules from 1-4 are regular
expressions.
6.
7.
8.
9.

The table 3.1 shows some examples of regular expressions and the language corresponding to these
regular expressions.

Regular
expressions
(a+b)*
(a+b)*abb
ab(a+b)*
(a+b)*aa(a+b)
*
a*b*c*

a+b+c+

Meaning
Set of strings of as and bs of any length
including the NULL string.
Set of strings of as and bs ending with the
string abb
Set of strings of as and bs starting with the
string ab.
Set of strings of as and bs having a sub string
aa.
Set of string consisting of any number of
as(may be empty string also) followed by any
number of bs(may include empty string)
followed by any number of cs(may include
empty string).
Set of string consisting of at least one a
followed by string consisting of at least one b
followed by string consisting of at least one c.
32

aa*bb*cc*

Set of string consisting of at least one a

followed by string consisting of at least one b
followed by string consisting of at least one c.
(a+b)* (a + Set of strings of as and bs ending with either a
bb)
or bb
(aa)*(bb)*b
Set of strings consisting of even number of as
followed by odd number of bs
(0+1)*000
Set of strings of 0s and 1s ending with three
consecutive zeros(or ending with 000)
(11)*
Set consisting of even number of 1s
Table 3.1 Meaning of regular expressions
Obtain a regular expression to accept a language consisting of strings of as and bs of even length.

Proof: By definition, , and a are regular expressions. So, the corresponding machines to
recognize these expressions are shown in figure 3.1.a, 3.1.b and 3.1.c respectively.
q0

(a)

(b)

qf
(c)

Fig 3.1 NFAs to accept , and a

The schematic representation of a regular expression R to accept the language L(R) is shown
in figure 3.2. where q is the start state and f is the final state of machine M.
L(R)
q

M f

Fig 3.2 Schematic representation of FA accepting L(R)

q1 M 1
f1
q2 M 2
f2 L(R )
2

Fig. 3.3 To accept the language L(R1 + R2)

q1 M 1
q2 M2
f1
f2
34

Fig. 3.4To accept the language L(R1 . R2)

It is clear from figure 3.4 that the machine after accepting L(R 1) moves from state q1 to f1.
Since there is a -transition, without any input there will be a transition from state f 1 to state
q2. In state q2, upon accepting L(R2), the machine moves to f2 which is the final state. Thus, q1
which is the start state of machine M1 becomes the start state of the combined machine M
and f2 which is the final state of machine M 2, becomes the final state of machine M and
accepts the language L(R1.R2).
Case 3: R = (R1)*. We can construct an NFA which accepts either L(R1)*) as shown in figure
3.5.a. It can also be represented as shown in figure 3.5.b.

q1 M 1
f1 L(R1)

(a)

q1
f1

(b)

Fig. 3.5 To accept the language L(R1)*

The regular expression corresponding to this language is ab(a+b)*.

Step 1: The machine to accept a is shown below.
4

Step 2: The machine to accept b is shown below.

Step 3: The machine to accept (a + b) is shown below.

Step 4: The machine to accept (a+b)* is shown below.

Step 5: The machine to accept ab is shown below.

Step 6: The machine to accept ab(a+b)* is shown below.

8
6

Fig. 3.6 To accept the language L(ab(a+b)*)

Obtain the regular expression from FA

Theorem: Let M = (Q, , , q0, A) be an FA recognizing the language L. Then there exists an
equivalent regular expression R for the regular language L such that L = L(R).
The general procedure to obtain a regular expression from FA is shown below. Consider the
generalized graph
r1
q0

q1 4

Fig. 3.93Generalized transition graph

where r1, r2, r3 and r4 are the regular expressions and correspond to the labels for the edges.
The regular expression for this can take the form:
r = r1*r2 (r4 + r3r1*r2)*

(3.1)

Note:
4. Any graph can be reduced to the graph shown in figure 3.9. Then substitute the
regular expressions appropriately in the equation 3.1 and obtain the final regular
expression.
5. If r3 is not there in figure 3.9, the regular expression can be of the form
r = r1*r2 r4*
(3.2)
6. If q0 and q1 are the final states then the regular expression can be of the form
r = r1* + r1*r2 r4*
(3.3)

Obtain a regular expression for the FA shown below:

0
q0
0

q1
1

0
q3

0,1

The figure can be reduced as shown below:

01
q0
10
37

It is clear from this figure that the machine accepts strings of 01s and 10s of any length and
the regular expression can be of the form
(01 + 10)*
What is the language accepted by the following FA

0
q0

0,
q2 1

Since, state q2 is the dead state, it can be removed and the following FA is obtained.
1

0
q0

The state q0 is the final state and at this point it can accept any number of 0s which can be
represented using notation as
0*
q1 is also the final state. So, to reach q 1 one can input any number of 0s followed by 1 and
followed by any number of 1s and can be represented as
0*11*
So, the final regular expression is obtained by adding 0* and 0*11*. So, the regular expression
is
R.E = 0* + 0*11*
= 0* ( + 11*)
= 0* ( + 1+)
= 0* (1*) = 0*1*
It is clear from the regular expression that language consists of any number of 0s (possibly
) followed by any number of 1s(possibly ).
Applications of Regular Expressions
Pattern Matching refers to a set of objects with some common properties. We can match an
identifier or a decimal number or we can search for a string in the text.
An application of regular expression in UNIX editor ed.

In UNIX operating system, we can use the editor ed to search for a specific pattern in the
text. For example, if the command specified is
38

/acb*c/
then the editor searches for a string which starts with ac followed by zero or more bs and
followed by the symbol c. Note that the editor ed accepts the regular expression and searches
for that particular pattern in the text. As the input can vary dynamically, it is challenging to
write programs for string patters of these kinds.

Session 10 by Prof.B.I.Khodanpur: 11.4.05

Properties of regular languages

Pumping Lemma
Used to prove certain languages like L = {0n1n | n 1} are not regular.

Closure properties of regular languages

Used to build recognizers for languages that are constructed from other languages by
certain operations.
Ex. Automata for intersection of two regular languages

Decision properties of regular languages

Used to find whether two automata define the same language

Used to minimize the states of DFA

eg. Design of switching circuits.

Pumping Lemma for regular languages ( Explanation)

Let

L = {0n1n | n 1}

There is no regular expression to define L. 00*11* is not the regular expression defining L.
Let L= {0212}

0
1

1
3

1
1

1
4

0
6

0
0,1

0,1
State 6 is a trap state, state 3 remembers that two 0s have come and from there state 5
remembers that two 1s are accepted.
This implies DFA has no memory to remember arbitrary n. In other words if we have to
remember n, which varies from 1 to we have to have infinite states, which is not possible
with a finite state machine, which has finite number of states.

Pumping Lemma (PL) for Regular Languages

Theorem:
Let L be a regular language. Then there exists a constant n (which depends
on L) such that for every string w in L such that |w| n, we can break w into three strings,
w=xyz, such that:
1. |y| > 0
2. |xy| n
3. For all k 0, the string xykz is also in L.
PROOF:
Let L be regular defined by an FA having n states. Let w= a1,a2 ,a3----an and is in L.
= n n. Let the start state be P1. Let w = xyz where x= a1,a2 ,a3 -----an-1 , y=an and z = .

|w|

Therefore xykz = a1 ------ an-1 (an)k

k=0

a1 ------ an-1 is accepted

k=1

a1 ------ an is accepted

k=2

a1 ------ an+1 is accepted

k=10 a1 ------ an+9 is accepted and so on.

Uses of Pumping Lemma: - This is to be used to show that, certain languages are not regular.
It should never be used to show that some language is regular. If you want to show that
language is regular, write separate expression, DFA or NFA.
41

General Method of proof: (i)

Select w such that |w| n

(ii)

Select y such that |y| 1

(iii) Select x such that |xy| n

(iv) Assign remaining string to z
(v)

Select k suitably to show that, resulting string is not in L.

Example 1.
To prove that L={w|w anbn, where n 1} is not regular
Proof:
Let L be regular. Let n is the constant (PL Definition). Consider a word w in L.
Let w = anbn, such that |w|=2n. Since 2n > n and L is regular it must satisfy PL.

xy contain only as. (Because |xy| n).

Let |y|=l, where l > 0 (Because |y| > 0).
Then, the break up of x. y and z can be as follows

from the definition of PL , w=xykz, where k=0,1,2,------, should belong to L.

That is an-l (al)k bn L, for all k=0,1,2,------
Put k=0. we get an-l bn L.
Contradiction. Hence the Language is not regular.
Example 2.
To prove that L={w|w is a palindrome on {a,b}*} is not regular. i.e., L={aabaa, aba,
abbbba,}
Proof:
Let L be regular. Let n is the constant (PL Definition). Consider a word w in L. Let w
= anban, such that |w|=2n+1. Since 2n+1 > n and L is regular it must satisfy PL.

xy contain only as. (Because |xy| n).

Let |y|=l, where l > 0 (Because |y| > 0).
That is, the break up of x. y and z can be as follows

from the definition of PL w=xykz, where k=0,1,2,------, should belong to L.

That is an-l (al)k ban L, for all k=0,1,2,------.
Put k=0. we get an-l b an L, because, it is not a palindrome. Contradiction, hence the
language is not regular
.
Example 3.
13

,15

To prove that L={ all strings of 1s whose length is prime} is not regular. i.e., L={12,
,17 ,111 ,----}

Proof: Let L be regular. Let w = 1p where p is prime and | p| = n +2

Let y = m.
by PL xykz L
| xykz |= | xz | + | yk |

Let k = p-m

= (p-m) + m (p-m)
= (p-m) (1+m) ----- this can not be prime
if p-m 2 or 1+m 2
1.

(1+m) 2 because m 1

Limiting case p=n+2

(p-m) 2 since m n

Example 4.
To prove that L={ 0i2 | i is integer and i >0} is not regular. i.e., L={02, 04 ,09 ,016 ,
025 ,----}
Proof: Let L be regular. Let w = 0n2 where |w| = n2 n
by PL xykz L, for all k = 0,1,--Select k = 2
| xy2z |= | xyz | + | y |
43

= n2 + Min 1 and Max n

Therefore n2 < | xy2z | n2 + n
n2 < | xy2z | < n2 + n + 1+n
n2 < | xy2z | < (n + 1)2

adding 1 + n ( Note that less than or equal to is

replaced by less than sign)

Say n = 5 this implies that string can have length > 25 and < 36
which is not of the form 0i2.

Exercises for students: a) Show that following languages are not regular
(i)

L={anbm | n, m 0 and n<m }

(ii)

L={anbm | n, m 0 and n>m }

(iii)

L={anbmcmdn | n, m 1 }

(iv)

L={an | n is a perfect square }

(v)

L={an | n is a perfect cube }

b) Apply pumping lemma to following languages and understand why we cannot complete
proof
(i)

L={anaba | n 0 }

(ii)

L={anbm | n, m 0 }

Session 11 by Prof.B.I.Khodanpur: 13.4.05

Closure Properties of Regular Languages

1. The union of two regular languages is regular.
2. The intersection of two regular languages is regular.
3. The complement of a regular language is regular.
4. The difference of two regular languages is regular.
5. The reversal of a regular language is regular.
6. The closure (star) of a regular language is regular.
7. The concatenation of regular languages is regular.
8. A homomorphism (substitution of strings for symbols) of a regular language is regular.
9. The inverse homomorphism of a regular language is regular

Closure under Union

Theorem: If L and M are regular languages, then so is L M.

Ex1.
L1={a,a3,a5,-----}
L2={a2,a4,a6,-----}
L1L2 = {a,a2,a3,a4,----}
RE=a(a)*
Ex2.
L1={ab, a2 b2, a3b3, a4b4,-----}
L2={ab,a3 b3,a5b5,-----}
L1L2 = {ab,a2b2, a3b3, a4b4, a5b5----}
RE=ab(ab)*

Closure Under Complementation

Theorem : If L is a regular language over alphabet S, then L = * - L is also a regular
language.
Ex1.
45

L1={a,a3,a5,-----}
* -L1={e,a2,a4,a6,-----}
RE=(aa)*
Ex2.
Consider a DFA, A that accepts all and only the strings of 0s and 1s that end in
01. That is L(A) = (0+1)*01. The complement of L(A) is therefore all string of 0s and 1s
that do not end in 01

Theorem: - If L is a regular language over alphabet , then, L = * - L is also

a regular language
Proof: - Let L =L(A) for some DFA. A=(Q, , , q0, F). Then L = L(B), where B is the
DFA (Q, , , q0, Q-F). That is, B is exactly like A, but the accepting states of A have become
non-accepting states of B, and vice versa, then w is in L(B) if and only if ^ ( q0, w) is in QF, which occurs if and only if w is not in L(A).

