Theory of Programming Languages

(CSC-161)
Mr. Faizan Ali (Teaching Assistant)

Department of Computer Systems Engineering,

BS in (Computer Science)
Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro.
 Lecture # 04
(NFA- Nondeterministic Finite Automata)
NFA

• A Nondeterministic Finite Automaton (NFA) is a theoretical model of computation used in automata

theory. It is similar to a Deterministic Finite Automaton (DFA) but differs in that:
1. Multiple transitions for the same input: A state in an NFA can have multiple transitions for the
same input symbol.
2. Transitions (ε): An NFA can move to a new state without consuming any input (ε-moves).
3. Non-deterministic behavior: The automaton can be in multiple states at the same time, unlike a
DFA, which has only one active state at any moment.

Components of an NFA
• An NFA is defined by five elements:
• (Q, Σ, δ, q₀, F)
Cont..

• A Nondeterministic finite automata DFA is defined by 5 symbols {Q, Σ, δ, S(q₀), F}

1. States (Q): Q is a finite and non empty set of states.
2. Alphabet (Σ): Σ is a finite non empty set of finite input symbols (alphabet).
3. Transition Function (δ): Defines how states changes based on input.
4. Start State (S-q₀): Where the automaton begins. S is initial state (always one)
5. Final States (F): Accepting states that determine valid inputs.

 How if NFA works:

•The NFA starts at the initial state q₀.
•For each input symbol, the machine can move to multiple states or take ε-transitions.
•If at least one path leads to an accepting state in F after reading the full input, the string is
accepted.
Cont..

Example-01
• NDFA (Q, Σ, δ, q₀, F)

1 0 0

q0 1 q1 0 q2

• Is this called a deterministic finite automaton?

q0

q0
Why Nondeterministic finite automata?
q0 0
0 q0
0
0
q2
q1
• You now have multiple choices, which represent a nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA).
• There are multiple possible moves at each step.
• That’s why we use an NFA for regular languages (Accept/Reject).

• δ x Σ => Q
• (q0, q0, q0) x (0.1) -> 2Q -> 23 =8
• q0 0 0
• q0 1 q0
• q1 0 q1
• q1 1 q2
• q2 0 q 0 q1
• q2 1 q 0 q2
q1 q2
DFA and NFA

DFA NDFA/NFA

One transition per input symbol per state. Multiple transitions per input or ε (null) moves.

Only one possible next state. Multiple choices possible next states.

Processes input in a single path. Explores multiple paths simultaneously.

Requires more states. Often fewer states, more compact.

Accepted if one path reaches a final state. Accepted if at least one path reaches a final
state.
NFA Designing
Nondeterministic Finite Automata Designing

• Design an NFA (Nondeterministic Finite Automaton)

• Alphabet (Σ) – The set of input symbols (e.g., {0,1} for binary).
• States (Q) – The finite set of states.
• Start State (q₀) – The initial state.
• Final States (F) – The set of accepting states.
• Transitions (δ) – The state transitions, including multiple transitions for the same input or ε-
moves.

• Examples:
• Strings ending with “10"
• Strings containing "ab"
• Any given regular expression pattern
Cont..

• NFA for recognizing strings that end with "10“

0,1

q0 1 q1 0,1 q2 Final

• What this design present?

a a
q0 q1

q2 a,b
NFA Examples

NFA Example 01:

• Design an NFA with ∑ = {0, 1} for all binary strings where the second last bit is 1.

• Solution
• The language generated by this example will include all strings in which the second-last bit is 1.
• L= {10, 010, 000010, 11, 101011……..}

• NFA automaton machine accepts all strings where the second last bit is 1.

0,1

q0 1 q1 0,1 q2 Final
Cont..

• Where,
• {q0, q1, q2} refers to the set of states
• {0,1} refers to the set of input alphabets
• δ refers to the transition function
• q0 refers to the initial state
• {q2} refers to the set of final states

• Transition function δ is defined as

• δ (q0, 0) = q0
• δ (q0, 1) = q0,q1 0,1
• δ (q1, 0) = q2
• δ (q1, 1) = q2 q0 1 q1 0,1 q2 Final
• δ (q2, 0) = ϕ
• δ (q2, 1) = ϕ
Cont..

• Transition Table (Non-Deterministic Finite Automata)

States 0 1

q0 q0 q0,q1

q1 q2 q2

q2 – –

0,1

q0 1 q1 0,1 q2 Final
NFA Example 02:

• NFA with input alphabet ∑ = {0, 1} that accepts all the strings that end with 01.

• Solution
• The language generated by this example will include all strings that end with 01.
• L= {01, 0101, 0000101, 101, 101001……..}

0,1

q0 0 q1 1 q2 Final

• NFA automaton machine accepts all strings that end with 01.
Cont..

• Where,
• {q0, q1, q2} refers to the set of states
• {0,1} refers to the set of input alphabets
• δ refers to the transition function
• q0 refers to the initial state
• {q2} refers to the set of final states

• Transition function δ is defined as

• δ (q0, 0) = q0,q1
• δ (q0, 1) = q0
• δ (q1, 0) = fi
• δ (q1, 1) = q2
• δ (q2, 0) = ϕ
• δ (q2, 1) = ϕ
Cont..

• Transition Table for the above Non-Deterministic Finite Automata is:

States 0 1

q0 q0,q1 q0

q1 – q2

q2 – –

0,1

q0 0 q1 1 q2 Final
NFA Example 03:

• Construct an NFA with ∑ = {0, 1} in which each string must contain “double ‘1’ is followed by single ‘0’.

