Turing Machines

Reading: Chapter 8

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Turing Machines are…
 Very powerful (abstract) machines that could simulate any modern-
day computer (although very, very slowly!)
For every input,
answer YES or NO
 Why design such a machine?
 If a problem cannot be “solved” even using a TM, then it implies that the
problem is undecidable

 Computability vs. Decidability

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Formal Definition of Turing Machine
A Turing Machine is represented by a 7-tuple T = (Q, Σ, Γ, , q0, qaccept,
qreject):
Q is a finite set of states
Σ is the input alphabet, where   Σ
Γ is the tape alphabet, a superset of Σ;   Γ
 : Q  Γ → Q  Γ  {L, R} is the transition func
q0  Q is the start state
qaccept  Q is the accept state
qreject  Q is the reject state, and qreject  qaccept

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A Turing Machine (TM)

This is like
 M = (Q, ∑, , , q0,B,F) the CPU &
program
counter

Finite
control Tape is the
memory

Tape head
Infinite tape with tape symbols

… B B B X1 X2 X3 … Xi … Xn B B …

Input & output tape symbols

B: blank symbol (special symbol reserved to indicate data boundary)
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Transition function You can also use:
 for R
 for L

 One move (denoted by |---) in a TM does the following:

 (q,X) = (p,Y,D)
 q is the current state X / Y,D
 X is the current tape symbol pointed by tape head q p
 State changes from q to p
 After the move:
 X is replaced with symbol Y
 If D=“L”, the tape head moves “left” by one position.
Alternatively, if D=“R” the tape head moves “right” by one position.

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ID of a TM
 Instantaneous Description or ID :
 X1X2…Xi-1qXiXi+1…Xn means:
 q is the current state
 Tape head is pointing to Xi
 X1X2…Xi-1XiXi+1…Xn are the current tape symbols

 (q,Xi) = (p,Y,R) is same as:

X1…Xi-1qXi…Xn |---- X1…Xi-1YpXi+1…Xn
 (q,Xi) = (p,Y,L) is same as:
X1…Xi-1qXi…Xn |---- X1…pXi-1YXi+1…Xn
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Way to check for Membership
 Is a string w accepted by a TM?

 Initial condition:
 The (whole) input string w is present in TM, preceded and followed by
infinite blank symbols
 Final acceptance:
 Accept w if TM enters final state and halts
 If TM halts and not final state, then reject

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Example: L = {0n1n | n≥1}

 Strategy: w = 000111
…
B B 0 0 0 1 1 1 B B … B B X X 0 Y Y 1 B B …
… …
…
… B B X 0 0 1 1 1 B B … B B X X X Y Y 1 B B …
… …
… B B X 0 0 Y 1 1 B B … B B X X X Y Y Y B B …
…
… B B X X 0 Y 1 1 B B …
B B X X X Y Y Y B B …

Accept 8
 TM for {0n1n | n≥1}
B B X 0 0 Y 1 1 B B …

Y / Y,R 1. Mark next unread 0 with X and move right

0 / 0,R
2. Move to the right all the way to the first unread
1, and mark it with Y
0 / X,R
q0 q1 3. Move back (to the left) all the way to the last
marked X, and then move one position to the
1 / Y,L right
Y / Y,R
4. If the next position is 0, then goto step 1.
X / X,R
q2 Else move all the way to the right to ensure
there are no excess 1s. If not move right to the
Y / Y,R q3
next blank symbol and stop & accept.
B / B,R Y / Y,L
0 / 0,L
q4
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TM for {0n1n | n≥1}
*state diagram representation preferred

Next Tape Symbol

Curr. 0 1 X Y B
State
q0 (q1,X,R) - - (q3,Y,R) -

q1 (q1,0,R) (q2,Y,L) - (q1,Y,R) -

q2 (q2,0,L) - (q0,X,R) (q2,Y,L) -

q3 - - - (q3,Y,R) (q4,B,R)

*q4 - -- - - -

Table representation of the state diagram 10

Design a Turing Machine for L=0(1)*0
1 / Y,R

0 / X,R 0 / X,R B/ B,R

q0 q1 q2 q3

Next Tape Symbol

Curr. 0 1 X Y B
State
q0 (q1,X,R) - - - -

q1 (q2,0,R) (q1,Y,R) - - -

q2 - - - - (q3,B,R)

q3 - - - -

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Design a Turing Machine for L=0n1n2n
 Possible Solution
 Here we will see how to make a Turing machine for language L = {0n1n2n | n ≥ n}. So
this represents a kind of language where we will use only three characters 0s, 1s and 2s.
The w is a string. So if w = 000111222, The Turing machine will accept it.

 To solve this, we will use this approach. First replace one 0 from front by x, then keep
moving right till we get one 1 and replace this 1 by y. Again, keep moving right till we
get one 2, replace it by z and move left. Now keep moving left till we will find one x.
When we will get it, move a right, then follow the same procedure as above.