Closure Under Intersection

Theorem : If L and M are regular languages, then so is L M.
Ex1.
L1={a,a2,a3,a4,a5,a6,-----}
L2={a2,a4,a6,-----}
L1L2 = {a2,a4,a6,----}
RE=aa(aa)*
Ex2
L1={ab,a3b3,a5b5,a7b7-----}
L2={a2 b2, a4b4, a6b6,-----}
L1L2 =
RE=
Ex3.
Consider a DFA that accepts all those strings that have a 0.

Consider a DFA that accepts all those strings that have a 1.

The product of above two automata is given below.

This automaton accepts the intersection of the first two languages: Those languages that have
both a 0 and a 1. Then pr represents only the initial condition, in which we have seen neither
0 nor 1. Then state qr means that we have seen only once 0s, while state ps represents the
condition that we have seen only 1s. The accepting state qs represents the condition where
we have seen both 0s and 1s.
Ex 4 (on intersection)
Write a DFA to accept the intersection of L1=(a+b)*a and L2=(a+b)*b that is for L1 L2.

DFA for L1 L2 = (as no string has reached to final state (2,4))

Ex5 (on intersection)

Find the DFA to accept the intersection of L1=(a+b)*ab (a+b)* and L2=(a+b)*ba
(a+b)* that is for L1 L2

DFA for L1 L2

Closure Under Difference

Theorem : If L and M are regular languages, then so is L M.
Ex.
L1={a,a3,a5,a7,-----}
L2={a2,a4,a6,-----}
L1-L2 = {a,a3,a5,a7----}
RE=a(a)*

Reversal
Theorem : If L is a regular language, so is LR
Ex.
49

L={001,10,111,01}
LR={100,01,111,10}
To prove that regular languages are closed under reversal.
Let L = {001, 10, 111}, be a language over ={0,1}.
LR is a language consisting of the reversals of the strings of L.
That is LR = {100,01,111}.
If L is regular we can show that LR is also regular.
Proof.
As L is regular it can be defined by an FA, M = (Q, , , q0, F), having only one final state.
If there are more than one final states, we can use - transitions from the final states going
to a common final state.
Let FA, MR = (QR, R , R,q0R,FR) defines the language LR,
Where QR = Q, R = , q0R=F,FR=q0, and R (p,a)-> q, iff (q,a) -> p
Since MR is derivable from M, LR is also regular.
The proof implies the following method
1. Reverse all the transitions.
2. Swap initial and final states.
3. Create a new start state p0 with transition on to all the
accepting states of original DFA
Example
Let r=(a+b)* ab define a language L. That is
L = {ab, aab, bab,aaab, -----}. The FA is as given below

The FA for LR can be derived from FA for L by swapping initial and final states and changing
the direction of each edge. It is shown in the following figure.

Session 12 by Prof.B.I.Khodanpur: 20.4.05

Homomorphism
A string homomorphism is a function on strings that works by substituting a particular string
for each symbol.
Theorem : If L is a regular language over alphabet , and h is a homomorphism on , then h
(L) is also regular.
Ex.
The function h defined by h(0)=ab h(1)=c is a homomorphism.
h applied to the string 00110 is ababccab
L1= (a+b)* a (a+b)*

h : {a, b}

{0, 1}*

Resulting :
h1(L) = (01 + 11)* 01 (01 + 11)*
h2(L) = (101 + 010)* 101 (101 + 010)*
h3(L) = (01 + 101)* 01 (01 + 101)*

Inverse Homomorphism
Theorem : If h is a homomorphism from alphabet S to alphabet T, and L is a regular language
over T, then h-1 (L) is also a regular language.

Ex.Let L be the language of regular expression (00+1)*.

Let h be the homomorphism defined by h(a)=01 and h(b)=10. Then h-1(L) is the language of
regular expression (ba)*.

Decision Properties of Regular Languages

1. Is the language described empty?
2. Is a particular
string w in the described language?
3. Do two descriptions of a language actually describe the same language?
This question is often called equivalence of languages.

Converting Among Representations

Converting NFAs to DFAs
Time taken for either an NFA or -NFA to DFA can be exponential in the number of states of
the NFA. Computing -Closure of n states takes O(n3) time. Computation of DFA takes O(n3)
time where number of states of DFA can be 2 n. The running time of NFA to DFA conversion
including transition is O(n3 2n). Therefore the bound on the running time is O(n 3s) where s
is the number of states the DFA actually has.
DFA to NFA Conversion
Conversion takes O(n) time for an n state DFA.
Automaton to Regular Expression Conversion
For DFA where n is the number of states, conversion takes O(n34n) by substitution method
and by state elimination method conversion takes O(n3) time. If we convert an NFA to DFA
and then convert the DFA to a regular expression it takes the time O(n34n32n)
Regular Expression to Automaton Conversion
Regular expression to -NFA takes linear time O(n) on a regular expression of length n.
Conversion from -NFA to NFA takes O(n3) time.
Testing Emptiness of Regular Languages
Suppose R is regular expression, then
1. R = R1 + R2. Then L(R) is empty if and only if both L(R1) and L(R2) are empty.
2. R= R1R2. Then L(R) is empty if and only if either L(R1) or L(R2) is empty.
3. R=R1* Then L(R) is not empty. It always includes at least
4. R=(R1) Then L(R) is empty if and only if L(R1) is empty since they are the same
language.
Testing Emptiness of Regular Languages
53

Suppose R is regular expression, then

1. R = R1 + R2. Then L(R) is empty if and only if both L(R1) and L(R2) are empty.
2. R= R1R2. Then L(R) is empty if and only if either L(R1) or L(R2) is empty.
3. R=(R1)* Then L(R) is not empty. It always includes at least
4. R=(R1) Then L(R) is empty if and only if L(R1) is empty since they are the same
language.
Testing Membership in a Regular Language
Given a string w and a Regular Language L, is w in L.
If L is represented by a DFA, simulate the DFA processing the string of input symbol
w, beginning in start state. If DFA ends in accepting state the answer is Yes , else it is no.
This test takes O(n) time
If the representation is NFA, if w is of length n, NFA has s states, running time of this
algorithm is O(ns2)
If the representation is - NFA, - closure has to be computed, then processing of
each input symbol , a , has 2 stages, each of which requires O(s2) time.
If the representation of L is a Regular Expression of size s, we can convert to an
-NFA with almost 2s states, in O(s) time. Simulation of the above takes O(ns2) time on an
input w of length n
Minimization of Automata ( Method 1)
Let p and q are two states in DFA. Our goal is to understand when p and q (p q) can
be replaced by a single state.
Two states p and q are said to be distinguishable, if there is at least one string, w, such
that one of ^ (p,w) and ^ (q,w) is accepting and the other is not accepting.
Algorithm 1:
List all unordered pair of states (p,q) for which p q. Make a sequence of passes
through these pairs. On first pass, mark each pair of which exactly one element is in F. On
each subsequent pass, mark any pair (r,s) if there is an a for which (r,a) = p, (s,a) = q,
and (p,q) is already marked. After a pass in which no new pairs are marked, stop. The marked
pair (p,q) are distinguishable.
Examples:
1. Let L = {, a2, a4, a6, .} be a regular language over = {a,b}. The FA is shown
in Fig 1.

Fig 2. gives the list of all unordered pairs of states (p,q) with p q.
54

The boxes (1,2) and (2,3) are marked in the first pass according to the algorithm 1.
In pass 2 no boxes are marked because, (1,a) and (3,a) 2. That is (1,3)
where and 3 are non final states.

(,2),

(1,b) and (3,b) . That is (1,3)

(,), where is a non-final state. This implies
that (1,3) are equivalent and can replaced by a single state A.

Fig 3. Minimal Automata corresponding to FA in Fig 1

Minimization of Automata (Method 2)

Consider set {1,3}. (1,3)

(2,2) and (1,3)
(,). This implies state 1 and 3 are
equivalent and can not be divided further. This gives us two states 2,A. The resultant FA is
shown is Fig 3.
Example 2. (Method1):
Let r= (0+1)*10, then L(r) = {10,010,00010,110, ---}. The FA is given below

Following fig shows all unordered pairs (p,q) with p q

The pairs marked 1 are those of which exactly one element is in F; They are marked on pass
1. The pairs marked 2 are those marked on the second pass. For example (5,2) is one of these,
since (5,2) (6,4), and the pair (6,4) was marked on pass 1.
From this we can make out that 1, 2, and 4 can be replaced by a single state 124 and
states 3, 5, and 7 can be replaced by the single state 357. The resultant minimal FA is shown
in Fig. 6

The transitions of fig 4 are mapped to fig 6 as shown below

Example 2. (Method1):

(2,3)
(4,6) this implies that 2 and 3 belongs to different group hence they are split in level
2. similarly it can be easily shown for the pairs (4,5) (1,7) and (2,5) and so on.

Session 13 by Prof.B.I.Khodanpur: 21.4.05

Lecture Notes for Class 4 (21/4/2005)
Context Free Grammar
Context Free grammar or CGF, G is represented by four components that is G= (V, T, P, S),
where V is the set of variables, T the terminals, P the set of productions and S the start
symbol.
Example:

The grammar Gpal for palindromes is represented by

Gpal = ({P}, {0, 1}, A, P)
Where A represents the set of five productions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

P
P0
P1
P0P0
P1P1

Derivation using Grammar

Example 1: Leftmost Derivation

The inference that a * (a+b00) is in the language of variable E can be reflected in a derivation
of that string, starting with the string E. Here is one such derivation:
E E * E I * E a * E
a * (E) a * (E + E) a * (I + E) a * (a + E)
a * (a + I) a * (a + I0) a * (a + I00) a * (a + b00)

Leftmost Derivation - Tree

Example 2: Rightmost Derivations

The derivation of Example 1 was actually a leftmost derivation. Thus, we can describe the
same derivation by:
E E * E E *(E) E * (E + E)
E * (E + I) E * (E +I0) E * (E + I00) E * (E + b00)
E * (I + b00) E * (a +b00) I * (a + b00) a * (a + b00)
We can also summarize the leftmost derivation by saying
E a * (a + b00), or express several steps of the derivation by expressions such as
E a * (E).

Rightmost Derivation - Tree

There is a rightmost derivation that uses the same replacements for each variable, although it
makes the replacements in different order. This rightmost derivation is:
58

E E * E E * (E) E * (E + E)
E * (E + I) E * (E + I0) E * (E + I00) E * (E + b00)
E * (I + b00) E * (a + b00) I * (a + b00) a * (a + b00)
This derivation allows us to conclude E a * (a + b00)
Consider the Grammar for string (a+b)*c
EE + T | T
T T * F | F
F ( E ) | a | b | c
Leftmost Derivation
ETT*FF*F(E)*F(E+T)*F(T+T)*F(F+T)*F (a+T)*F (a+F)*F
(a+b)*F(a+b)*c
Rightmost derivation
ETT*FT*cF*c(E)*c(E+T)*c(E+F)*c
(E+b)*c(T+b)*c(F+b)*c(a+b)*c
Example 2:
Consider the Grammar for string (a,a)
S->(L)|a
L->L,S|S
Leftmost derivation
S(L)(L,S)(S,S)(a,S)(a,a)
Rightmost Derivation
S(L)(L,S)(L,a)(S,a)(a,a)
The Language of a Grammar
If G(V,T,P,S) is a CFG, the language of G, denoted by L(G), is the set of terminal
strings that have derivations from the start symbol.
L(G) = {w in T | S w}
Sentential Forms
Derivations from the start symbol produce strings that have a special role called sentential
forms. That is if G = (V, T, P, S) is a CFG, then any string in (V T)* such that S is a
sentential form. If S , then is a left sentential form, and if S , then is a right
sentential form. Note that the language L(G) is those sentential
forms that are in T*; that is they consist solely of terminals.
For example, E * (I + E) is a sentential form, since there is a derivation
E E * E E * (E) E * (E + E) E * (I + E)
59

However this derivation is neither leftmost nor rightmost, since at the last step, the middle E
is replaced.
As an example of a left sentential form, consider a * E, with the leftmost derivation.
EE*EI*Ea*E
Additionally, the derivation
E E * E E * (E) E * (E + E)
Shows that
E * (E + E) is a right sentential form.

