Introduction to

Recursive and
Recursively
Enumerable Languages

Recursive and recursively enumerable languages are fundamental concepts in the field
of automata theory and computability. These languages represent the computational
power and limitations of Turing machines, the most powerful theoretical model of
computation.
Formal Definitions and Concepts

1 Recursive Languages 2 Recursively Enumerable Languages

Languages that can be recognized by a Turing
machine that always halts, given any input. Languages that can be recognized by a Turing
machine that may or may not halt, given any
input.

3 Decidability 4 Undecidability
The property of a problem or language being The property of a problem or language not being
solvable by a Turing machine that always halts. solvable by a Turing machine that always halts.
Turing Machines and Computability
1 Definition
Turing machines are mathematical models of computation that define the limits of what
can be computed.

2 Universality
Turing machines can simulate any other Turing machine, making them the most
powerful theoretical model of computation.

3 Computability
Turing machines can solve any problem that can be algorithmically defined, known as
the Church-Turing thesis.
 Recursively Enumerable Languages and
Turing Acceptability
Turing Acceptability Examples
The language of all Turing machine
Recursively enumerable languages programs that halt on a given input,
are those that can be recognized by and the language of all theorems
a Turing machine that may or may provable in a given formal system
not halt, given any input. are examples of recursively
enumerable languages.

1 2 3 4

Enumeration
Recursively enumerable languages Closure Properties
can be enumerated by a Turing Recursive languages are closed under
machine, meaning their members all except set difference and
can be listed one by one. compliment.
Recursive Languages and Turing
Acceptability
Turing Acceptability Examples
A language 𝐿 is recursive The set of all strings that are Even
(decidable) if there exists a Turing Numbers, Valid Arithmetic
machine 𝑇 that will always halt Expression , Palindrome Strings
and correctly decide whether any .
given string 𝑤 is in 𝐿 or not.
.

1 2 3

Closure Properties
Recursive languages are closed under all
except Homomorphism and substitution.
Relationship between Recursive and
Recursively Enumerable Languages
Inclusion
All recursive languages are recursively enumerable,
but not all recursively enumerable languages are
recursive.
Decidability
Recursive languages correspond to decidable
problems, while recursively enumerable languages
correspond to semi-decidable problems.
Complement
The complement of a recursive language is also
recursive, but the complement of a recursively
enumerable language may not be recursively
enumerable.
Importance
Understanding the relationship between these
language classes is crucial for determining the
computational power and limitations of Turing
machines.
Decidability and Undecidability

Decidable Undecidable Examples Implications

Problems that can be Problems that cannot be The halting problem is a Undecidability has
solved by a Turing solved by a Turing famous undecidable profound implications for
machine that always machine that always problem in computer the limits of computation
halts. halts. science. and the foundations of
mathematics.
Implications and Applications
Theoretical Foundations
The study of recursive and recursively enumerable languages underpins the theoretical
foundations of computer science and computability theory.

Practical Applications
These concepts have applications in areas like programming language design, compiler
construction, and the analysis of computational complexity.

Limits of Computation
Understanding the limitations of Turing machines and the existence of undecidable
problems is crucial for understanding the inherent limitations of computation.
Thank You !