Solution
• The language generated by this example will include all strings that must contain “double ‘1’ is
followed by single ‘0’.
• L= {110, 0110, 1110, 10100110……..}

0,1 0,1
q0 1 q1 1 q2 0 q3 Final
Cont..

• Where,
• {q0, q1, q2,q3} refers to the set of states
• {0,1} refers to the set of input alphabets
• δ refers to the transition function
• q0 refers to the initial state
• {q3} refers to the set of final states

• Transition function δ is defined as

• δ (q0, 0) = q0
• δ (q0, 1) = q0, q1
• δ (q1, 0) = fi
• δ (q1, 1) = q2
• δ (q2, 0) = q3
• δ (q2, 1) = ϕ
• δ (q3, 0) = q3
• δ (q3, 1) = q3
Cont..

• Transition Table (Non-Deterministic Finite Automata is)

States 0 1

q0 q0 q0,q2

q1 – q2

q2 q3 –

q3 q3 q3

0,1 0,1
q0 1 q1 1 q2 0 q3 Final
NFA Example 04:

• Design an NFA with ∑ = {0, 1} such that every string includes the substring 1101.

Solution
• The language generated by this example will include all strings that must contain substring 1101.
• L= {1101, 110101, 1101000101, 01101, 1011011……..}

0,1

q0 1 q1 1 q2 0 q3

q4 Final

0,1
Cont..

• Where,
• {q0, q1, q2,q3,q4} refers to the set of states
• {0,1} refers to the set of input alphabets
• δ refers to the transition function
• q0 refers to the initial state
• {q4} refers to the set of final states

• Transition function δ is defined as

• δ (q0, 0) = q0 • δ (q2, 1) = ϕ
• δ (q0, 1) = q0, q1 • δ (q3, 0) = ϕ
• δ (q1, 0) = fi • δ (q3, 1) = q4
• δ (q1, 1) = q2 • δ (q4, 0) = q4
• δ (q2, 0) = q3 • δ (q4, 1) = q4
Cont..

• Transition Table (Non-Deterministic Finite Automata is)

States 0 1

q0 q0 q0,q1

q1 – q2

q2 q3 –

q3 – q4

q4 q4 q4
NFA Example 05:

Construct an NFA with ∑ = {0, 1} in which each string must contain “11” followed by “00”.

Solution
• The language generated by this example will include each string must contain “11” followed by
“00”.
• L= {1100, 01100, 11100, 011001, 00110001 ……..}

0,1

q0 1 q1 1 q2 0 q3

q4 Final
Cont..

• Where,
• {q0, q1, q2, q3, q4} refers to the set of states
• {0,1} refers to the set of input alphabets
• δ refers to the transition function
• q0 refers to the initial state
• {q4} refers to the set of final states

• Transition function δ is defined as

• δ (q0, 0) = q0 • δ (q2, 1) = ϕ
• δ (q0, 1) = q0,q1 • δ (q3, 0) = q4
• δ (q1, 0) = ϕ • δ (q3, 1) = ϕ
• δ (q1, 1) = q2 • δ (q4, 0) = q4
• δ (q2, 0) = q3 • δ (q4, 1) =q4
Cont..

• Transition Table (Non-Deterministic Finite Automata is)

States 0 1

q0 q0 q0,q1

q1 – q2

q2 q3 –

q3 q4 –

q4 q4 q4
NFA Example 06:

• Construct an NFA with ∑ = {0, 1}, where each string must contain either “01” or “10”.
• Solution
• The language generated by this example will include each string must contain either “01” or “10”.
• L= {01, 10, 001, 110, 1110, 0001………..}

0,1 0,1
q0 0 q1 1 q2
1
q3

Final q4
Cont..

• Where,
• {q0, q1, q2, q3, q4} refers to the set of states
• {0,1} refers to the set of input alphabets
• δ refers to the transition function
• q0 refers to the initial state
• {q2,q4} refers to the set of final states

• Transition function δ is defined as

• δ (q2, 0) = q2
• δ (q0, 0) = q0,q1
• δ (q2, 1) = q2
• δ (q0, 1) = q0,q3
• δ (q3, 0) = q4
• δ (q1, 0) = ϕ
• δ (q3, 1) = ϕ
• δ (q1, 1) = q2
• δ (q4, 0) = q4
• δ (q1, 1) = q2
• δ (q4, 1) =q4
• δ (q1, 1) = q2
• δ (q1, 1) = q2
Cont..

• Transition Table (Non-Deterministic Finite Automata is)

States 0 1

q0 q0,q1 q0,q3

q1 – q2

q2 q2 q2

q3 q4 –

q4 q4 q4
NFA Example 08:

• Construct an NFA with ∑ = {0, 1} that accepts all strings that begin with 1 and end with 0.
• Solution
• The language generated by this example will include all strings that begin with 1 and end with 0.
• L= {10, 110, 100, 1100, 1110, 1000 ………}

1 0

q0 0 q1 1 q2

0
Cont..

• Where,
• {q0, q1, q2} refers to the set of states
• {0,1} refers to the set of input alphabets
• δ refers to the transition function
• q0 refers to the initial state
• {q2} refers to the set of final states

• Transition function δ is defined as

• δ (q0, 0) = ϕ
• δ (q0, 1) = q1
• δ (q1, 0) = q2
• δ (q1, 1) = q1
• δ (q2, 0) = q2
• δ (q2, 1) = q1
Cont..

• Transition Table (Non-Deterministic Finite Automata is)

States 0 1

q0 – q1

q1 q2 q1

q2 q2 q1

1 0

q0 0 q1 1 q2

0
"Thank You!"