Ambiguity
A context free grammar G is said to be ambiguous if there exists some w L(G) which has
at least two distinct derivation trees. Alternatively, ambiguity implies the existence of two or
more left most or rightmost derivations.
Ex:Consider the grammar G=(V,T,E,P) with V={E,I}, T={a,b,c,+,*,(,)}, and productions.
EI,
EE+E,
EE*E,
E(E),
Ia|b|c
Consider two derivation trees for a + b * c.

Now unambiguous grammar for the above

Applications of Context Free Grammars

Parsers

The YACC Parser Generator

Markup Languages

XML and Document typr definitions

The YACC Parser Generator

EI | E+E | E*E | (E)
Ia | b | Ia | Ib | I0 | I1
Exp : Id

{}
| Exp + Exp

{}

| Exp * Exp

{}

| ( Exp )

{}

;
Id

: a

{}
|b

{}

| Id a {}
|Id b {}
|Id 0 {}
|Id 1 {}
;

XML and Document type definitions.

1. AE1,E2.
ABC
BE1
CE2
2. AE1 | E2.
AE1
AE2
3. A(E1)*
ABA
A
BE1
4. A(E1)+
ABA
AB
BE1
5.

A(E1)?
A
AE1

EXERCISE QUESTIONS
1) Design context-free grammar for the following cases
a) L={ 0n1n | nl }
b) L={aibjck| ij or jk}
2) The following grammar generates the language of RE
0*1(0+1)*
S A|B
A 0A|
B 0B|1B|
Give leftmost and rightmost derivations of the following strings
63

a) 00101
3)

b) 1001

c) 00011

Consider the grammar

S aS|aSbS|
Show that deviation for the string aab is ambiguous

4) Suppose h is the homomorphism from the alphabet {0,1,2} to the alphabet { a,b} defined
by h(0) = a; h(1) = ab &
h(2) = ba
a) What is h(0120) ?
b) What is h(21120) ?
c) If L is the language L(01*2), what is h(L) ?
d) If L is the language L(0+12), what is h(L) ?
e) If L is the language L(a(ba)*) , what is h-1(L) ?

27.0.05

Context Free Grammar

Context Free grammar or CGF, G is represented by four components that is G=(V,T,P,S),
where V is the set of variables, T the terminals, P the set of productions and S the start
symbol.
Example:
The grammar Gpal for palindromes is represented by
Gpal = ({P},{0,1}, A, P)
where A represents the set of five productions
1.
P
2.
P0
3.
P1
4.
P0P0
5.
P1P1
Derivation using Grammar

Example 1: Leftmost Derivation

The inference that a * (a+b00) is in the language of variable E can be reflected in a derivation
of that string, starting with the string E. Here is one such derivation:
E E * E I * E a * E
65

a * (E) a * (E + E) a * (I + E) a * (a + E)
a * (a + I) a * (a + I0) a * (a + I00) a * (a + b00)
Leftmost Derivation - Tree

Example 2: Rightmost Derivations

There is a rightmost derivation that uses the same replacements for each variable, although it
makes the replacements in different order. This rightmost derivation is:
E E * E E * (E) E * (E + E)
E * (E + I) E * (E + I0) E * (E + I00) E * (E + b00)
E * (I + b00) E * (a + b00) I * (a + b00) a * (a + b00)
This derivation allows us to conclude E a * (a + b00)
Consider the Grammar for string(a+b)*c
EE + T | T
T T * F | F
F ( E ) | a | b | c
Leftmost Derivation
ETT*FF*F(E)*F(E+T)*F(T+T)*F(F+T)*F (a+T)*F (a+F)*F
(a+b)*F(a+b)*c
Rightmost derivation
ETT*FT*cF*c(E)*c(E+T)*c(E+F)*c
(E+b)*c(T+b)*c(F+b)*c(a+b)*c
Example 2:
Consider the Grammar for string (a,a)
S->(L)|a
L->L,S|S
Leftmost derivation
S(L)(L,S)(S,S)(a,S)(a,a)
Rightmost Derivation
S(L)(L,S)(L,a)(S,a)(a,a)
The Language of a Grammar
If G(V,T,P,S) is a CFG, the language of G, denoted by L(G), is the set of terminal
strings that have derivations from the start symbol.
L(G) = {w in T | S w}
Sentential Forms
Derivations from the start symbol produce strings that have a special role called sentential
forms. That is if G = (V, T, P, S) is a CFG, then any string in (V T)* such that S is a
sentential form. If S , then is a left sentential form, and if S , then is a right
sentential form. Note that the language L(G) is those sentential
forms that are in T*; that is they consist solely of terminals.
For example, E * (I + E) is a sentential form, since there is a derivation
67

E E * E E * (E) E * (E + E) E * (I + E)
However this derivation is neither leftmost nor rightmost, since at the last step, the middle E
is replaced.
As an example of a left sentential form, consider a * E, with the leftmost derivation.
EE*EI*Ea*E
Additionally, the derivation
E E * E E * (E) E * (E + E)
Shows that
E * (E + E) is a right sentential form.

Ambiguity

A context free grammar G is said to be ambiguous if there exists some w L(G) which has
at least two distinct derivation trees. Alternatively, ambiguity implies the existence of two or
more left most or rightmost derivations.
Ex:Consider the grammar G=(V,T,E,P) with V={E,I}, T={a,b,c,+,*,(,)}, and productions.
EI,
EE+E,
EE*E,
E(E),
Ia|b|c
Consider two derivation trees for a + b * c.

Now unambiguous grammar for the above

Applications of Context Free Grammars

Parsers
The YACC Parser Generator
Markup Languages
XML and Document typr definitions

The YACC Parser Generator

E E+E | E*E | (E)|id
%{ #include <stdio.h>
%}
%token ID id
%%
Exp : id { $$ = $1 ; printf ("result is %d\n", $1);}
| Exp + Exp {$$ = $1 + $3;}
| Exp * Exp {$$ = $1 * $3; }
| ( Exp ) {$$ = $2; }
;
%%
int main (void) {
return yyparse ( );
}
void yyerror (char *s) {
fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", s);
}
%{
70

#include "y.tab.h"
%}
%%
[0-9]+
{yylval.ID = atoi(yytext); return id;}
[ \t \n]
;
[+ * ( )]
{return yytext[0];}
.
{ECHO; yyerror ("unexpected character");}
%%

Example 2:
%{
#include <stdio.h>
%}
%start line
%token <a_number> number
%type <a_number> exp term factor
%%
line : exp ';' {printf ("result is %d\n", $1);}
;
exp : term {$$ = $1;}
| exp '+' term {$$ = $1 + $3;}
| exp '-' term {$$ = $1 - $3;}
term : factor {$$ = $1;}
| term '*' factor {$$ = $1 * $3;}
| term '/' factor {$$ = $1 / $3;}
;
factor : number {$$ = $1;}
| '(' exp ')' {$$ = $2;}
;
%%
int main (void) {
return yyparse ( );
}
void yyerror (char *s) {
fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", s);
}
%{
#include "y.tab.h"
%}
%%
[0-9]+ {yylval.a_number = atoi(yytext); return number;}
[ \t\n] ;
[-+*/();] {return yytext[0];}
.
{ECHO; yyerror ("unexpected character");}
%%

Markup Languages

Functions
Creating links between documents
Describing the format of the document

Example
The Things I hate
1. Moldy bread
2. People who drive too slow
In the fast lane
HTML Source
 The things I hate:
<OL>
<LI> Moldy bread
<LI>People who drive too slow
In the fast lane
</OL>
HTML Grammar
Char
Text
Doc
Element

5.
6.

a |A|
e | Char Text
e | Element Doc
Text |
 Doc |
 Doc |
<OL> List </OL>|
List-Item
<LI> Doc
List
e | List-Item List
Start symbol

XML and Document type definitions.

2. AE1,E2.
ABC
BE1
72

CE2
3. AE1 | E2.
AE1
AE2
4. A(E1)*
ABA
A
BE1
4. A(E1)+
ABA
AB
BE1
5.

A(E1)?
A
AE1

EXERCISE QUESTIONS
1) Design context-free grammar for the following cases
a) L={ 0n1n | nl }
b) L={aibjck| ij or jk}
3) The following grammar generates the language of RE
0*1(0+1)*
S A|B
A 0A|
B 0B|1B|
Give leftmost and rightmost derivations of the following strings
a) 00101
b) 1001
c) 00011
3)

Consider the grammar

S aS|aSbS|
Show that deviation for the string aab is ambiguous

Introduction to Push Down Automata

Just as finite-state automata correspond to regular languages, the context-free languages
(CFL) have corresponding machines called pushdown automata (PDA).
Regular expressions are generators for regular languages and Finite Automatas are
recognizers for them. Similarly for Context-free Languages, Context Free Grammars (CFG)
are generators and Pushdown Automata (PDA) are recognizers.
PDA is more powerful than FA. An FA cannot recognize the language anbn, n
0, because FA does not have any memory to remember the number of as it has already seen,
for equating with number of bs found. PDA is NFA with an added memory. Stack functions
as the required memory. So,
a PDA is an NFA with a stack. Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of PDA. The
Finite State Control (FSC) reads inputs, one symbol at a time. Based on the input symbol,
current state and the top symbol on the stack, FSC does some state transitions and does some
operations to the stack content. Stack could be kept unchanged, or some thing could be
pushed into the stack and could be popped out of the stack.
Input Tape

Finite State Control

stack

Figure 1: PushDown Automaton

Formal Definition:
A nondeterministic pushdown automaton or npda is a 7-tuple M = (Q, , , , q0, z, F),
where
Q is a finite set of states,
is a the input alphabet,
is the stack alphabet,
is a transition function, has the form
: Q X ( {}) X finite subsets of Q X *
q0 Q is the initial state,
z is the stack start symbol, and
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F Q is a set of final states.

Transition function: for any given state, input symbol and stack symbol, gives a new state
and stack symbol; i.e. it has the form: (P, a, t) (Q, u)
Basically, if, a , t and P and Q are states. Means read the symbol a from the input,
move from state P to state Q, and replace the symbol t on top of the stack with the symbol
u .
If u = t, then stack is unchanged.
If u = , then stack is popped
If u= wx, then t is replaced with x and w is pushed into the stack.
Example 1:
Construct PDA for the language L= {anbn | a, b n 0}.
Start at state q0 and keep Z0 in the stack.
The following transitions are possible:
1. If current state is q0, and symbol on input tape is at , and stack top is Z 0, then move to q2
the final state.
2. If current state is q0, and input tape symbol is a, and stack top Z 0, then stay in q0 and push
a to the stack.
3. If current state is q0, input tape symbol is a, and stack top is a, stay in q0 and push a to
the stack.
4. If current state is q0, input tape symbol is b, stack top is a, move to state q1 and pop the
top symbol of the stack.
5. If current state is q1, input tape symbol is b, stack top is a, stay in q1 and pop the top
symbol of the stack
6. If current state is q1, input tape symbol is and stack top is Z0, move to q2 the final state.
So we can define PDA as M = ({q0, q1, q2}, {a, b}, {a, b, Z0}, , q0, Z0, {q2}), where
is defined by following rules:
(q0, a, Z0) = {(q0, aZ0)}
(q0, a, a) = {(q0, aa)}
(q0, b, a) = {(q1, )}
(q1, b, a) = {(q1, )}
(q1, , Z0) = {(q2, )}
(q0, , Z0) = {(q2, )}

(q,x,Y) =

for all other possibilities

Graphical Notation of PDA:

To understand the behavior or PDA clearer, the transition diagram of PDA can be used.
Transition diagram of PDA is generalization of transition diagram of FA.
1. Node corresponds to states of PDA
2. Arrow labeled Start indicates start state
3. Doubly circled states are final states
4. Arc corresponds to transitions of PDA. If (q, a, X) = {(p, )} is an arc labeled (a,
X/) from state q to state p means that an input tape head positioned at symbol a and
stack top with X, moves automaton to state q and replaces the stack top with .
The transition diagram for the above example PDA is given in Figure 2.
b,a/

a, Z0/aZ0
a,a/aa

Start

b,a/

, Z0 /

Figure 2: Transition diagram

Instantaneous Description
:
Instantaneous Description or configuration of a PDA describes its execution status at
any time. Instantaneous Description is a represented by a triplet (q, w, u), where
1. q is the current state of the automaton,
2. w is the unread part of the input string, w *
3. u is the stack contents, written as a string, with the leftmost symbol at the top of the stack.
So u *
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Moves of A PDA:

