State Transition Diagrams & Turing

Machines
Lect 3
CS1005: Logic and Computation

Dr Nour Ali
Senior Lecturer in Computer Science
Nour.Ali@brunel.ac.uk
Table of Content
• Automata Theory
• State Transition Diagram
• Turing Machine
• Examples
• Summary
Automata Theory
• Automata theory deals with the logic of computation with respect to
simple machines, referred to as automata.
• Through automata, computer scientists are able to understand how
machines compute functions and solve problems.
• what it means for a function to be defined as computable or for a question to be
described as decidable.
• Automatons are abstract models of machines that perform computations
on an input by moving through a series of states or configurations. 
• At each state of the computation, a transition function determines the next
configuration on the basis of a finite portion of the present configuration.
Automated Machines
• Characteristics of such machines include:
• Inputs: assumed to be sequences of symbols selected from a finite set I of
input signals. Namely, set I is the set {x1, x,2, x3... xk} where k is the number of
inputs.
• Outputs: sequences of symbols selected from a finite set Z. Namely, set Z is
the set {y1, y2, y3 ... ym} where m is the number of outputs.
• States: finite set Q, whose definition depends on the type of automaton.
• Kinds of Automated Machines are:
• Turing Machines
• Finite State Machines
State Transition Diagram
• A diagram (graph) that indicates the possible states of automaton
and the allowable transitions between such states.
• Circles (Nodes) represent a state,
• Arrows represent state transitions.
• Each arrow also represents one instruction.
• An arrow is labeled with: current symbol (input), new symbol (output) and
direction.
Example of a State Diagram
• A, B, C and D are states.
1/1 • First state can sometimes have an arrow.
(There can be other representations)
0/1 • Arrows can represent transitions between
A B
two states
• Arrows can also just represent instructions
1/0 0/0 with no transition.
• Input
• Sometimes Output ( / )

1/1 1/1
0/1
D 0/0
C
State Transition Table
• The state transition table lists all possible combinations of the present
state and the inputs

Present state Input Next state Output

 Example: State Transition Table
Present state Input Next state Output 1/1
A 1 A 1
0/1
A 0 B 1 A B

B 0 C 0 1/0 0/0
B 1 D 0
C 1 C 1
C 0 D 0 1/1 1/1
D 0 B 1 0/1
D 0/0
C
D 1 A 1
Turing Machine
• Has a model of computation that is sufficient to describe all
computers.
• There are different variations of describing a Turing Machine.

• A Turing Machine has a data structure called an infinite “Tape”.

Data structure (TAPE)
Σ ={0,1}
0 1 1 0 1 0 1 Δ Δ

• The tape is divided into cells. Each cell contains one symbol.
• Symbols on the tape are:
• from an Alphabet (Σ).
• The alphabet can be Σ ={0,1, a, b, x, $, etc}

•Δ denotes an empty or blank cell.

• Some books and sources use ⊔ to denote a blank cell.
• A head accesses one cell at a time:
• It can read
• It can write
• Can move left or right.
How does a Turing Machine work?
• At the beginning of computation, the head is at the beginning of the
tape

0 1 1 0 1 0 1 Δ Δ

• A state machine (Finite State Machine(next lecture)) or called a

Programme controls the head and its actions (read, write,
movement). Symbol to Direction to
Write Move “R”
Symbol to
or “L”
Read

0 / 1, R
A B
Turing Machine Transitions (Example)
0 1 1 0 1 0 1 Δ Δ

0 / 1, R
A B

• Result:

1 1 1 0 1 0 1 Δ Δ
The State Machine for Turing
• It is a Finite State Machine
• It has an initial state
• Final States where we stop computation:
• THE ACCEPT STATE
• THE REJECT STATE
• The machine may enter into a LOOP where we do not stop.
• It is a deterministic machine: Every state has one transition we can
take.
Formal Definition of a Turing Machine
Example 1
• A Turing Machine that recognizes language
• L=01*0
1/Y R

0/X, R 0/X, R
A B C What is the tape input alphabet?

Δ/Δ,R Σ ={0,1}

1/1, R
Δ/Δ,R
Δ/Δ,R 0/0, R
1/1,R Assume if an edge is missing it goes to
the Reject State
REJECT ACCEPT
Example 1

X0 Y1 1Y 0X Δ Δ

1/Y, R

0/X, R 0/X, R
A B C

Δ/Δ,R

1/1, R
Δ/Δ,R
Δ/Δ,R 0/0, R
1/1,R

REJECT ACCEPT
Example 2
• A Turing Machine that recognizes language
• L=0n 1n
• The Tape input: Σ ={0,1}

• A legal input is:

0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 Δ
Example 2
X0 X0 0X 0X 1Y Y1 Y1 Y1 Δ

• ALGORITHM:
• STEP1: If 0 change to X
• Move right till we find 1
= {0,1, X, Y, Δ}
• ELSE REJECT
• STEP 2: Change 1 to X
• Move left till we find X
• REPEAT STEP 1 till there are 0’s
• MAKE SURE NO MORE 1’s
EXAMPLE 2: TURING MACHINE

0/0, R 0/0, L
Y/Y, R Y/Y, L

0/X, R 1/Y, L
A B C

Y/Y, R X/X,R

D Y/Y, R

Δ/Δ,L

Δ/Δ,L

ACCEPT
Summary
• A Turing Machine is a state machine but it has an infinite tape.
• The programme of a TM is represented as a diagram: depending on
the symbol under the head and the state, the machine writes a
symbol, moves left or right or stays in place, and/or changes state.
• Once a Turing Machine enters the accept state it stops.
Next Week
• Finite State Machines