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Chapter 1 - Automata

This document provides an introduction to automata theory and finite automata. It defines key concepts such as automata, finite automata, alphabets, strings, languages, and formal definitions including the 5-tuple used to represent a finite automaton. Specific concepts like the Kleene star and Kleene closure/plus are also explained in terms of how they relate to sets of symbols or strings. The document serves to introduce fundamental terminologies and concepts used in automata theory and the study of formal languages.

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130 views4 pages

Chapter 1 - Automata

This document provides an introduction to automata theory and finite automata. It defines key concepts such as automata, finite automata, alphabets, strings, languages, and formal definitions including the 5-tuple used to represent a finite automaton. Specific concepts like the Kleene star and Kleene closure/plus are also explained in terms of how they relate to sets of symbols or strings. The document serves to introduce fundamental terminologies and concepts used in automata theory and the study of formal languages.

Uploaded by

calr acot
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language

CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Automata Theory

Automata – What is it?

The term "Automata" is derived from the Greek word "αὐτόματα" which means "self- acting".
An automaton (Automata in plural) is an abstract self-propelled computing device which follows
a predetermined sequence of operations automatically.

An automaton with a finite number of states is called a Finite Automaton (FA) or Finite State
Machine (FSM).

Formal definition of a Finite Automaton

An automaton can be represented by a 5-tuple (Q, Σ, δ, q0, F), where:

• Q is a finite set of states.

• Σ is a finite set of symbols, called the alphabet of the automaton.

• δ is the transition function.

• q0 is the initial state from where any input is processed (q0 ∈ Q).

• F is a set of final state/states of Q (F ⊆ Q).

Related Terminologies

Alphabet

• Definition: An alphabet is any finite set of symbols.

• Example: Σ = {a, b, c, d} is an alphabet set where ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’, and ‘d’ are symbols.

String

• Definition: A string is a finite sequence of symbols taken from Σ.

• Example: ‘cabcad’ is a valid string on the alphabet set Σ = {a, b, c, d}

OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language


OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language

Length of a String

• Definition: It is the number of symbols present in a string. (Denoted by |S|).

• Examples:

If S=‘cabcad’, |S|= 6

If |S|= 0, it is called an empty string (Denoted by λ or ε)

Automata Theory

OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language


OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language

OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language


OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language

Kleene Star

• Definition: The Kleene star, Σ*, is a unary operator on a set of symbols or strings, Σ,
that gives the infinite set of all possible strings of all possible lengths over Σ including λ.

• Representation: Σ* = Σ0 U Σ1 U Σ2 U……. where Σp is the set of all possible strings of


length p.

• Example: If Σ = {a, b}, Σ*= {λ, a, b, aa, ab, ba, bb,… }

Kleene Closure / Plus

• Definition: The set Σ+ is the infinite set of all possible strings of all possible lengths over
Σ excluding λ.

• Representation: Σ+ = Σ1 U Σ2 U Σ3 U…….

Σ+ = Σ* − { λ }

• Example: If Σ = { a, b } , Σ+ ={ a, b, aa, ab, ba, bb,… }

Language

• Definition: A language is a subset of Σ* for some alphabet Σ. It can be finite or infinite.

• Example: If the language takes all possible strings of length 2 over Σ = {a, b}, then L =
{ ab, bb, ba, bb}

OLAL2 – Automata Theory and Formal Language

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