Let the symbol "|-" indicates a move of the nPDA. There are two types of moves possible
for a PDA.
1. Move by consuming input symbol
Suppose that (q1, a, x) = {(q2, y), ...}. Then the following move by consuming an input
symbol is possible:
(q1, aW, xZ) |- (q2, W, yZ),
where W indicates the rest of the input string following the a, and Z indicates the rest of the
stack contents underneath the x. This notation says that in moving from state q 1 to state q2, an
input symbol a is consumed from the input string aW, and the symbol x at the top (left) of
the stack xZ is replaced with symbol y, leaving yZ on the stack.
The above example PDA with a few example input strings, the moves are given below:
a) Moves for the input string aabb:
(q0, aabb, Z0) |- (q0, abb, aZ0) as per transition rule (q0, a, Z0) = {(q0, aZ0)}
|- (q0, bb, aaZ0) as per transition rule (q0, a, a) = {(q0, aa)}
|- (q1, b, aZ0) as per transition rule (q0, b, a) = {(q1, )}
|- (q1, , Z0) as per transition rule (q0, b, a) = {(q1, )}
|- (q2, ,) as per transition rule (q1, , Z0) = {(q2, )}
PDA reached a configuration of (q2, ,). The input tape is empty, stack is empty and PDA
has reached a final state. So the string is accepted.
b)
Moves for the input string aaabb:
(q0, aaabb, Z0) |- (q0, aabb, aZ0) as per transition rule (q0, a, Z0) = {(q0, aZ0)}
|- (q0, abb, aaZ0) as per transition rule (q0, a, a) = {(q0, aa)}
|- (q0, bb, aaaZ0) as per transition rule (q0, a, a) = {(q0, aa)}
|- (q1, b, aaZ0) as per transition rule (q0, b, a) = {(q1, )}
|- (q1, , aZ0) as per transition rule (q0, b, a) = {(q1, )}
|- There is no defined move.
So the automaton stops and the string is not accepted.
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c)
Moves for the input string aabbb:
(q0, aabbb, Z0) |- (q0, abbb, aZ0) as per transition rule (q0, a, Z0) = {(q0, aZ0)}
|- (q0, bbb, aaZ0) as per transition rule (q0, a, a) = {(q0, aa)}
|- (q1, bb, aZ0) as per transition rule (q0, b, a) = {(q1, )}
|- (q1, b, Z0) as per transition rule (q0, b, a) = {(q1, )}
|- There is no defined move.
So the automaton stops and the string is not accepted.
2. - move
Suppose that (q1, , x) = {(q2, y), ...}. Then the following move without consuming an input
symbol is possible:
(q1, aW, xZ) |- (q2, aW, yZ),
This notation says that in moving from state q 1 to state q2, an input symbol a is not
consumed from the input string aW, and the symbol x at the top (left) of the stack xZ is
replaced with symbol y, leaving yZ on the stack. In this move, the tape head position will
not move forward. This move is usually used to represent non-determinism.
The relation |-* is the reflexive-transitive closure of |- used to represent zero or more moves
of PDA. For the above example, (q0, aabb, Z0) |-* (q2, ,).
Example 2:
Design a PDA to accept the set of all strings of 0s and 1s such that no prefix has more 1s
than 0s.
Solution: The transition diagram could be given as figure 3.

Figure 3: Transition diagram

M = ({a, b, c, d}, {0,1}, {0,1,Z}, , a, Z, {d}), where is given by:
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(a, 0, Z) ={(b, 0Z)}

(b, 0, 0) ={(b, 00)}

(b, 1, 0) ={(c, )}
(c, 0, 0) ={(b, 00)}
(c, 1, 0) ={(c, )}
(b, , 0) ={(d, 0)}
(b, , Z) ={(d, Z)}
(c, 0, Z) ={(b, 0Z)}
(c, , 0) ={(d, 0)}
(c, , Z) ={(d, Z)}
For all other moves, PDA stops.
Moves for the input string 0010110 is given by:
(a, 0010110, Z) |- (b, 010110, 0Z) |- (b,10110, 00Z) |- (c, 0110, 0Z) |- (b, 110, 00Z) |(c, 10, 0Z) |- (c, 0, Z) |- (b, , 0Z) |- (d, , 0Z).
So the input string is accepted by the PDA.
Moves for 011
(a,011,Z) |- (b,11,0Z) |- (c,1,Z) |-no move, so PDA stops
Exercises:
Construct PDA:
1. For the language L = {wcwR | w {a, b}*, c }
2. Accepting the set of all strings over {a, b} with equal number of as and bs. Show the
moves for abbaba
3. For the language L = {anb2n | a, b , n 0}
4. Accepting the language of balanced parentheses, (consider any type of parentheses)

Session by Ms. Jibi Abraham:

Finite Automata & Formal Languages
Push Down Automata
Languages of PDA
1. Languages of PDA
There are 2 ways of accepting an input string PDA
a. Accept by Final state
After consuming the input, PDA enters a final state. The content of the stack is
irrelevant.
b. Accept by empty stack
After consuming the input, stack of the PDA will be empty. The current state could be
final or non-final state.
Both methods are equivalent. It is possible to covert a PDA accept by final state to another
PDA accept by empty stack and also the vice versa. Usually the languages that a PDA accept
by final state and PDA by empty stack are different. For example the language {L = anbm | n
m}, the appropriate PDA could be by final state. After consuming the input, the stack may
not be empty.
Accept by Final state
:
Let P = (Q, , , , q0, Z0, F) be a PDA. Then L(P), the language accepted by P by the final
state is
{w | (q0, w, Z0) |-* (q, , )}, where q F and *
Example: L = {wwR | w is in (0 + 1)*}, the language for even length palindrome.
Acceptable input strings are like 00, 1111, 0110, 101101, and 110011. In the string 0110, the
difficulty is how to decide the middle of the input string? The 3rd 1 can be part of w or can
be part of wR. The PDA could be constructed as below.
M = ({q0, q1, q2}, {0, 1}, {0, 1,Z0}, , q0, Z0, q2), where is defined by:
(q0, 0, Z0) = {(q0, 0Z0)}
(q0, 1, Z0) = {(q0, 1Z0)}
(q0, 0, 0) = {(q0, 00)}
(q0, 1, 1) = {(q0, 11)}
(q0, 0, 1) = {(q0, 01)}
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(q0, 1, 0) = {(q0, 10)}

(q0, , Z0) = {(q1, Z0)}
(q0, , 0) = {(q1, 0)}
(q0, , 1) = {(q1, 1)}
(q1, 0, 0) = {(q1, )}
(q1, 1, 1) = {(q1, )}
(q1, , Z0) = {(q2, Z0)}
(q0, wwR, Z0) |-* (q0, wR, wRZ0) |- (q1, wR, wRZ0) |-* (q1, , Z0) |- (q2, , Z0)
The transition diagram for the PDA is given in figure 1.
0, Z0/0Z0
1, Z0/1Z0
0,0/00
1,1/11
0,1/ 01
1,0/ 10

0,0/
1,1/

,0/0
,1/1
, Z0/ Z0

, Z0 / Z0

Figure 1: Transition Diagram for L = {wwR}

The moves of the PDA for the input string 101101 are given figure 2.

Figure 2: moves of PDA for string 101101

Accept by empty stack:

Let PDA P = (Q, , , , q0, Z0). We define the language accepted by empty stack by
N(P) = {w | (q0, w, Z0) |-* (q, , )}, where q Q
Example:
Construct PDA to accept by empty stack for the language L = {wwR | w is in (0 + 1)*}
Instead of the transition (q1, , Z0) = {(q2, Z0)} give (q1, , Z0) = {(q2, )} to get accept
by empty stack. The set of accepting states are irrelevant. This example also shows that L(P)
= N(P)
Example:
Construct PDA to accept by empty stack for the language L={0i1j | 0 i j}
The transition diagram for the PDA is given in Figure 3.

0, 0/00
0, Z0/0Z0

1, 0/

1,Z0/Z0
1, 0/

p
,

1, Z0/Z0
1, Z0/Z0
, Z0/Z0

,Z0/

Z0/Z0

Figure 3: transition diagram of 0i1j | 0 i j

2. Conversion between the two forms:
a. From Empty Stack to Final State:
Theorem: If L = N(PN) for some PDA PN= (Q, , , N, q0, Z0), then there is a PDA PF
such that L = L(PF)
Proof:

PN
p0

, X0/Z0X0

q0
, X0/

(add this transition from all states of PN to

new state Pf)

Pf
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Figure 4: PF simulates PN
The method of conversion is given in figure 4.
We use a new symbol X0, which must be not symbol of to denote the stack start symbol for
PF. Also add a new start state p0 and final state pf for PF. Let PF = (Q{p0, pf}, ,
{X0}, F, p0, X0, {Pf}), where F is defined by
F(p0, , X0) = {(q0, Z0 X0)} to push X0 to the bottom of the stack
F(q, a, y) = N(q, a, y) a or a = and y , same for both PN and PF.
F(q, , X0) = {(Pf, )} to accept the string by moving to final state.
The moves of PF to accept a string w can be written like:
(p0, w, X0) |-P (p0, w, Z0X0) |-*P (q, , X0) |- (Pf , , )
F
F
b. From Final State to Empty Stack:
Theorem: If L = L(PF) for some PDA PF= (Q, , , F, q0, Z0, F), then there is a PDA PN
such that L = N(PN)

Proof:

, X0/Z0X0

q0
,

Figure 5: PN simulates PF
The method of conversion is given in figure 5.
To avoid PF accidentally empting its stack, initially change the stack start content from Z 0 to
Z0X0. Also add a new start state p0 and final state p for PN. Let PN = (Q{p0, p}, ,
{X0}, N, p0, X0), where N is defined by:
N(p0, , X0) = {(q0, Z0X0)} to change the stack content initially
N(q , a, y) = F(q , a, y), a or a = and y , same for both
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N(q , , y) = {(p , )}, q F, y or y = X0 , same for both

N(p , , y) = {(p, )}, y or y = X0, to pop the remaining stack contents..
The moves of PN to accept a string w can be written like:
(p0, w, X0) |-P (q0, w, Z0X0) |-*P (q, , X0) |- (p, , )
N
N
Example:
Construct PDA to accept by final state the language of all strings of 0s and 1s such that
number of 1s is less than number of 0s. Also convert the PDA to accept by empty stack.
Solution:
PDA by final state is given by
M = ({q0, q1}, {0, 1}, {0, 1,Z}, , q0, Z, {q1}), where is given by:
(q0, 0, Z) = {(q0, 0Z)}
(q0, 1, Z) = {(q0, 1Z)}
(q0, 0, 0) = {(q0, 00)}
(q0, 0,1) = {(q0, )}
(q0, 1, 1) = {(q0, 11)}
(q0, 1,0) = {(q0, )}
(q0, ,Z) = {(q1, Z)}
(q0, ,0) = {(q1, 0)}
For all other moves, PDA stops.
PDA by empty stack is given by M = ({q0, q1, q2}, {0, 1}, {0, 1, Z}, , q0, Z), where is
the union of and the transitions given below:
(q1, ,Z) = {(q2, )}
(q1, ,0) = {(q2, )}
(q2, ,0) = {(q2, )}
(q2, ,Z) = {(q2, )}
Exercises:
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Design nPDA to accept the language:

1. {aibjck | i, j, k 0 and i = j or i = k}
2. {aibjci+j | i, j 0}
3. {aibi+jcj | i 0, j 1}

Finite Automata & Formal Languages

Push Down Automata
Equivalence of PDA and CFG
I.

Equivalence of PDA and CFG

The aim is to prove that the following three classes of languages are same:
1. Context Free Language defined by CFG
2. Language accepted by PDA by final state
3. Language accepted by PDA by empty stack
It is possible to convert between any 3 classes. The representation is shown in figure 1.

