UNIT I AUTOMATA

PART A
1.What is Finite Automata?
The finite automaton is a mathematical model of a system with discrete inputs and outputs. It
consists of a finite set of states and a set of transitions from state to state that depends on output
symbols.
2.What is deductive proof? .
A deductive proof consists of a sequence of statements which starts from a hypothesis or a given
statement to a conclusion. Each step is satisfying some logical principal
3.Define proof by contra positive.
It is the other form of If then statement. The contra positive of the statement If H then C is
If not C then not H
4.Define induction principle.
If S(i) is true for n = i ,then it is to be proved that for all n > i , S(n) implies S(n+1) then S(n) is true
for all n i..
5.Define NFA.
It is a five tuple (, Q, , q0, F ) ,where is a finite set of input alphabets, Q is a finite set of states,
q0 is the initial state, F Q is a set of final states. : Q 2Q is a transition function.
6.List any four ways of theorem proving.
(i)deductive proof , (ii) contra positive , (iii)Induction principle , (iv) method of contradiction.
7.How a Non deterministic finite state automaton (NFA) differs from a Deterministic finite state
automaton (DFA).
Solution:
DFA
NFA
Each symbol causes a move
The machine can move without consuming any
symbol and sometimes there is no possible move,
sometime there are more than one possible move
Next state is completed by determining The state is only partially determined by the current
current state and current symbol
state and current input symbol
The transition function returns only one The transition function returns zero, one or more

:Q X Q

: Q X 2Q

state.(i.e)
states.(i.e)
8.Define the languages described by DFA and NFA.
L(DFA) = { w / (q0,w) is in F}.It is the set of strings w that take the start state q 0 to one of the
accepting states.
L(NFA)= { w / (q0,w)F}.It is the set of strings w such that (q0,w)contains at least one
accepting state.
9.Define extended transition function for a DFA.
The extended transition function : Q* Q is defined as follows.(i) (q, ) = q (ii)For any w*
,
a and qQ , (q, wa)= ( (q, w),a)
10.Define - closure of a state.
The set of all states reachable from a given state q using transitions only. We use -closure to
denote the set of all vertices p such that there is a path from q to p labeled .
11.Find the - closure of states 1, 2 and 4 in the following transition diagram.
1-
2

3
6

b
4
5
a
b
7
- closure(1) = {1,2,4,3,6},- closure(2) = {2,3,6},- closure(4) = {4}.
12.Find the set of strings accepted by the finite automata.
Solution:
0,1

S
S22
L={0,1,00,01,10,11,000,001,010,100,}
13.Construct a finite state machine that accepts 1exactly those input strings of 0s and 1s that

0
S0

1
1

S1

S2

0
0,1

S3

1
S0

S1

S2

a
b

a, b
a

a, b