Lecture 04 –Regular Expression & Transition Graphs

(Dr. Nida Aslam)

• Basics of TG
• Basics for conversion of FA → RE
• Rules for conversion of FA → RE
• Kleen’s Theorem
• Examples
2/9/2024
 Conversion of RE→ FA
 Automata: It’s an abstract machine, that will accept RE

 Finite Automata: Finite number of states, exactly one of them will be the initial state, zero
or more will be final state.

 For every RE there exist at least one FA and for every FA there exist at least one RE.

 So, they are interchangeable

 Now we will see how to construct FA for a given RE.

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 Conversion of RE → FA
 Basics for conversion of RE→ FA

1. Ф

2. a a

3. a + b a,b

4. a . b a b

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 Conversion of RE → FA
 Basics for conversion of RE → FA
a
5. a*
b
a
6. ab*
a

7. (ab)* b
a

b
8. (ab + ba)* b a

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 Transition Graphs (TGs)
 It is the most generalized automata to describe a RE

 It may have a complete RE or its subset at transition

 Very easy to construct and used to convert FA to RE.

 Definition: A transition graph, abbreviated TG, is a collection of three things:

1. A finite set of states at least one of which is designated as the start state (→) and some (maybe

none) of which are designated as final states (*).

2. An alphabet ∑ of possible input letters from which input strings are formed.

3. A finite set of transitions that show how to go from one state to another based on reading

specified substrings of input letters (possibly even the null string л ).

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Examples

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Examples
a,b
a,b
a a

a,b

a
a

b
b

a,b

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 Kleen’s Theorem
 Any language that can be defined by
 regular expression
 or finite automaton
 or transition graph

 can be defined by all three methods.

 This theorem is the most important and fundamental result in the Theory of Finite
Automata.

 Every FA is a TG by default while every TG may or may not be an FA.

 Now we will go for conversion from FA to TG to RE.

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 FA to RE
 The proof of this part will be by a constructive algorithm.

 This means that we present a procedure that starts out with an FA, transition graph and
ends up with a regular expression that defines the same language.

 TG is an intermediate state when we convert FA to RE.

 Because during conversion, FA becomes TG and is no more an FA.

 For instance, we can have more than one initial state.
 A string can be used as a transition etc.

 So, instead of calling it FA, we call it TG.

 Means a graph for the transition from FA to RE.

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 Rule for FA to RE
 Rules for conversion of FA → RE

1. The initial state should not have incoming edges/arrows

є
Converted to

2. The final state should have no outgoing edges/arrows

Converted to
є

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 Rule for FA to RE
 Rules for conversion of FA → RE

3. The final state should be one (if there’s exist more than one final state, should be reduced to
one)

+ є

Converted to
є +
+
є
+

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 Rule for FA→ RE
 Rules for conversion of FA→ RE

State Elimination: Remove states 1 by 1 (other than the initial and final state) and you will
get target RE.
Example:
a,b,c
+

OR RE = a + b + c
a+b+c
+

Example:

ab
+ RE = ab

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 Example
State Elimination: Remove states 1 by 1 (other than the initial and final state) and you will get
target RE.
Example:

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 Conversion of FA→ RE
Example: Convert the FA in the below Figure into RE?

Removing “B” the path must be the same

ab*c
+

Regular Expression will be

RE = ab*c

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 Conversion of FA→ RE
Example: Convert the FA in the below Figure into RE?

= 𝑟1 𝑟2∗ 𝑟3 + 𝑟1 𝑟2∗ 𝑟4 + 𝑟1 𝑟2∗ 𝑟5

= ∗
𝑟1 𝑟2 (𝑟3 + 𝑟4 + 𝑟5 )
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 Examples
Example: Convert the FA in the below Figure into RE?

= 𝒂𝒃𝒂∗ ba+ 𝒂𝒃𝒂∗ b+ 𝒃𝒃𝒃𝒂∗ b+ 𝒃𝒃𝒃𝒂∗ ba

= 𝒂𝒃𝒂∗ (ba+ b) + 𝒃𝒃𝒃𝒂∗ (b+ ba)

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 Example
Example: Convert the FA in the below Figure into RE?

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Example

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Example

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 Example
Example: Convert the FA in the below Figure into RE?

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Example

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Example

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Example

= [ 𝐚𝐚 + 𝐛𝐛 + (𝐚𝐛 + 𝐛𝐚)(𝒂𝒂 + 𝒃𝒃)∗ (𝒂𝒃 + 𝒃𝒂)]∗

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Conversion of FA→ RE
Example: Example:
+
0 b
a c
A B +
1 d
+

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Conversion of FA→ RE
Example: c
b
d +
A B C
C
a

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Conversion of FA→ RE
Example: c d
a
A B
b

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Conversion of FA → RE
Example: 0 0
1
A B
1

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 Conversion of FA → RE
Example:
0 0
0
1 1
A B C

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Conversion of FA → RE
 Define RE for FA = b
b
a
A B
a

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Conversion of FA → RE
 Define RE for FA = b Accept EVEN
b numbers of a’s
a
A B
a

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Conversion of FA → RE
 Define RE for FA = b should be END
b with a.
a
b B

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Convert FA to RE (Solve)

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End of Lecture - 04
Any questions?

2/9/2024 33