CFG

PDA by
empty stack

PDA by
Final state

Figure 1: Equivalence of PDA and CFG

From CFG to PDA:
Given a CFG G, we construct a PDA P that simulates the leftmost derivations of G. The stack
symbols of the new PDA contain all the terminal and non-terminals of the CFG. There is
only one state in the new PDA; all the rest of the information is encoded in the stack. Most
transitions are on , one for each production. New transitions are added, each one
corresponding to terminals of G. For every intermediate sentential form uA in the leftmost
derivation of w (initially w = uv for some v), M will have A on its stack after reading u. At
the end (case u = w) the stack will be empty.
Let G = (V, T, Q, S) be a CFG. The PDA which accepts L(G) by empty stack is given by:
P = ({q}, T, V T, , q, S) where is defined by:
1. For each variable A include a transition,
(q, , A) = {(q, b) | A b is a production of Q}
2. For each terminal a, include a transition
(q, a, a) = {(q, )}
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CFG to PDA conversion is another way of constructing PDA. First construct CFG, and then
convert CFG to PDA.
Example:
Convert the grammar with following production to PDA accepted by empty stack:
S 0S1 | A
A 1A0 | S |
Solution:
P = ({q}, {0, 1}, {0, 1, A, S}, , q, S), where is given by:
(q, , S) = {(q, 0S1), (q, A)}
(q, , A) = {(q, 1A0), (q, S), (q, )}
(q, 0, 0) = {(q, )}
(q, 1, 1) = {(q, )}
From PDA to CFG:
Let P = (Q, , , , q0, Z0) be a PDA. An equivalent CFG is G = (V, , R, S), where
V = {S, [pXq]}, where p, q Q and X , productions of R consists of
1. For all states p, G has productions S [q0Z0 p]
2. Let (q,a,X) = {(r, Y1Y2Yk)} where a or a = , k can be 0 or any number and
r1r2 rk are list of states. G has productions
[qXrk] a[rY1r1] [r1Y2r2] [rk-1Ykrk]
If k = 0 then [qXr] a
Example:
Construct PDA to accept if-else of a C program and convert it to CFG. (This does not accept
if if else-else statements).
Let the PDA P = ({q}, {i, e}, {X,Z}, , q, Z), where is given by:
(q, i, Z) = {(q, XZ)}, (q, e, X) = {(q, )} and (q, , Z) = {(q, )}
Solution:
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Equivalent productions are:

S [qZq]
[qZq] i[qXq][qZq]
[qXq] e
[qZq]
If [qZq] is renamed to A and [qXq] is renamed to B, then the CFG can be defined by:
G = ({S, A, B}, {i, e}, {SA, AiBA | , B e}, S)
Example:
Convert PDA to CFG. PDA is given by P = ({p,q}, {0,1}, {X,Z}, , q, Z)), Transition
function is defined by:
(q, 1, Z) = {(q, XZ)}
(q, 1, X) = {(q, XX)}
(q, , X) = {(q, )}
(q, 0, X) = {(p, X)}
(p, 1, X) = {(p, )}
(p, 0, Z) = {(q, Z)}
Solution:
Add productions for start variable
S [qZq] | [qZp]
For (q, 1, Z)= {(q, XZ)}
[qZq] 1[qXq][qZq]
[qZq] 1[qXp][pZq]
[qZp] 1[qXq][qZp]
[qZp] 1[qXp][pZp]
For (q, 1, X)= {(q, XX)}
[qXq] 1[qXq][qXq]
[qXq] 1[qXp][pXq]
[qXp] 1[qXq][qXp]
[qXp] 1[qXp][pXp]
For (q, , X) = {(q, )}
[qXq]
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For (q, 0, X) = {(p, X)}

[qXq] 0[pXq]
[qXp] 0[pXp]
For (p, 1, X) = {(p, )}
[pXp] 1
For (p, 0, Z) = {(q, Z)}
[pZq] 0[qZq]
[pZp] 0[qZp]
Renaming the variables [qZq] to A, [qZp] to B, [pZq] to C, [pZp] to D, [qXq] to E [qXp] to
F, [pXp] to G and [pXq] to H, the equivalent CFG can be defined by:
G = ({S, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H}, {0,1}, R, S). The productions of R also are to be
renamed accordingly.
Exercises:
a. Convert to PDA, CFG with productions:
1. A aAA, A aS | bS | a
2. S SS | (S) |
3. S aAS | bAB | aB, A bBB | aS | a, B bA | a
b. Convert to CFG, PDA with transition function:
(q, 0, Z) = {(q, XZ)}
(q, 0, X) = {(q, XX)}
(q, 1, X) = {(q, X)}
(q, , X) = {(p, )}
(p, 1, X) = {(p, XX)}
(p, , X) = {(p, )}
(p, 1, Z) = {(p, )}
II.

Deterministic PDA:

NPDA provides non-determinism to PDA. Deterministic PDAs (DPDA) are very useful for use in programming languages. For example
Parsers used in YACC are DPDAs.

Definition:
A PDA P= (Q, , , , q0, Z0, F) is deterministic if and only if,
90

1.(q,a,X) has at most one member for qQ, a or a= and X

2.If (q,a,X) is not empty for some a, then (q, ,X) must be empty
DPDA is less powerful than nPDA. The Context Free Languages could be recognized by
nPDA. The class of language DPDA accept is in between than of Regular language and
CFL. NPDA can be constructed for accepting language of palindromes, but not by DPDA.

Example:
Construct DPDA which accepts the language L = {wcwR | w {a, b}*, c }.
The transition diagram for the DPDA is given in figure 2.

0, Z0/0Z0
1, Z0/1Z0
0,0/00
1,1/11
0,1/ 01
1,0/ 10

0,0/
1,1/

c,0/0
c,1/1
c, Z0/ Z0

, Z0 / Z0

Figure 2: DPDA L = {wcwR}

Exercises:
Construct DPDA for the following:
1. Accepting the language of balanced parentheses. (Consider any type of parentheses)
2. Accepting strings with number of as is more than number of bs
3. Accepting {0n1m| n m}
DPDA and Regular Languages:
The class of languages DPDA accepts is in between regular languages and CFLs. The DPDA
languages include all regular languages. The two modes of acceptance are not same for
DPDA.
To accept with final state:

If L is a regular language, L=L(P) for some DPDA P. PDA surely includes a stack, but the
DPDA used to simulate a regular language does not use the stack. The stack is inactive
always. If A is the FA for accepting the language L, then P(q,a,Z)={(p,Z)} for all p, q Q
such that A(q,a)=p.
To accept with empty stack:
Every regular language is not N(P) for some DPDA P. A language L = N(P) for some DPDA
P if and only if L has prefix property. Definition of prefix property of L states that if x, y L,
then x should not be a prefix of y, or vice versa. Non-Regular language L=WcW R could be
accepted by DPDA with empty stack, because if you take any x, y L(WcWR), x and y
satisfy the prefix property. But the language, L={0*} could be accepted by DPDA with final
state, but not with empty stack, because strings of this language do not satisfy the prefix
property. So N(P) are properly included in CFL L, ie. N(P) L
DPDA and Ambiguous grammar:
DPDA is very important to design of programming languages because languages DPDA
accept are unambiguous grammars. But all unambiguous grammars are not accepted by
DPDA. For example S 0S0|1S1| is an unambiguous grammar corresponds to the
language of palindromes. This is language is accepted by only nPDA. If L = N(P) for DPDA
P, then surely L has unambiguous CFG.
If L = L(P) for DPDA P, then L has unambiguous CFG. To convert L(P) to N(P) to have
prefix property by adding an end marker $ to strings of L. Then convert N(P) to CFG G.
From G we have to construct G to accept L by getting rid of $ .So add a new production
$ as a variable of G.

Simplification of CFG
The goal is to take an arbitrary Context Free Grammar G = (V, T, P, S) and perform
transformations on the grammar that preserve the language generated by the grammar but
reach a specific format for the productions. A CFG can be simplified by eliminating
1. Useless symbols
Those variables or terminals that do not appear in any derivation of a terminal string
starting from Start variable, S.
2. - Productions
A , where A is a variable
3. Unit production
A B, A and B are variables

Eliminate useless symbols:

Definition: Symbol X is useful for a grammar G = (V, T, P, S) if there is S * X *w,

w*. If X is not useful, then it is useless.
Omitting useless symbols from a grammar does not change the language generated
Example:
S aSb | | A, A aA. Here A is a useless symbol
SA, AaA | , B bB. Here B is a useless symbol
Symbol X is useful if both the conditions given below are satisfied in that order itself.
1. X is generating variable. ie if X * w, where w*
2. X is reachable. ie if S * X
Theorem:
Let G = (V, T, P, S) be a CFG and assume that L(G) , then G1=(V1, T1, P1, S) be a
grammar without useless symbols by
1. Eliminating non generating symbols
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2. Eliminating symbols that are non reachable

Elimination has to be performed only in the order of 1 followed by 2. Otherwise the grammar
produced will not be completely useless symbols eliminated.
Example:
Consider a grammar with productions: S AB|a, A a. If the order of eliminations is 1
followed by 2 gives S a. If the order of eliminations is 2 followed by 1 gives S a, A
a. Here A is still useless symbol, so completely useless symbols are not eliminated.

Eliminate non-generating symbols:

Generating symbols follow to one of the categories below:

1. Every symbol of T is generating
2. If A and is already generating, then A is generating
Non-generating symbols = V- generating symbols.
Example:
G= ({S, A, B}, {a}, S AB | a, A a}, S)
Solution:
B is a non-generating symbol. After eliminating B, we get
G1= ({S, A}, {a}, {S a, A a}, S)
Example:
Eliminate the non-generating symbols from S aS | A | C, A a, B aa, C aCb
Solution:
C is a non-generating symbol. After eliminating C gets, S aS | A, A a, B aa
Eliminate symbols that are non reachable:
Dependency Graph: For the production C xDy, the dependency graph is given below.
94

Draw dependency graph for all productions. If there is no edge reaching a variable X from
Start symbol S, then X is non reachable.
Example:
Eliminate non-reachable symbols from G= ({S, A}, {a}, {S a, A a}, S)
Solution:
S

Draw the dependency graph as given above. A is non-reachable from S. After eliminating A,
G1= ({S}, {a}, {S a}, S)
Example:
Eliminate non-reachable symbols from S aS | A, A a, B aa
A

Draw the dependency graph as given above. B is non-reachable from S. After eliminating B,
we get the grammar with productions S aS | A, A a

Example
:

Eliminate useless symbols from the grammar with productions S AB | CA, B BC | AB,
A a, C AB | b
Step 1: Eliminate non-generating symbols
V1 = {A, C, S}
P1 = {S CA, A a, C b}
Step
2: Eliminate symbols that are non reachable

Draw the dependency graph as given above. All Variables are reachable. So the final
variables and productions are same V1 and P1.
V2 = {A, C, S}
P2 = {S CA, A a, C b}
Exercises:
Eliminate useless symbols from the grammar

1. P= {S aAa, A Sb | bCC, C abb,

E aC}
2. P= {S aBa | BC, A aC | BCC, C a, B bcc, D E, E d}
3. P= {S aAa, A bBB, B ab, C aB}
4. P= {S aS | AB, A bA, B AA}

III. Eliminate - Productions:

Most theorems and methods about grammars G assume L(G) does not contain . So if is not
there in L(G), then we have to find out an equivalent G without -productions.
Example for a grammar G with - productions is
S ABA, A aA | , B bB |
The procedure to find out an equivalent G with out -productions
1. Find nullable variables
2. Add productions with nullable variables removed.
3. Remove -productions and duplicates
Step 1: Find set of nullable variables
Nullable variables: Variables that can be replaced by null (). If A * then A is a nullable
variable.
96

In the grammar with productions S ABA, A aA | , B bB | , A is nullable because of

the production A . B is nullable because of the production B . S is nullable because
both A and B are nullable.

Algorithm to find nullable variables is given below:

V: set of variables
N0 {A | A in V, production A }
Repeat
Ni Ni-1U {A| A in V, A , in Ni-1}
until Ni = Ni-1
Step 2: Add productions with nullable variables removed
For each production of the form A w, create all possible productions of the form A w,
where w is obtained from w by removing one or more occurrences of nullable variables.
Example:
In the grammar with productions S ABA, A aA | , B bB | , A, B and S are nullable
variables. So after removing nullable variables we get the productions
S ABA | BA | AA | AB | A | B |
A aA | | a
B bB | | b
Step 3: Remove -productions and duplicates
The desired grammar consists of the original productions together with the productions
constructed in step 2, minus any productions of the form A .
Example:
For the above example we get the final grammar with productions
S ABA | BA | AA | AB | A | B

A aA | a
B bB | b
Example:
Find out the grammar without - Productions
G = ({S, A, B, D}, {a}, {S aS | AB, A , B , D b}, S)

Solution:
Nullable variables = {S, A, B}
New Set of productions:
S aS | a
S AB | A | B
Db
G1= ({S, B, D}, {a}, {S aS | a | AB | A | B, D b}, S)
Exercise:
Eliminate - productions from the grammar
1.
2.
3.
4.

