Non-Deterministic
Finite Automata
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 1
Nondeterministic Finite Automaton (NFA)
Alphabet = {a}
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 2
Alphabet = {a}
Two choices q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 3
Alphabet = {a}
Two choices q1 a q2 No transition
a
q0
a
q3 No transition
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 4
First Choice
a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 5
First Choice
a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 6
First Choice
a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 7
First Choice
a a
All input is consumed
q1 a q2 “accept”
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 8
Second Choice
a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 9
Second Choice
a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 10
Second Choice
a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
No transition:
q3
the automaton hangs
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 11
Second Choice
a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 “reject”
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 12
An NFA accepts a string:
if there is a computation of the NFA
that accepts the string
i.e., all the input is consumed and the automaton
is in an accepting state
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 13
Example
aa is accepted by the NFA:
“accept”
q1 a q2 q1 a q2
a a
q0
a
q0
a
q3 q3 “reject”
because this
computation
accepts aa
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 14
Rejection example
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 15
First Choice
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 16
First Choice
a
“reject”
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 17
Second Choice
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 18
Second Choice
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 19
Second Choice
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 “reject”
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 20
An NFA rejects a string:
if there is no computation of the NFA
that accepts the string.
For each computation:
• All the input is consumed and the
automaton is in a non final state
OR
• The input cannot be consumed
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 21
Example
a is rejected by the NFA:
“reject”
q1 a q2 q1 a q2
a a
q0 q0
a a
q3
“reject” q3
All possible computations lead to rejection
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 22
Rejection example
a a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 23
First Choice
a a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 24
First Choice
a a a
q1 a q2
a
q0 No transition:
a
the automaton hangs
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 25
First Choice
a a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2 “reject”
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 26
Second Choice
a a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 27
Second Choice
a a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 28
Second Choice
a a a
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
No transition:
q3
the automaton hangs
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 29
Second Choice
a a a
Input cannot be consumed
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 “reject”
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 30
aaa is rejected by the NFA:
“reject”
q1 a q2 q1 a q2
a a
q0
a
q0
a
q3 q3 “reject”
All possible computations lead to rejection
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 31
Language accepted: L {aa}
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 32
Lambda Transitions
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 33
a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 34
a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 35
(read head does not move)
a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 36
a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 37
all input is consumed
a a
“accept”
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
String aa is accepted
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 38
Rejection Example
a a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 39
a a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 40
(read head doesn’t move)
a a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 41
a a a
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
No transition:
the automaton hangs
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 42
Input cannot be consumed
a a a
“reject”
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
String aaa is rejected
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 43
Language accepted: L {aa}
q0 a q1 q2 a q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 44
Another NFA Example
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 45
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 46
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 47
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 48
a b
“accept”
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 49
Another String
a b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 50
a b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 51
a b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 52
a b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 53
a b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 54
a b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 55
a b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 56
a b a b
“accept”
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 57
Language accepted
L ab, abab, ababab, ...
ab
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 58
Another NFA Example
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q2
1
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 59
Language accepted
L(M ) = { λ, 10, 1010, 101010, ...}
= { 10} *
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q2
1 (redundant
state)
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 60
Remarks:
•The symbol never appears on the
input tape
•Simple automata:
M1 M2
q0 q0
L(M1 ) = {} L(M 2 ) = {λ}
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 61
•NFAs are interesting because we can
express languages easier than DFAs
NFA M1 DFA M2 a
q2
q0 a q1
a
q0 a q1
L( M1 ) = {a} L( M 2 ) = {a}
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 62
Formal Definition of NFAs
M Q, , , q0 , F
Q : Set of states, i.e. q0 , q1, q2
: Input aplhabet, i.e. a, b
: Transition function
q0 : Initial state
F : Accepting states
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 63
Transition Function
Is the result of following exactly
one transition
q0 , 1 q1
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 64
(q1,0) {q0 , q2}
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 65
(q0 , ) {q2 }
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 66
(q2 ,1)
0
q0 q1 0, 1 q
2
1
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 67
Extended Transition Function *
* q0 , a q1
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 68
* q0 , aa q4 , q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 69
* q0 , ab q2 , q3 , q0
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 70
Formally
q j * qi , w : there is a walk from qi to q j
with label w
qi w qj
w 1 2 k
1 2 k
qi qj
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 71
The Language of an NFA M
F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
* q0 , aa q4 , q5 aa L(M )
F
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 72
F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
* q0 , ab q2 , q3 , q0 ab L M
F
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 73
F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
* q0 , abaa q4 , q5 aaba L(M )
F
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 74
F q0 ,q5
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
* q0 , aba q1 aba L M
F
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 75
q4 q5
a a
q0 a q1 b q2 q3
L M ab * ab * {aa }
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 76
Formally
The language accepted by NFA M is:
L M w1, w2 , w3 ,...
