Scribd
Upload
46 views

CS5371 Theory of Computation: Lecture 4: Automata Theory II (DFA NFA, Regular Language)

This document discusses automata theory and regular languages. It defines non-deterministic finite automata (NFA) formally and shows their computation. The key points are: 1) NFA and deterministic finite automata (DFA) are equally powerful in terms of string decision power - any language recognized by a DFA can also be recognized by an NFA, and vice versa. 2) Languages recognized by DFAs/NFAs, called regular languages, are closed under union, concatenation, and Kleene star operations. 3) Regular expressions can be used to describe regular languages and have a one-to-one correspondence with regular languages.

Uploaded by

Kamal Walia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
46 views

CS5371 Theory of Computation: Lecture 4: Automata Theory II (DFA NFA, Regular Language)

This document discusses automata theory and regular languages. It defines non-deterministic finite automata (NFA) formally and shows their computation. The key points are: 1) NFA and deterministic finite automata (DFA) are equally powerful in terms of string decision power - any language recognized by a DFA can also be recognized by an NFA, and vice versa. 2) Languages recognized by DFAs/NFAs, called regular languages, are closed under union, concatenation, and Kleene star operations. 3) Regular expressions can be used to describe regular languages and have a one-to-one correspondence with regular languages.

Uploaded by

Kamal Walia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 27

CS5371

Theory of Computation
Lecture 4: Automata Theory II
(DFA = NFA, Regular Language)
Objectives
•Give a formal definition of the non-
deterministic finite automaton (NFA)
and its computation
•Show that DFA = NFA in terms of
string decision power
•Properties of language recognized by
DFA (or NFA)
Formal Definition of NFA
•An NFA is a 5-tuple (Q, , 
, qstart, F),
where
–Q is a set consisting finite number of states
– is an alphabet consisting finite number of
characters
–
: Q x  2Q is the transition function
–qstart is the start state
–F is the set of accepting states

•Here, we let = [ {


}
Formal Definition of NFA
0,1 0,1

start 1 0,  1
q1 q2 q3 q4

Q = {q1, q2, q3, q4}, = { 0, 1 },


qstart = q1, F = { q4 },


(q1, 0) = {q1}, 
(q1, 1) = {q1,q2}, 
(q1, 
) = { }, …
Formal Definition of NFA’
s
Computation
•Let M = (Q, , 
, qstart, F) be an NFA
•Let w be a string over the alphabet 
•Then, M accepts w if we can write
w = w1 w2 …wn such that each wi 2 and a
sequence of states r0, r1, …, rn in Q exists
with the three conditions:
–r0 = qstart
–ri+1 2  (ri, wi+1) compare this with DFA
–rn 2 F
DFA = NFA
(in terms of string decision power)
Theorem: (1) If a language L can be
recognized by a DFA, then there exists an
NFA that can recognize L; (2) If a
language L’can be recognized by an NFA,
then there exists a DFA that recognizes L’.

Proof: For (1), it is easy. (why?)


For (2), how to prove?
DFA = NFA (Proof Idea)
•We prove (2) by showing that: Given a
language L’recognized by an NFA, we can
always find a DFA that recognizes L’(what
kind of proof technique?)
•To help our discussion, we define the
following:
–For any string w, let R(w) denote “
the set of
states that NFA can exactly reach”after
reading all characters of w.
DFA = NFA (Proof Idea)
0,1 0,1

start 1 0,  1
q1 q2 q3 q4

E.g., R(0) = {q1}, R(1) = {q1,q2,q3},


R(00) = {q1}
R(11) = {q1, q2, q3, q4}
DFA = NFA (Proof Idea)
If we are the DFA simulating the NFA
•At any time when part of the input
string is processed, say we have read
w’, we MUST need to know exactly
what is R(w’ )… Otherwise,
–if we miss a state of R(w’
), what bad
things may happen?
–if we have an extra state, what bad things
may happen?
DFA = NFA (Proof Idea)
•On the other hand, R(w’
) is what we
only need to know
–Because if we know R(w’ ), we know
exactly the set of states NFA can
exactly reach after reading one more
character (What are those states??)
0,1
0,1
•E.g., start 1 0, 1
q1 q2 q3 q4

