Non Deterministic Automata

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Nondeterministic Finite Accepter (NFA)

Alphabet = {a}

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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Nondeterministic Finite Accepter (NFA)

Alphabet = {a}

Two choices q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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Nondeterministic Finite Accepter (NFA)

Alphabet = {a}

Two choices q1 a q2 No transition

a
q0
a
q3 No transition

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 First Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 First Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 First Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 First Choice

a a
All input is consumed
q1 a q2 “accept”
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

a a

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

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 Second Choice

a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 “reject”

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An NFA accepts a string:
when there is a computation of the NFA
that accepts the string

AND
all the input is consumed and the automaton
is in a final state

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 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 Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 14
 Rejection example

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 First Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 First Choice

a
“reject”
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 “reject”

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An NFA rejects a string:
when there is no computation of the NFA
that accepts the string:

• All the input is consumed and the

automaton is in a non final state

OR

• The input cannot be consumed

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 21
 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

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 Rejection example

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 First Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 First Choice

a a a

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

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 First Choice

a a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2 “reject”
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

a a a

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Second Choice

a a a

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

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 Second Choice

a a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 “reject”

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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

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Language accepted: L  {aa}

q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3

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 Lambda Transitions

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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 (read head does not move)

a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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 all input is consumed

a a

“accept”

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

String aa is accepted
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 Rejection Example

a a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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a a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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 (read head doesn’t move)

a a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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a a a

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

No transition:
the automaton hangs
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Input cannot be consumed

a a a

“reject”

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

String aaa is rejected

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Language accepted: L  {aa}

q0 a q1  q2 a q3

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 Another NFA Example

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b

“accept”
q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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 Another String

a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b a b

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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a b a b

“accept”
q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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 Language accepted

L  ab, abab, ababab, ...


 ab

q0 a q1 b q2  q3


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Another NFA Example

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q2
1

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 Language accepted

L(M ) = {λ, 10, 1010, 101010, ...}

= {10} *
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q2
1 (redundant
state)

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 60
Remarks:
•The  symbol never appears on the
input tape

•Simple automata:

M1 M2
q0 q0

L(M1 ) = {} L(M 2 ) = {λ}

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 61
•NFAs are interesting because we can
express languages easier than DFAs

NFA M1 DFA M2 a
q2
q0 a q1
a
q0 a q1

L( M1 ) = {a} L( M 2 ) = {a}
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 62
 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 : Final states
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Transition Function 

 q0 , 1  q1

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

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  (q1,0)  {q0 , q2 }

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

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  (q0 ,  )  {q0 , q2 }

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

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  (q2 ,1)  

0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1

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Extended Transition Function  *

 * q0 , a   q1

q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 68
  * q0 , aa   q4 , q5 

q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 69
  * q0 , ab   q2 , q3 , q0 

q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 70
 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

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q j   * qi , w  * (q0 , w)
qi
w
qk
q0 w
w qj

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 Inductive Definition
Basis:  * (q,  )  {q}
Induction: Suppose w = x a.

Also  * q, x   { p1 , p2 ,, pk }

k
Let   p , a   {r , r ,, r }
i 1
i 1 2 m

Then  * q, w  {r1 , r2 , , rm }

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 The Language of an NFA M
F  q0 ,q5 
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3


 * q0 , aa   q4 , q5 aa  L(M )

F
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 F  q0 ,q5 
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3


 * q0 , ab   q2 , q3 , q0  ab  LM 

F
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 75
F  q0 ,q5 
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3


 * q0 , abaa   q4 , q5 aaba  L(M )

F
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 76
F  q0 ,q5 
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3


 * q0 , aba   q1 aba  LM 

F
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 77
 q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2  q3


LM      ab* {aa}

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 78

 Formally
The language accepted by NFA M is:
LM   w1, w2 , w3 ,...

where  * (q0 , wm )  {qi , q j ,..., qk ,}

and there is some qk  F (final state)

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 79

w LM   * (q0 , w)
qi
w

q0
qk qk  F
w
w qj

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NFAs accept the Regular
Languages

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 Equivalence of Machines

Definition for Automata:

Machine M1 is equivalent to machine M 2

if LM1   LM 2 

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 Example of equivalent machines
NFA M1
0
LM1   {10} *
q0 q1
1

DFA M2 0,1
0
LM 2   {10} *
q0 q1 1 q2
1
0
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 83
 We will prove:


Languages
Regular
accepted
Languages
by NFAs
Languages
accepted
by DFAs
NFAs and DFAs have the
same computation power
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 84
 Step 1

