SYLLABUS AND COURSE PLAN

B.TECH 5th semester

THEORETICAL FOUNDATION OF COMPUTATION

(2K6 CS 503)

OBJECTIVE

Introduce students to the mathematical foundations of computation including automata

theory; the theory of formal languages and grammars; the notions of algorithm,
decidability, complexity, and computability.

Enhance/develop students' ability to understand and conduct mathematical proofs for

computation and algorithms.

PREREQUISITES
General ease with algorithmic concepts, elementary logic and good understanding of discrete
probability are highly recommended.

TOPICS

( 53 hrs)

MODULE I (14 hours)

Introduction; alphabets, Strings and Languages; Automata and Grammars -Finite automata
(FA) -DFA-NFA Finite Automata with epsilon-transitions-Equivalence of DFAs and NFAs
-Regular expressions (RE) -Definition, RE to FA, FA to RE, algebraic laws for RE,
applications of REs. -Regular grammars and FA -Proving languages to be non-regular
-Pumping Lenma Applications. Closure properties of Regular languages -Closure under
Boolean operations, reversal, homomorphism, inverse homomorphism, etc. Myhill-Nerode
theorem-DFA Minimization - Decision properties of Regular languages - Two-way finite
automata, Finite automata with output

MODULE II (13 hours)

Context-free Grammars (CFG) -Parse tree - Ambiguity in grammars and LanguagesApplications of CFG- Pushdown Automata (PDA) -Equivalence of PDAs an d CFGs -DPDAs
-Definition, DPDAs and Regular Languages,-DPDA and Ambiguous grammars--CYK

algorithm -Simplification of CFGs -Normal forms -CNF and GNF --Pumping lemma for
CFLs,Closure properties of CFLs - Decision properties of CFL
MODULE III (13 hours)
Turing Machines -Formal definition and behavior - TM as a computer of integer functions
-Programming techniques for TMs -Storage in state, multiple tracks, subroutines, etc.Computing a partial function with Turing machine-Variants of TMs Multitape TMs,
Nondeterministic TMs.-TMs with semi-infinite tapes, multistack machines.-universal Turing
Machines-Equivalence of the various variants with the basic model- Models of computation
and Church-Turing Thesis
MODULE IV (13 hours)
Computability Closure properties of recursive and recursively enumerable language.
Undecidability- A language that is not RE An undecidable problem that is RE Undecidable
problems about TM-Halting problem Post Correspondence Problem The Chomsky
hierarchy Context sensitive language and LBA Equivalence of LBA and CSG
Text books
[1].J E Hopcroft And J D Ullman : Introduction to Automata Theory and Computation,
Addison Wesley

[2]. John C Martin : Introduction to Languages and the Theory of Computation(3 rd

Edition) , TMH
[3]. H R Lewis and C H Papadimitriou : Elemnts of Theory of Computation
[4]. Linz P : An Introduction to Formal Languages and Automata, Narosa

Course plan 53 hours

Module 1[14hours]
Sess
ion

Topic covered

ReferenceChapter:page No

Introduction; alphabets, Strings and Languages;

Automata and Grammars

[1]-1:2;
[2]-1:28;
[3]-1:42; [4]-1:16

Finite automata (FA) -DFA

[1]-2:13; [2]-3:95;
[3]-2:55; [4]-2:37

NFA

[1]-2:19; [2]-4:123;
[3]-2:63; [4]-2:49

Finite Automata with epsilon-transitions

[1]-2:24; [2]-4:133

Equivalence of DFAs and NFAs

[1]-2:22; [2]-4:132;
[4]-2:56

Regular expressions (RE) -Definition, RE to FA,

[1]-2:28; [2]-3:85;
[3]-1:48; [4]-3:71

FA to RE, algebraic laws for RE, applications of REs

[1]-2:34,45;

Regular grammars and FA -Proving languages to be

[1]-3:55; [2]-5:180,
6:217;
[3]-2:86;
[4]-4:114,

non-regular -Pumping Lemma Applications.

9

Closure properties of Regular languages -Closure

under Boolean operations, reversal, homomorphism,

[1]-3:58; [3]-2:75;
[4]-4:100,

inverse homomorphism, etc.