R(w’
) = {q1, q3}, R(w’
0) = ?? R(w’
1) = ??
DFA = NFA (Proof Idea)
•By looking at R(w’
), how can we determine if
the NFA accepts w’ ?
–Question: If q is an accepting state, and we
know that q 2 R(w’ ), will the NFA accepts w’?
–Answer: Yes, since q 2 R(w’
) means that by
reading w’, there is some way we can reach the
accepting state q in NFA. By definition, w’is
accepted
•In fact, w’is accepted if and only if some
accepting state q is in R(w’
)
DFA = NFA (Proof Idea)
•If we can list out the R(w)’s for all w, we
can simulate the computation of NFA
•However, there are infinite number of
strings w1, w2, … (what could we do?)
•How about the number of possible set of
states, R(w1), R(w2), …, that are just
reachable by an NFA?
–Are there infinite of them?
DFA = NFA (Formal Proof)
•Let N = (Q, , , qstart, F) be the NFA
recognizing some language A
•We construct a DFA D = (Q’ ’
, , , qstart ’
, F’
)
recognizing A as follows
•Q’= 2Q
each state of D corresponds to a particular R(w)
•qstart ’
= the state corresponding to R()
= E(qstart)
where E(X) = {X} [ the set of states that NFA
N can reach from X by following only arrows
DFA = NFA (Formal Proof)
•F’
= { Y 2 Q’
| Y contains an accept state of N }
D accepts if one of the possible states that N can
now be in is an accept state

and a 2 ,
•For Y 2 Q’
’
(Y, a) = { q | q 2 E(
(y,a)) for some y 2 Y }

The reason why  ’(Y,a) is defined in this way is


because: If N is in one of the states in Y, after
reading the character a, N can be in any of the
states in 
(y,a), so that N can be in any states in
E((y,a))
DFA = NFA (Formal Proof)
•At every step in D’s computation, D
clearly enters a state that
corresponds to the subset of states
N can exactly reach at that point.
Thus, the DFA D recognizes the same
language as the NFA N. Our proof
completes.
Constructing DFA from NFA (Example)

start 1

a
b

a 2 3
a,b
Constructing DFA from NFA (Example)
b
a,b
a b b
{} {1} {2} {3}

a b a
b a
a,b 3{1,3}
{1,2} {2,3} a {1,2,3}
a,b

a 1
start

b b

a

start a
2 3
a,b
Properties of Language
Recognized by DFA or NFA
Theorem: If A and B are languages
recognized by DFAs, then the language
A [ B = { x | x 2 A or x 2 B }
can also be recognized by a DFA.

Proof: Let N1 be DFA recognizing A,


and N2 be DFA recognizing B.
Construct NFA N that recognizes A [ B.
Proof (Informal)
N
N1

N2 
Properties of Language
Recognized by DFA or NFA
Theorem: If A and B are languages
recognized by DFAs, then the language
A o B = { xy | x 2 A and y 2 B }
can also be recognized by a DFA.

Proof: Let N1 be DFA recognizing A,


and N2 be DFA recognizing B.
Construct NFA N that recognizes AB.
Proof (Informal)
N1 N2

N


Properties of Language
Recognized by DFA or NFA
Theorem: If A is a language that can be
recognized by a DFA, then the language
A* = { x1x2…xk | k ¸ 0 and xi 2 A } can
also be recognized by a DFA.

Proof: Let N1 be DFA recognizing A.


Construct NFA N that recognizes A*.
Proof (Informal)
N1

N

 
Regular Language
•The Union, Concatenation, and Star
operations are called regular operations
•Languages that can be recognized by
DFA are called regular language
Practice at Home
•We have given informal construction of N,
showing that the class of regular languages is
closed under union operations
That is, if we take two regular languages and perform
union operations on them, the resulting language is
also a regular language

•Can you give formal construction? That is, with


N1 = (Q1, 1, 
1, q1, F1) and
N2 = (Q2, 2, 2, q2, F2),
what are the values for the tuples in N?
Practice at Home
•Also, how about the formal
constructions of N showing that the
class of regular languages is closed
under concatenation operation and is
closed under star operations?
Next time
•Are there Non-Regular Languages?
•Introduce “ Regular Expression”and
show its relationship Regular Language

You might also like