S a |Xb | aYa, X Y| , Y b | X
S Xa, X aX | bX |
S XY, X Zb, Y bW, Z AB, W Z, A aA | bB | , B Ba | Bb|
S ASB | , A aAS | a, B SbS | A| bb

But if you have to get a grammar without - productions and useless symbols, follow the
sequence given below:
1. Eliminate - productions and obtain G1
2. Eliminate useless symbols from G1 and obtain G2
Example:
Eliminate - productions and useless symbols from the grammar
S a |aA|B|C, A aB| , B aA, C aCD, D ddd
Step 1: Eliminate - productions

Nullable ={A}
P1={S a |aA | B | C, A aB, B aA|a, C aCD, D ddd
Step 2: Eliminating useless symbols

Step 2a: Eliminate non-generating symbols

Generating ={D, B, A, S}
P2={S a | aA| B, A aB, B aA|a, D ddd}
Step 2b: Eliminate non -reachable symbols

C is non-reachable, eliminating C gets

P3= S a |aA|B, A aB, B aA|a}

100

Eliminate unit productions:

Definition:
Unit production is of form A B, where A and B are variables.
Unit productions could complicate certain proofs and they also introduce extra steps into
derivations that technically need not be there. The algorithm for eliminating unit productions
from the set of production P is given below:
1. Add all non unit productions of P to P1
2. For each unit production A B, add to P1 all productions A , where B is a
non-unit production in P.
3. Delete all the unit productions
Example:
Eliminate unit productions from S ABA | BA | AA | AB | A | B, A aA | a, B bB|b
Solution:
The unit productions are S A, S B. So A and B are derivable
. Now add productions from derivable.
S ABA | BA | AA | AB | A | B | aA | a | bB | b
A aA | a
B bB | b
Remove unit productions from above productions to get
S ABA | BA | AA | AB | aA | a | bB | b
A aA | a
B bB | b
Example:
Eliminate unit productions from S Aa | B, A a | bc | B, B A | bb
Solution:
101

Unit productions are S B, A B and B A. So A and B are derivable. Add productions

from derivable and eliminate unit productions to get,
S Aa | bb | a | bc
A a | bc | bb
B bb | a | bc

Simplified Grammar:
If you have to get a grammar without - productions, useless symbols and unit productions,
follow the sequence given below:
1. Eliminate - productions from G and obtain G1
2. Eliminate unit productions from G1 and obtain G2
3. Eliminate useless symbols from G2and obtain G3
Example:
Eliminate useless symbols, -productions and unit productions from the grammar with
productions:
S a | aA | B| C, A aB | , B aA, C cCD, D ddd
Step 1: Eliminate -productions
Nullable = {A}
P1 = {S a | aA | B | C, A aB, B aA | a, C cCD, D ddd}
Step 2: Eliminate unit productions
Unit productions are S B and S C. So Derivable variables are B and C.
P2 = {S a | aA | cCD, A aB, B aA | a, C cCD, D ddd}
Step 3: Eliminate useless symbols
After eliminate non-generating symbol C we get
P3 = {S a | aA, A aB, B aA | a, D ddd}
After eliminate symbols that are non reachable
102

P4 = {S a | aA, A aB, B aA | a}
So the equivalent grammar G1 = ({S, A, B}, {a}, {S a | aA, A aB, B aA | a}, S)

II.

Chomsky Normal Form (CNF)

Every nonempty CFL without , has a grammar in CNF with productions of the form:
1. A BC, where A, B, C V
2. A a, where A V and a T
Algorithm to produce a grammar in CNF:
1. Eliminate useless symbols, -productions and unit productions from the grammar
2. Elimination of terminals on RHS of a production
a) Add all productions of the form A BC or A a to P1
b) Consider a production A X1X2Xn with some terminals of RHS. If Xi is
a terminal say ai, then add a new variable Cai to V1 and a new production Cai
ai to P1. Replace Xi in A production of P by Cai
c) Consider A X1X2Xn, where n 3 and all Xis are variables. Introduce
new productions A X1C1, C1 X2C2, , Cn-2 Xn-1Xn to P1 and
C1, C2, , Cn-2 to V1
Example:
Convert to CNF: S aAD, A aB | bAB, B b, D d
Solution:
Step1: Simplify the grammar
Grammar is already simplified.
Step2a: Elimination of terminals on RHS
Change S aAD to S CaAD, Ca a
A aB to A CaB
103

A bAB to A CbAB, Cb b

104

Step2b: Reduce RHS with 2 variables

Change S CaAD to S CaC1, C1 AD
A CbAB to A CbC2, C2 AB
Grammar converted to CNF is given below:
G1=({S, A, B, D, Ca, Cb, C1, C2}, {a, b}, S CaC1, A CaB| CbC2, Caa, Cbb, C1
AD, C2AB}, S)
Example:
Convert the grammar with following productions to CNF:
P={S ASB | , A aAS | a, B SbS | A | bb}
Solution:
Step1: Simplify the grammar
Step 1a: Eliminate -productions: Consists of S
Eliminating -productions from P to get:
P1={S ASB|AB, A aAS | aA | a, B SbS | Sb | bS | b | A | bb}
Step 1b: Eliminate unit productions: B A
P2= {S ASB|AB, A aAS|aA|a, B SbS | Sb | bS | b | bb | aAS | aA | a}
Step 1c: Eliminate useless symbols: no useless symbols
Step2: Convert to CNF
P3={S AC1 | AB, A CaC2 | CaA | a,
B SC3 | SCb | CbS | b | CbCb | CaC2 | CaA | a,
Ca a, Cb b, C1 SB, C2 AS, C3 CbS}
Exercises:
Convert the following grammar with productions to CNF:
105

1.
2.
3.
4.

S aSa | bSb | a | b | aa | bb
S bA | aB, A bAA | aS | a, B aBB | bS | b
S Aba, A aab, B AC
S 0A0 |1B1 | BB, A C, B S|A, C S|

5. S aAa | bBb| , A C|a, B C | b, C CDE |, D A | B | ab

III. Greibach Normal Form (GNF):

Every nonempty language without is L(G) for some grammar G with productions are of the
form
A a,
where a T and is a string of zero or more variables. Conversion to GNF is a complex
process. Converting CFG in GNF to PDA gets a PDA without -rules.
Example:
Transform into Greibach normal form the grammar with productions
S 0S1 | 01
Solution:
S 0SA | 0A, A 1

Usage of GNF
:
Construction of PDA from a GNF grammar can be made more meaningful with GNF.
Assume that the PDA has two states: start state q0 and accepting state q1.
An S rule of the form S aA1A2An generates a transition that processes the terminal a,
pushes the variables A1A2An on the stack and enters q1.
The remainder of the computation uses the input symbol and the stack top to determine the
appropriate transition.

106

The Pumping Lemma for CFL

The pumping lemma for regular languages states that every sufficiently long string in a
regular language contains a short sub-string that can be pumped. That is, inserting as many
copies of the sub-string as we like always yields a string in the regular language.
The pumping lemma for CFLs states that there are always two short sub-strings close
together that can be repeated, both the same number of times, as often as we like.
For example, consider a
CFL L={anbn | n 1}. Equivalent CNF grammar is having productions S AC | AB, A
a, B b, C SB. The parse tree for the string a4b4
is given in figure 1. Both leftmost derivation and rightmost derivation have same parse tree
because the grammar is unambiguous.

Figure 1: Parse tree for a4b4

Figure 2: Extended Parse tree for a4b4

Extend the tree by duplicating the terminals generated at each level on all lower levels. The
extended parse tree for the string a4b4
is given in figure 2. Number of symbols at each level is at most twice of previous level. 1
symbols at level 0, 2 symbols at 1, 4 symbols at 2 2 i symbols at level i. To have 2n
symbols at bottom level, tree must be having at least depth of n and level of at least n+1.

Pumping Lemma Theorem:

107

Let L be a CFL. Then there exists a constant k 0 such that if z is any string in L such that |z|
k, then we can write z = uvwxy such that
1. |vwx| k (that is, the middle portion is not too long).
2. vx (since v and x are the pieces to be pumped, at least one of the strings we
pump must not be empty).
3. For all i 0, uviwxiy is in L.
Proof:
The parse tree for a grammar G in CNF will be a binary tree. Let k = 2 n+1, where n is the
number of variables of G. Suppose z L(G) and |z| k. Any parse tree for z must be of depth
at least n+1. The longest path in the parse tree is at least n+1, so this path must contain at
least n+1 occurrences of the variables. By pigeonhole principle, some variables occur more
than once along the path. Reading from bottom to top, consider the first pair of same variable
along the path. Say X has 2 occurrences. Break z into uvwxy such that w is the string of
terminals generated at the lower occurrence of X and vwx is the string generated by upper
occurrence of X.
Example parse tree:
For the above example S has repeated occurrences, and the parse tree is shown in figure 3. w = ab is the string generated by lower
occurrence of S and vwx = aabb is the string generated by upper occurrence of S. So here u=aa, v=a, w=ab, x=b, y=bb.

Figure 3: Parse tree for a4b4 with

repeated occurrences of S circled.

Figure 4: sub- trees

108

Let T be the subtree rooted at upper occurrence of S and t be subtree rooted at lower
occurrence of S. These parse trees are shown in figure 4. To get uv2wx2y L, cut out t and
replace it with copy of T. The parse tree for uv2wx2y L is given in figure 5. Cutting out t
and replacing it with copy of T as many times to get a valid parse tree for uviwxiy for i 1.

Figure 5: Parse tree for uv2wx2y

Figure 6: Parse tree for uwy L

To get uwy L, cut T out of the original tree and replace it with t to get a parse tree of
uv0wx0y = uwy as shown in figure 6.
Pumping Lemma game:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

To show that a language L is not a CFL, assume L is context free.

Choose an appropriate string z in L
Express z = uvwxy following rules of pumping lemma
Show that uvkwxky is not in L, for some k
The above contradicts the Pumping Lemma
Our assumption that L is context free is wrong

Example:
Show that L = {aibici | i 1} is not CFL
Solution:
Assume L is CFL. Choose an appropriate z = a nbncn = uvwxy. Since |vwx| n then vwx can
either consists of

109

1. All as or all bs or all cs

2. Some as and some bs
3. Some bs and some cs
Case 1: vwx consists of all as
If z = a2b2c2 and u = , v = a, w = , x = a and y = b2c2 then, uv2wx2y will be a4b2c2L
Case 2: vwx consists of some as and some bs
If z = a2b2c2 and u = a, v = a, w = , x = b, y = bc2, then uv2wx2y will be a3b3c2 L
Case 3: vwx consists of some bs and some cs
If z = a2b2c2 and u = a2b, v = b, w = c, x = , y = c, then uv2wx2y will be a2b3c2 L
If you consider any of the above 3 cases, uv 2wx2y will not be having an equal number of as,
bs and cs. But Pumping Lemma says uv 2wx2y L. Cant contradict the pumping lemma!
Our original assumption must be wrong. So L is not context-free.
Example:
Show that L = {ww |w {0, 1}*} is not CFL
Solution:
Assume L is CFL. It is sufficient to show that L1= {0 m1n0m1n | m,n 0}, where n is
pumping lemma constant, is a CFL. Pick any z = 0n1n0n1n = uvwxy, satisfying the
conditions |vwx| n and vx .
This language we prove by taking the case of i = 0, in the pumping lemma satisfying the
condition uviwxiy for i 0.
z is having a length of 4n. So if |vwx| n, then |uwy| 3n. According to pumping lemma,
uwy L. Then uwy will be some string in the form of tt, where t is repeating. If so, n |t|
3n/2.
Suppose vwx is within first n 0s: let vx consists of k 0s. Then uwy begins with 0n-k1n
|uwy| = 4n-k. If uwy is some repeating string tt, then |t| =2n-k/2. t does end in 0 but tt ends
with 1. So second t is not a repetition of first t.

