CSE322

Definition and description of finite

Automata

Lecture #1
Definition

An automaton is defined as a system where energy,

materials and information are transformed, transmitted
and used for performing some functions without direct
participation of man.
Formal Definition
Finite Automaton (FA)

M Q, , , q0 , F
Q : set of states
: input alphabet
: transition function
q0 : initial state
F : set of accepting states
Input alphabet

a, b

a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Set of States

Q q0 , q1, q2 , q3 , q4 , q5
a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Initial State

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Accepting State F

Set of Accepting States

F q4
a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Non-Deterministic
Finite Automata
Nondeterministic Finite Automaton

Alphabet = {a}

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Alphabet = {a}

Two choices q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Alphabet = {a}

Two choices q1 a q2 No transition

a
q0
a
q3 No transition
 First Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 First Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 First Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 First Choice

a a
All input is consumed
q1 a q2 accept
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
No transition:
q3
the automaton hangs
 Second Choice

a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 reject
An NFA accepts a string:
when there is a computation of the
NFA that accepts the string

There is a computation:
all the input is consumed and the automaton
is in an accepting state
 Example

aa is accepted by the NFA:

accept
q1 a q2 q1 a q2
a a
q0
a
q0
a
q3 q3 reject
because this
computation
accepts aa
 Rejection example

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 First Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 First Choice

a
reject
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 reject
An NFA rejects a string:
when there is no computation of the
NFA that accepts the string.

For each computation:

All the input is consumed and the
automaton is in a non final state

OR
The input cannot be consumed
 Example

a is rejected by the NFA:

reject
q1 a q2 q1 a q2
a a
q0 q0
a a
q3
reject q3

All possible computations lead to rejection

 Rejection example

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 First Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 First Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0 No transition:
a
the automaton hangs
q3
 First Choice

a a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2 reject
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Second Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
No transition:
q3
the automaton hangs
 Second Choice

a a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 reject
aaa is rejected by the NFA:

reject
q1 a q2 q1 a q2
a a
q0
a
q0
a
q3 q3 reject

All possible computations lead to rejection

Language accepted: L {aa}

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
 Lambda Transitions

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
(read head does not move)

a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
all input is consumed

a a

accept

q0 a q1 q2 a q3

String aa is accepted
 Rejection Example

a a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
a a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
(read head doesnt move)

a a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
a a a

q0 a q1 q2 a q3

No transition:
the automaton hangs
Input cannot be consumed

a a a

reject

q0 a q1 q2 a q3

String aaa is rejected

Language accepted: L {aa}

q0 a q1 q2 a q3
 Another NFA Example

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b

accept
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

 Another String

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

a b a b

accept
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

 Language accepted

L ab, abab, ababab, ...

ab

q0 a q1 b q2 q3

Another NFA Example

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q2
1

 Language accepted

L(M ) = { , 10, 1010, 101010, ...}

= { 10} *
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q2
1 (redundant
state)

Remarks:

The symbol never appears on the

input tape

Simple automata:

M1 M2
q0 q0

L(M1 ) = {} L(M 2 ) = {}
NFAs are interesting because we can
express languages easier than FAs

NFA M1 FA M2 a
q2
q0 a q1
a
q0 a q1

L( M1 ) = {a} L( M 2 ) = {a}
Formal Definition of NFAs
M Q, , , q0 , F

Q: Set of states, i.e. q0 , q1, q2

: Input aplhabet, i.e. a, b
: Transition function

q0 : Initial state

F: Accepting states
Transition Function

q0 , 1 q1

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

 (q1,0) {q0 , q2 }

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

 (q0 , ) {q0 , q2}

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

 (q2 ,1)

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

Extended Transition Function *

* q0 , a q1

q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

 * q0 , aa q4 , q5

q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

 * q0 , ab q2 , q3 , q0

q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

 Formally
q j * qi , w : there is a walk from qi to q j
with label w

qi w qj

w 1 2 k
1 2 k
qi qj
The Language of an NFA
F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

* q0 , aa q4 , q5 aa L(M )
F
 F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

* q0 , ab q2 , q3 , q0 ab L M
F
F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

* q0 , abaa q4 , q5 aaba L(M )

F
F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

* q0 , aba q1 aba L M
F
 q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3

L M ab * {aa}