10

My hill-Nerode

theorem

[1]-3:65; [2]-5:171;
[3]-2:96;

11

DFA Minimization

[1]-3:67; [2]-5:179;
[3]-2:92;

12

Decision properties of Regular languages

[1]-3:63; [2]-5:186;

13

Two-way finite automata

[1]-2:36;

14

Finite automata with output

[1]-2:42;

Module 2 [13 hours]

sessi
on

Topics

ReferenceChapter:page No

Context-free Grammars (CFG) -Parse tree

[1]-4:77; [2]-6:203;
[3]-3:113; [4]-5:125

Ambiguity in grammars and Languages-Applications

[1]-4:87; [2]-1:221;
[3]-3:128; [4]-5:136

of CFG
3

Pushdown Automata (PDA)

[1]-5:107; [2]-7:255;
[3]-3:130; [4]-7:175

Equivalence of PDAs and CFGs

[1]-5:115; [2]-7:265;
[3]-3:136; [4]-7:185

DPDAs -Definition

[1]-5:112; [2]-7:260;
[3]-3:158; [4]-7:196

DPDAs and Regular Languages

[1]-5:112; [3]-3:158;
[4]-7:196

DPDA and Ambiguous grammars

[1]-5:112;

CYK algorithm

[1]-6:139; [4]-6:171

Simplification of CFGs

[1]-4:87;
[4]-6:149

10

Normal forms -CNF

[1]-4:92; [2]-6:239;
[3]-3:151; [4]-6:164

11

Normal forms -GNF

[1]-4:94;
[4]-6:167

12

Pumping lemma for CFLs

[1]-6:125; [2]-8:297;
[3]-3:145; [4]-8:206

13

Closure properties of CFLs - Decision properties of

[1]-6:130,137;
[2]8:306;
[3]-3:143;
[4]-8:213

CFL

[2]-6:232;

[3]-3:149;

Module III [13 hours]

Sessi
on

Topics

ReferenceChapter:page No

Turing Machines -Formal definition and behavior

[1]-7:146; [2]-9:319;
[3]-4:179; [4]-9:221

TM as a computer of integer functions

[1]-7:151;

Programming techniques for TMs -Storage in state,

[1]-7:153;

multiple tracks, subroutines, etc.

4

Computing a partial function with Turing machine

[2]-9:328;

Variants of TMs

[1]-7:159; [2]-9:337;
[3]-4:200; [4]-10:249

Multitape TMs,

[1]-7:161;[4]-10:258

Nondeterministic TMs.

[1]-7:163; [2]-9:341;
[3]-4:221; [4]-10:262

TMs with semi-infinite tapes,

[4]-10:253

multistack machines.

[1]-7:171;

10

universal Turing Machines

[2]-9:347;
[3]5:247; [4]-10:266

11

Equivalence of the various variants with the basic

[1]-7:170;

model
12

Models of computation

[1]-7:167; [2]-9:352;

13

Church-Turing Thesis

[1]-7:166; [2]-9:352;
[3]-5:245;

Module IV [13 hours]

sessi
on

Topics

ReferenceChapter:page No

Computability Closure properties of recursive

[1]-8:179; [2]-10:365;
[3]-5:267; [4]-11:276

Closure properties of recursively enumerable language.

[1]-8:179; [2]-10:365;
[4]-11:276

Undecidability

[1]-8:177;

A language that is not RE

[4]-11:278

An undecidable problem that is RE

[4]-12:306

Undecidable problems about TM-Halting problem

[2]-11:411 [3]-5:251;
[4]-12:302

Post Correspondence Problem

[1]-8:193; [2]-11:422;
[4]-12:309

The Chomsky hierarchy

[1]-9:217; [2]-10:391;
[4]-11:294

Context sensitive language

[1]-9:223; [2]-10:391;
[4]-11:289,12:316

10

LBA

[1]-9:225; [4]-11:290

11

Equivalence of LBA and CSG

[1]-9:225; [4]-11:290

12
13

[3]-5:245;

ASSIGNMENTS
No. 1

Let L be a language defines as follows, L = {w {a, b} : every a is either immediately

proceeded and followed by b} .Construct a finite state automata M , such that L(M ) = L.
No. 2

Design a TM that accepts the language of odd integers written in binary