110

Example: z = 03130313, vx = 02 then uwy = tt = 0130313, so first t = 01 30 and second

0213. Both ts are not same.

Suppose vwx consists of 1st block of 0s and first block of 1s: vx consists of only 0s if
x= , then uwy is not in the form tt. If vx has at least one 1, then |t| is at least 3n/2 and first t
ends with a 0, not a 1.
Very similar explanations could be given for the cases of vwx consists of first block of 1s
and vwx consists of 1st block of 1s and 2nd block of 0s. In all cases uwy is expected to be in
the form of tt. But first t and second t are not the same string. So uwy is not in L and L is not
context free.
Example:

Show that L={0i1j2i3j | i 1, j 1} is not CFL

Solution:
Assume L is CFL. Pick z = uvwxy = 0n1n2n3n where |vwx| n and vx
. vwx can consist of a substring of one of the symbols or straddles of two adjacent symbols.
Case 1: vwx consists of a substring of one of the symbols
Then uwy has n of 3 different symbols and fewer than n of 4th symbol. Then uwy is not in L.
Case 2: vwx consists of 2 adjacent symbols say 1 & 2
Then uwy is missing some 1s or 2s and uwy is not in L.
If we consider any combinations of above cases, we get uwy, which is not CFL. This
contradicts the assumption. So L is not a CFL.

Exercises:
Using pumping lemma for CFL prove that below languages are not context free
1. {0p | p is a prime}
2. {anbnci | i n}

111

112

Closure Properties of CFL

Many operations on Context Free Languages (CFL) guarantee to produce CFL. A few do not
produce CFL. Closure properties consider operations on CFL that are guaranteed to produce
a CFL. The CFLs are closed under substitution, union, concatenation, closure (star),
reversal, homomorphism and inverse homomorphism. CFLs are not closed under
intersection (but the intersection of a CFL and a regular language is always a CFL),
complementation, and set-difference.
I.

Substitution:

By substitution operation, each symbol in the strings of one language is replaced by an entire
CFL language
.
Example:
S(0) = {anbn| n 1}, S(1)={aa,bb} is a substitution on alphabet ={0, 1}.
Theorem:
If a substitution s assigns a CFL to every symbol in the alphabet of a CFL L, then s(L) is a
CFL.
Proof:

Let G = (V, , P, S) be grammar for the CFL L. Let G a = (Va, Ta, Pa, Sa) be the grammar
corresponding to each terminal a and V Va = . Then G= (V, T, P, S) is a grammar
for s(L) where
V = V Va

T= union of Tas all for a

P consists of
o All productions in any Pa for a
o
o The productions of P, with each terminal a is replaced by S a everywhere a
occurs.

113

Example:
L = {0n1n| n 1}, generated by the grammar S 0S1 | 01, s(0) = {anbm | m n}, generated
by the grammar S aSb | A; A aA | ab, s(1) = {ab, abc}, generated by the grammar S
abA, A c |
. Rename second and third Ss to S 0 and S1, respectively. Rename second A to B. Resulting
grammars are:
S 0S1 | 01
S0 aS0b | A; A aA | ab
S1 abB; B c |
In the first grammar replace 0 by S0 and 1 by S1. The resulted grammar after substitution is:
S S0SS1 | S0S1
S0 aS0b | A; A aA | ab
S1abB; B c |
II.

Application of substitution:

a. Closure under union of CFLs L1 and L2:

Use L={a, b}, s(a)=L1 and s(b)=L2. Then s(L)= L1 L2.
How t
o get grammar for L1 L2 ?
Add new start symbol S and rules S S1 | S2
The grammar for L1 L2 is G = (V, T, P, S) where V = {V1 V2 S}, S (V1 V2)
and P = {P1 P2 {S S1 | S2 }}
Example:
L1 = {anbn | n 0}, L2 = {bnan | n 0}. Their corresponding grammars are
G1: S1 aS1b | , G2 : S2 bS2a |
The grammar for L1 L2 is
G = ({S, S1, S2}, {a, b}, {S S1 | S2, S1 aS1b | , S2 bS2a}, S).

114

b. Closure under concatenation of CFLs L1 and L2:

Let L={ab}, s(a)=L1 and s(b)=L2. Then s(L)=L1L2
How to get grammar for L1L2?
Add new start symbol and rule S S1S2
The grammar for L1L2 is G = (V, T, P, S) where V = V1 V2 {S}, S V1 V2
and P = P1 P2 {S S1S2}
Example:
L1 = {anbn | n 0}, L2 = {bnan | n 0} then L1L2 = {anb{n+m}am | n, m 0}
Their corresponding grammars are
G1: S1 aS1b | , G2 : S2 bS2a |
The grammar for L1L2 is
G = ({S, S1, S2}, {a, b}, {S S1S2, S1 aS1b | , S2 bS2a}, S).
c. Closure under Kleenes star (closure * and positive closure +) of CFLs L1:
Let L = {a}* (or L = {a}+) and s(a) = L1. Then s(L) = L1* (or s(L) = L1+).
Example:
L1 = {anbn | n 0} (L1)* = {a{n1}b{n1} ... a{nk}b{nk} | k 0 and ni 0 for all i}
2
L2 = {a{n } | n 1}, (L2)* = a*
How t
o get grammar for (L1)*:
Add new start symbol S and rules S SS1 | .
The grammar for (L1)* is
G = (V, T, P, S), where V = V1 {S}, S V1,
P= P1 {S SS1 | }

115

d. Closure under homomorphism of CFL Li for every ai :

Suppose L is a CFL over alphabet and h is a homomorphism on . Let s be a substitution
that replaces every a , by h(a). ie s(a) = {h(a)}. Then h(L) = s(L). ie h(L) ={h(a 1)h(ak)
| k 0} where h(ai) is a homomorphism for every ai .
III.
IV.

Closure under
Reversal:

L is a CFL, so LR is a CFL. It is enough to reverse each production of a CFL for L, i.e., to

substitute each production A by AR.
IV.

Intersection:

The CFLs are not closed under intersection

Example:
The language L = {0n1n2n | n 1} is not context-free. But L1 = {0n1n2i | n 1, i 1} is a
CFL and L2 = {0i1n2n | n 1, i 1} is also a CFL. But L = L1 L2.
Corresponding grammars for L1: SAB; A0A1 | 01; B2B | 2 and corresponding
grammars for L2: S AB; A0A | 0; B1B2 | 12.
However, L = L1 L2 , thus intersection of CFLs is not CFL
a. Intersection of
a. CFL and Regular Language:
Theorem: If L is CFL and R is a regular language, then L R is a CFL.
Accept/

FA
AND

Reject

PDA

Stack

Proof:

Figure 1: PDA for L R

116

P = (QP, , , P, qP, Z0, FP) be PDA to accept L by final state. Let A = (QA, , A, qA, FA) for
DFA to accept the Regular Language R. To get L R, we have to run a Finite Automata in
parallel with a push down automata as shown in figure 1. Construct PDA P = (Q, , , ,
qo, Z0, F) where
Q = (Qp X QA)
qo = (qp, qA)
F = (FPX FA)
is in the form ((q, p), a, X) = ((r, s), g) such that
1. s = A(p, a)
2. (r, g) is in P(q, a, X)
That is for each move of PDA P, we make the same move in PDA P and also we carry along
the state of DFA A in a second component of P. P accepts a string w if and only if both P
and A accept w. ie w is in L R. The moves ((qp, qA), w, Z) |-*P ((q, p), , ) are possible if
and only if (qp, w, Z) |-*P (q, ,) moves and p = *(qA, w) transitions are possible.
b.
CFL and RL properties:

Theorem: The following are true about CFLs L, L1, and L2, and a regular language R.
1. Closure of CFLs under set-difference with a regular language.
ie
1. L - R is a CFL.
Proof:
R is regular and regular language is closed under complement. So R C is also regular. We
know that L - R = L RC. We have already proved the closure of intersection of a CFL
and a regular language. So CFL is closed under set difference with a Regular language.
2. CFL is not closed under complementation
LC is not necessarily a CFL
Proof:
Assume that CFLs were closed under complement. ie if L is a CFL then L C is a CFL.
Since CFLs are closed under union, L 1C L2C is a CFL. By our assumption (L 1C
L2C)C is a CFL. But (L1C L2C)C = L1 L2, which we just showed isnt necessarily
a CFL. Contradiction! . So our assumption is false. CFL is not closed under
complementation.

117

3. CFLs are not closed under set-difference.

6. ie
7. L1 - L2 is not necessarily a CFL.
Proof:
Let L1 = * - L. * is regular and is also CFL. But * - L = LC. If CFLs were closed
under set difference, then * - L = LC would always be a CFL. But CFLs are not
closed under complementation. So CFLs are not closed under set-difference.
V.

Inverse Homomorphism:

Recall that if h is a homomorphism, and L is any language, then h -1(L), called an inverse
homomorphism, is the set of all strings w such that h(w) L. The CFLs are closed under
inverse homomorphism.
Theorem:
If L is a CFL and h is a homomorphism, then h-1(L) is a CFL

118

Buffer
h(a)

a
Input

Accept/
Reject

PDA

Stack

Figure 2: PDA to simulate inverse homomorphism

We can prove closure of CFL under inverse homomorphism by designing a new PDA as
shown in figure 2. After input a is read, h(a) is placed in a buffer. Symbols of h(a) are used
one at a time and fed to PDA being simulated. Only when the buffer is empty does the PDA
read another of its input symbol and apply homomorphism to it.
Suppose h applies to symbols of alphabet and produces strings in T*. Let PDA P = (Q, T, ,
, q0, Z0, F) that accept CFL L by final state. We construct a new PDA P = (Q, , , , (q0,
), Z0, (F x )) to accept h-1(L), where
Q is the set of pairs (q, x) such that
o q is a state in Q
o x is a suffix of some string h(a) for some input string a in
is defined by
o ((q, ), a, X) = {((q, h(a)),X)}
o If (q, b, X) = {(p, )} where b T or b = then ((q, bx), , X) = {((p,
x), )}
The start state of P is (q0, )
The accepting state of P
is (q, ), where q is an accepting state of P.
Once we accept the relationship between P and P, P accepts h(w) if and only if P accepts w,
because of the way the accepting states of P are defined.
Thus L(P)=h-1(L(P))

119

Language Hierarchy
and
History of Turing Machine

A Hierarchy of Formal Languages

r.e. language

Turing
machines
PDA

Context free
language

DFA

Regular language

Regular language
A language is called a regular language if some finite automaton recognizes it.
Ex: To recognize string that is a multiple of 4
0

0
120

But can regular language recognize strings of the form 0n1n ? No

Context Free Language

A language is called Context free language iff some pushdown automaton recognizes it.
Ex: To recognize a string of the form 0n1n
S 0S1 /

Limitation again

Can context free language recognize strings of the form 0n1n2n ? No

Recursively Enumerable Language (r.e. language)
A language is called r.e language if some Turing machine recognizes it.
Ex: To recognize strings of the form 0n1n2n

( S 0 ,0 ) (S 1,X,R)
( S 1,0 ) (S 1,0,R)
( S 1,1 ) (S 2 ,Y,R )
( S 2 ,1 ) (S 2 ,1,R)
( S 2 ,2) (S 3,Z,L)
( S 3,1 ) (S 3,1,L)
( S 3,Y)(S 3,Y,L )
( S 3,0 ) (S 3,0,L)
( S 3,X) (S 0 ,X,R)
( S 0 ,Y)(SA,Y,R )
SA : Accepting state

121

Formal Machines Overview

Regex
operators:
* (Kleene *)
| (choice)

. (concat)

DFA

Regular Lang.

Regex
example:

(0 | 1)*

Regular Expn.

NFA with -moves

2-way DFA

NFA

DFA

122

PDA
CFL

CFL
example:
0n1n

CFG
But there are strings that cannot be recognized by PDAs. For example: anbncn

PDA
Some Historical Notes
At the turn of the 20th century the German mathematician David Hilbert proposed the
Entscheidungsproblem.
Given a set X, and a universe of elements U, and a criteria for membership, is it possible to
formulate a general procedureto decide whether a given element of U is a member of X?
Hilberts grand ideas were watered down by the incompleteness theorem proposed by
the Austrian Kurt Gdel.
His theorem states that in any mathematical system, there exist certain obviously true
assertions that cannot be proved to be true by the system.
In 1936 the British cryptologist Alan Turing, addressed Hilberts
Entscheidungsproblem using a different approach.
123

He proposed two kinds of mathematical machines called the a-machine and the c-machine
respectively, and showed the existence of some problems where membership cannot be
determined.
But Turings a-machine became famous for something else other than its original
intentions.
The a-machine was found to be more expressive than CFGs. It can recognize strings that
cannot be modeled by CFLs like anbncn.
The a-machines came to be more popularly known as Turing Machines
The Princeton mathematician Alonzo Church recognized the power of a-machines.
He invited Turing to Princeton to compare Turing Machines with his own l-calculus.
Church and Turing proved the equivalence of Turing Machines and l-calculus, and showed
that they represent algorithmic computation. This is called the Church-Turing thesis.