 A condition comes when we find a x immediately followed by a y. At this point we

keep moving right and keep on checking that all 1’s and 2’s have been converted to y
and z or not. If not, then string is not accepted. If we reach $ then string is accepted.
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TMs for calculations
 TMs can also be used for calculating values
 Like arithmetic computations
 Eg., addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc.

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 Turing Machine for addition
 A number is represented in binary format in different finite automata.
 For example, 5 is represented as 101. However, in the case of addition using a Turing machine, a unary format is followed.
 In unary format, a number is represented by either all ones or all zeroes. For example, 5 will be represented by a sequence of
five zeroes or five ones: 5 = 1 1 1 1 1 or 5 = 0 0 0 0 0. Let’s use zeroes for representation.

 A Turing machine can be designed to perform addition by using its tape to represent the numbers to be
added and its states to control the addition process. A high-level description of the process:
 The two numbers to be added are placed on the tape, separated by a blank symbol.
 The Turing machine starts at the leftmost digit of the first number and moves to the right, one digit at a time, checking the value
of each digit.
 If a digit is 0, the machine writes a 0 in the corresponding position of the sum. If it’s 1, it writes a 1.
 If both digits are 1, the machine writes a 0 and adds a carry of 1 to the next position.
 When the Turing machine reaches the end of the input, it adds any remaining carry and writes the result on the tape.

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Add 2+3
 Step-1: Convert 0 into X and go to step 2. If symbol is “c” then convert it into
blank(B), move right and go to step 6.
 Step-2: Keep ignoring 0’s and move towards right. Ignore “c”, move right and go
to step 3.
 Step-3: Keep ignoring 0’s and move towards right. Convert a blank (B) into 0,
move left and go to step 4.
 Step-4: Keep ignoring 0’s and move towards left. Ignore “c”, move left and go to
step 3.
 Step-5: Keep ignoring 0’s and move towards left. Ignore an X, move right and go
to step 1.
 Step-6: End.
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Solution

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Draw a Turing machine that subtracts two numbers.
 Step-1. If 0 found convert 0 into X and go right
then convert all 0’s into 0’s and go right.
 Step-2. Then convert C into C and go right then
convert all X into X and go right.
 Step-3. Then convert 0 into X and go left then
convert all X into X and go left.
 Step-4. Then convert C into C and go left then
convert all 0’s into 0’s and go left then convert
all X into X and go right and repeat the whole
process.
 Step-5. Otherwise, if C found convert C into C
and go right then convert all X into B and go
right then convert 0 into 0 and go left and then
stop the machine.
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Solution

 Here, q0 shows the initial state and q1, q2, q3, q4, q5are the
transition states and q6shows the final state. And X, 0, C are the
variables used for subtraction and R, L shows right and left.
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Draw a Turing machine that subtract two numbers m and n,
where m is greater than n.
 Step-1. If 0 found convert all 0’s into 0’s and go right
then convert C into C and go right
 Step-2. If X found then convert all X into X and go
right or if 0 found then convert 0 into X and go left
and go to next step otherwise go to 5th step
 Step-3. Then convert all X into X and go left then
convert C into C and go left
 Step-4. Then convert all 0’s into 0’s and go left then
convert B into B and go right then convert 0 into B
and go right and repeat the whole process
 Step-5. Otherwise if B found convert B into B and go
left then convert all X into B and go left then convert
C into B and go left and then stop the machine.
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Solution
 Here, q0 shows the initial state and
q1, q2, q3, q4, q5are the transition
states and q6shows the final state.
And B, X, 0, C are the variables
used for subtraction(m>n) and R, L
shows right and left and B variable
is a input symbol

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Problem: Draw a Turing machine that multiply two numbers.
 Step-1. First ignore 0’s, C and go to right & then if B found convert
it into C and go to left.
 Step-2. Then ignore 0’s and go left & then convert C into C and go
right.
 Step-3. Then convert all X into X and go right if 0 found convert it
into X and go to left otherwise if C found convert it into B and go
to right and stop the machine.
 Step-4. If then X found convert it into X and go left then C into C
and left then Y into Y and left.
 Step-5. Then if B found convert it into B and right then if Y into 0
and right or if C into C and right and go to step 3 and repeat the
process otherwise if 0 found after 4th step then convert it into Y
and right then Y into Y and right then C into C and right then 0 into
0 or X into X and right then C into C and right then 0 into 0 and
right then B into 0 and left then 0 into 0 and left then C into C and
left then 0 into 0 or X into X and left then C into C and left.
 Step-6. Then repeat the 5th step
Solution
 Here, q0 shows the initial state and q1, q2,
….., q10, q11are the transition states and
q12shows the final state.
 And X, Y, 0, C are the variables used for
multiplication and R, L shows right and left.

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Exercises
 Construct a Turing Machine for language L = {wwr | w ∈ {0, 1}}
 Construct a Turing Machine for language L = {ww | w ∈ {0,1}}
 Construct Turing machine for L = {an bm a(n+m) | n,m≥1}

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