Let’s Start: Finite Automata

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

DESCRIPTION OF A FINITE AUTOMATON
• The transition function which maps Q x ∑*
into Q (i.e. maps a state and a string of input
symbols including the empty stling into a
state) is called the indirect transition function.
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

F  Set
q4 of Accepting States
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 a
q1 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 q0
a 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 a
q1 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
a No transition:
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 q0
a 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 doesn’t 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 ) = {λ, 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 ) = {λ}

•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}