Turing Machines
Definition:
A Turing Machine (TM) is an abstract, mathematical model that describes what can
and cannot be computed. A Turing Machine consists of a tape of infinite length, on which
input is provided as a finite sequence of symbols. A head reads the input tape. The Turing
Machine starts at start state S0. On reading an input symbol it optionally replaces it with
another symbol, changes its internal state and moves one cell to the right or left.
Notation for the Turing Machine :
TM = <S, T, S0, , H> where,
S
is a set of TM states
T
is a set of tape symbols
S0
is the start state
HS
is a set of halting states
: S x T S x T x {L,R}
is the transition function
{L,R}
is direction in which the
head moves
L : Left
R: Right
input symbols on infinite length tape

124

1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
head

The Turing machine model uses an infinite tape as its unlimited memory. (This is
important because it helps to show that there are tasks that these machines cannot perform,
even though unlimited memory and unlimited time is given.) The input symbols occupy
some of the tapes cells, and other cells contain blank symbols.

Some of the characteristics of a Turing machine are:

1. The symbols can be both read from the tape and written on it.
2. The TM head can move in either directions Left or Right.
3. The tape is of infinite length
4. The special states, Halting states and Accepting states, take immediate effect.
Solved examples:
TM Example 1:
Turing Machine U+1:
Given a string of 1s on a tape (followed by an infinite number of 0s), add one more 1
at the end of the string.
Input : #111100000000.

Output :
#1111100000000.
Initially the TM is in Start state S0. Move right as long as the input symbol is 1. When a 0 is
encountered, replace it with 1 and halt.
Transitions:
(S0, 1)
(S0, 1, R)
(S0, 0)
( h , 1, STOP)
TM Example 2 :
TM: X-Y

125

Given two unary numbers x and y, compute |x-y| using a TM. For purposes of
simplicity we shall be using multiple tape symbols.
Ex: 5 (11111) 3 (111) = 2 (11)
#11111b1110000..
#___11b___000
a) Stamp out the first 1 of x and seek the first 1 of y.
(S0, 1)
(S0, b)
(S1, 1)
(S1, b)

(S1, _, R)
(h, b, STOP)
(S1, 1, R)
(S2, b, R)

b) Once the first 1 of y is reached, stamp it out. If instead the input ends, then y has finished.
But in x, we have stamped out one extra 1, which we should replace. So, go to some state s5
which can handle this.
(S2, 1)
(S2,_)
(S2, 0)

(S3, _, L)
(S2, _, R)
(S5, 0, L)

c) State s3 is when corresponding 1s from both x and y have been stamped out. Now go back
to x to find the next 1 to stamp. While searching for the next 1 from x, if we reach the head of
tape, then stop.
(S3, _)
(S3,b)
(S4, 1)
(S4, _)
(S4, #)

(S3, _, L)
(S4, b, L)
(S4, 1, L)
(S0, _, R)
(h, #, STOP)

d) State s5 is when y ended while we were looking for a 1 to stamp. This means we have
stamped out one extra 1 in x. So, go back to x, and replace the blank character with 1 and
stop the process.
(S5, _)
(S5,b)
(S6, 1)
(S6, _)

(S5, _, L)
(S6, b, L)
(S6, 1, L)
(h, 1, STOP)

126

Design of Turing Machines

and
Universal Turing Machine
Solved examples:
n n n
TM Example 1: Design a Turing Machine to recognize 0 1 2
ex: #000111222_ _ _ _ _.
Step 1: Stamp the first 0 with X, then seek the first 1 and stamp it with Y, and then seek the
first 2 and stamp it with Z and then move left.

( S 0 ,0 ) (S 1,X,R)
( S 1,0 ) (S 1,0 ,R)
( S 1,1 ) (S 2 ,Y,R )
( S 2 ,1 ) (S 2 ,1,R)
( S 2 ,2) (S 3 ,Z,L )
S0 = Start State, seeking 0, stamp it with X
S1 = Seeking 1, stamp it with Y
S2 = Seeking 2, stamp it with Z
Step 2: Move left until an X is reached, then move one step right.

( S 3 ,1 ) (S 3 ,1,L )
( S 3 ,Y)(S 3,Y,L )
( S 3 ,0 ) (S 3 ,0 ,L)
( S 3 ,X) (S 0 ,X,R )
S3 = Seeking X, to repeat the process.
Step 3: Move right until the end of the input denoted by blank( _ ) is reached passing through
X Y Z s only, then the accepting state SA is reached.

(S 0 ,Y)(S 4 ,Y,R )
(S 4 ,Y)(S 4 ,Y,R )
(S 4 ,Z) (S 4 ,Z,R)
(S 4 ,_ )(SA,_ ,STOP )

127

S4 = Seeking blank
These are the transitions that result in halting states.

( S 4 ,1 ) (h,1,STOP )
( S 4 ,2 ) (h,2,STOP )
( S 4 ,_ ) (SA,_ ,STOP )
( S 0 ,1 ) (h,1,STOP )
( S 0 ,2 ) (h,2,STOP )
( S 1,2 ) (h,2,STOP )
( S 2 ,_ ) (h,_ ,STOP )

TM Example 2 : Design a Turing machine to accept a Palindrome

ex: #1011101_ _ _ _ _.
Step 1: Stamp the first character (0/1) with _, then seek the last character by moving till a _ is
reached. If the last character is not 0/1 (as required) then halt the process immediately.

( S 0 ,0 ) (S 1,_ ,R )
( S 0 ,1 ) (S 2 ,_ ,R )
( S 1,_ ) (S 3 ,_ ,L)
( S 3,1 ) (h,1,STOP )
( S 2 ,_ ) (S 5 ,_ ,L)
( S 5 ,0 ) (h,0,STOP )
Step 2: If the last character is 0/1 accordingly, then move left until a blank is reached to start
the process again.

( S 3,0) (S 4 ,_ ,L)
( S 4 ,1) (S 4 ,1,L)
( S 4 ,0) (S 4 ,0,L)
( S 4 ,_) (S 0 ,_ ,R)
( S 5 ,1) (S 6 ,_ ,L)
( S 6 ,1) (S 6 ,1,L)
( S 6 ,0) (S 6 ,0,L)
( S 6 ,_) (S 0 ,_ ,R )

128

Step 3 : If a blank ( _ ) is reached when seeking next pair of characters to match or when
seeking a matching character, then accepting state is reached.

(S 3,_) (SA,_ ,STOP )

(S 5,_) (SA,_ ,STOP )
(S 0 ,_) (SA,_ ,STOP )
The sequence of events for the above given input are as follows:
#s010101_ _ _
#_s20101_ _ _
#_0s2101_ _ _
....
#_0101s5_ _ _
#_010s6_ _ _ _
#_s60101_ _ _
#_s00101_ _ _
....
#_ _ _ _ s5 _ _ _ _ _ _
#_ _ _ _ sA _ _ _ _ _ _
Exercises:
n 2n
1. Design a TM to recognize a string of the form a b .
2. Design a TM to recognize a string of 0s and 1s such that the number of 0s is not twice as
that of 1s.
Modularization of TMs
Designing complex TM s can be done using modular approach. The main problem
can be divided into sequence of modules. Inside each module, there could be several state
transitions.
For example, the problem of designing Turing machine to recognize the language 0n1n2n can
be divided into modules such as 0-stamper, 1-stamper, 0-seeker, 1-seeker, 2-seeker and 2stamper. The associations between the modules are shown in the following figure:

129

TM: 0n1n2n

0-Stamper

1-Seeker

1-Stamper
2-Seeker

2-Stamper
0-Seeker
Universal Turing Machine
A Universal Turing Machine UTM takes an encoding of a TM and the input data as its input
in its tape and behaves as that TM on the input data.
A TM spec could be as follows:
TM = (S,S0,H,T,d)
Suppose, S={a,b,c,d}, S0=a, H={b,d} T={0,1}
: (a,0) (b,1,R) , (a,1) (c,1,R) ,
(c,0) (d,0,R) and so on
then TM spec:
$abcd$a$bd$01$a0b1Ra1c1Rc0d0R.
where $ is delimiter
This spec along with the actual input data would be the input to the UTM.
This can be encoded in binary by assigning numbers to each of the characters appearing in
the TM spec.

130

Load Decode Execute Store

The encoding can be as follows:

$ : 0000
0 : 0101
a : 0001
1 : 0110
b : 0010
L : 0111
c : 0011
R : 1000
d : 0100
So the TM spec given in previous slide can be encoded as:
0000.0001.0010.0011.0100.0000.0001.0000.0010.0100
Hence TM spec can be regarded just as a number.
Sequence of actions in UTM:
Initially UTM is in the start state S0.
Load the input which is TM spec.
Go back and find which transition to apply.
Make changes, where necessary.
Then store the changes.
Then repeat the steps with next input.
Hence, the sequence goes through the cycle:
Load Decode Execute Store

131

Extensions to Turing Machines

Proving Equivalence
For any two machines M1 from class C1 and M2 from class C2:
M2 is said to be at least as expressive as M1
if L(M2) = L(M1) or if M2 can simulate M1.
M1 is said to be at least as expressive as M2
if L(M1) = L(M2) or if M1 can simulate M2.
Composite Tape TMs
Track 0

0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

Track

A composite tape consists of many tracks which can be read or written simultaneously.
A composite tape TM (CTM) contains more than one tracks in its tape.
Equivalence of CTMs and TMs
A CTM is simply a TM with a complex alphabet..
T = {a, b, c, d}
T = {00, 01, 10, 11}
Turing Machines with Stay Option
Turing Machines with stay option has a third option for movement of the TM head:
left, right or stay.
STM = <S, T, , s0, H>
: S x T S x T x {L, R, S}
Equivalence of STMs and TMs
STM = TM:
Just dont use the S option
TM = STM:
For L and R moves of a given STM build a TM that moves correspondingly L or R

132

TM = STM:
For S moves of the STM, do the following:
1.Move right,
2.Move back left without changing the tape
3.
STM: (s,a) |-- (s,b,S)
TM: (s,a) |-- (s, b, R)
(s,*) |-- (s,*,L)
2-way Infinite Turing Machine
In a 2-way infinite TM (2TM), the tape is infinite on both sides.
There is no # that delimits the left end of the tape.
Equivalence of 2TMs and TMs
2TM = TM:
Just dont use the left part of the tape
TM = 2TM:
Simulate a 2-way infinite tape on a one-way infinite tape

0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5

Multi-tape Turing Machines

A multi-tape TM (MTM) utilizes many tapes.

133

Equivalence of MTMs and TMs

MTM = TM:
Use just the first tape
TM = MTM:
Reduction of multiple tapes to a single tape.
Consider an MTM having m tapes. A single tape TM that is equivalent can be constructed by
reducing m tapes to a single tape.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

A0 B0 C0 A1 B1 C1 A2 B2 C2 A3 B3 ..

Multi-

tape.

dimensional TMs

Multi-dimensional TMs
(MDTMs) use a multi-dimensional space instead of a single dimensional

134

Equivalence of MDTMs to TMs

Reducing a multi-dimensional space to a single dimensional tape.

0
1
2
3
4
Non-deterministic TM
A non-deterministic TM (NTM) is defined as:
NTM = <S, T, s0, , H>
where : S x T 2SxTx{L,R}
Ex: (s2,a) {(s3,b,L) (s4,a,R)}

135

Equivalence of NTMs and TMs

A concurrent view of an NTM:
(s2,a) {(s3,b,L) (s4,a,R)}

at (s2,a), two TMs are spawned:

(s2,a) (s3,b,L)
(s2,a) (s4,a,R)

Simulating an NTM with an MDTM

Consider an MDTM to simulate an NTM:
(s2,a) {(s3,b,L) (s4,a,R)}

bccaaabccacb
s2

bccbaabccacb
s3
bccaaabccacb
s4

136

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