Languages
accepted  Regular
Languages
by NFAs

Proof: Every DFA is trivially an NFA

Any language L accepted by a DFA

is also accepted by an NFA
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 85
 Step 2

Languages
accepted  Regular
Languages
by NFAs

Proof: Any NFA can be converted to an

equivalent DFA

Any language L accepted by an NFA

is also accepted by a DFA
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 86
 Convert NFA to DFA
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

DFA M
q0 

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 Convert NFA to DFA
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

DFA M
q0  a
q1, q2 

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 88

 Convert NFA to DFA
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

DFA M
q0  a
q1, q2 
b


Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 89
 Convert NFA to DFA
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

a
DFA M
q0  a
q1, q2 
b


Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 90
 Convert NFA to DFA
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

b a
DFA M
q0  a
q1, q2 
b


Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 91
 Convert NFA to DFA
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

b a
DFA M
q0  a
q1, q2 
b

 a, b
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 92
 Convert NFA to DFA
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b
LM   L(M )
a
DFA M b

q0  a
q1, q2 
b

 a, b
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 93
 NFA to DFA: Remarks

We are given an NFA M  (QN , ,  N , q0 , FN )

We want to convert it
M   (QD , ,  D , {q0 }, FD )
to an equivalent DFA

With
LM   L(M )
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 94
If the NFA has n states

QN  {q0 , q1 , q2 ,..., qn }

the DFA has 2n states in the power set of QN

i.e.
, q0 , q1, q1, q2 , q3 , q4 , q7 ,....

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 Procedure NFA to DFA

1. Initial state of NFA: q0

Initial state of DFA: q0 

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 Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

DFA M
q0 

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 Procedure NFA to DFA
2. For every DFA’s state {qi , q j ,..., qm }

Compute in the NFA

 * qi , a ,
 * q j , a ,  {qi , qj ,..., qm
}
...
Add transition to DFA
 {qi , q j ,..., qm }, a   {qi , qj ,..., qm
}
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 Exampe
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b
 * (q0 , a )  {q1, q2 }

DFA M 

q0  a
q1, q2 

 q0 , a   q1, q2 
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 Procedure NFA to DFA

Repeat Step 2 for all letters in alphabet,

until
no more transitions can be added.

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 100

 Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

b a
DFA M
q0  a
q1, q2 
b

 a, b
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 101
 Procedure NFA to DFA
3. For any DFA state {qi , q j ,..., qm }

If some q j is a final state in the NFA

Then, {qi , q j ,..., qm }

is a final state in the DFA

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 102

 Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2 q1  F
b
a
DFA M b

q0  a
q1, q2 
b q1, q2  F 
 a, b
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 103
 Theorem
Take NFA M

Apply procedure to obtain DFA M

Then M and M are equivalent :

LM   LM 

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 104

 Proof

LM   LM 

LM   LM  AND LM   LM 

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 105

First we show: LM   LM 

Take arbitrary: w L(M )

We will prove: w  L(M )

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 106

 w L(M )

M: q0 w qf

w   1 2  k
1 2 k
M: q0 qf

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 107

We will show that if w L(M )

w   1 2  k
1 2 k
M: q0 qf

1 2 k
M:
{q0 } {q f ,}
w  L(M )
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 108
More generally, we will show that if in M:
(arbitrary string) v  a1a2  an
a1 a2 an
M: q0 qi qj ql qm

a1 a2 an
M:
{q0 } {qi ,} {q j ,} {ql ,} {qm ,}

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 109

 Proof by induction on |v|

Induction Basis: v  a1

a1
M: q0 qi

a1
M:
{q0 } {qi ,}

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 110

Induction hypothesis: 1 | v | k
v  a1a2  ak
a1 a2 ak
M: q0 qi qj qc qd

a1 a2 ak
M:
{q0 } {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,}

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 111

Induction Step: | v | k  1
v  a1a2  ak ak 1  vak 1
   
v

a1 a2 ak
M: q0 qi qj qc qd

v
a1 a2 ak
M:
{q0 } {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,}

v
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 112
Induction Step: | v | k  1
v  a1a2  ak ak 1  vak 1
   
v

a1 a2 ak ak 1
M: q0 qi qj qc qd qe

v
a1 a2 ak ak 1
M:
{q0 } {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,} {qe ,}

v
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 113
Therefore if w L(M )

w   1 2  k
1 2 k
M: q0 qf

1 2 k
M:
{q0 } {q f ,}
w  L(M )
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 114
We have shown: LM   LM 

We also need to show: LM   LM 

(proof is similar)

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 115