where * (q0 , wm ) {qi , q j ,..., qk ,}
and there is some qk F (accepting state)
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 77
w L M * (q0 , w)
qi
w1
q0
qk qk F
w2
w3 qj
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 78
NFAs accept the Regular
Languages
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 79
Equivalence of Machines
Definition:
Machine M1 is equivalent to machine M 2
if L M 1 L M 2
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 80
Example of equivalent machines
NFA M1
0
L M1 {10} *
q0 q1
1
DFA M2 0,1
0
L M 2 {10} *
q0 q1 1 q2
1
0
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 81
We will prove:
Languages
Regular
accepted
Languages
by NFAs
Languages
accepted
by DFAs
NFAs and DFAs have the
same computation power
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 82
We will show:
Languages
accepted Regular
Languages
by NFAs
Languages
accepted Regular
Languages
by NFAs
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 83
Proof-Step 1
Languages
accepted Regular
Languages
by NFAs
Proof: Every DFA is trivially an NFA
Any language L accepted by a DFA
is also accepted by an NFA
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 84
Proof-Step 2
Languages
accepted Regular
Languages
by NFAs
Proof: Any NFA can be converted to an
equivalent DFA
Any language L accepted by an NFA
is also accepted by a DFA
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 85
Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a q 0
q 1 2
b
DFA M
q0
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 86
Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a q 0
q 1 2
b
DFA M
q0 a
q1, q2
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 87
Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a q 0
q 1 2
b
DFA M
q0 a
q1, q2
b
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 88
Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a q 0
q 1 2
b
a
DFA M
q0 a
q1, q2
b
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 89
Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a q 0
q 1 2
b
b a
DFA M
q0 a
q1, q2
b
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 90
Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a q 0
q 1 2
b
b a
DFA M
q0 a
q1, q2
b
a, b
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 91
Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a q 0
q 1 2
b
L M L(M )
a
DFA M b
q0 a
q1, q2
b
a, b
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 92
NFA to DFA: Remarks
We are given an NFA M
We want to convert it
to an equivalent DFA M
With L M L(M )
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 93
If the NFA has states
q0 , q1, q2 ,...
the DFA has states in the powerset
, q0 , q1 , q1, q2 , q3 , q4 , q7 ,....
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 94
Procedure NFA to DFA
1. Initial state of NFA: q0
Initial state of DFA: q0
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 95
Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1 q2
b
DFA M
q0
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 96
Procedure NFA to DFA
2. For every DFA’s state {qi , q j ,..., qm }
Compute in the NFA
* qi , a ,
* q j , a , {qi , qj ,..., qm
}
...
Add transition to DFA
{qi , q j ,..., qm }, a {qi , qj ,..., qm
}
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 97
Exampe
M a
NFA
q0 a q1 q2
b
* (q0 , a ) {q1, q2 }
DFA M
q0 a
q1, q2
q0 , a q1, q2
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 98
Procedure NFA to DFA
Repeat Step 2 for all letters in alphabet,
until
no more transitions can be added.
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 99
Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1 q2
b
b a
DFA M
q0 a
q1, q2
b
a, b
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 100
Procedure NFA to DFA
3. For any DFA state {qi , q j ,..., qm }
If some q j is accepting state in NFA
Then, {qi , q j ,..., qm }
is accepting state in DFA
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 101
Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1 q2 q1 F
b
a
DFA M b
q0 a
q1, q2
b q1, q2 F
a, b
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 102
Theorem
Take NFA M
Apply conversion procedure
to obtain DFA M
Then M and M are equivalent :
L M L M
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 103
Proof
L M L M
L M L M AND L M L M
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 104
First we show: L M L M
Take arbitrary: w L(M )
We will prove: w L(M )
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 105
w L(M )
NFA M: q0 w qf
w 1 2 k
1 2 k
NFA M: q0 qf
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 106
i
qi qj
denotes
i
qi qj
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 107
We will show that if w L(M )
w 1 2 k
1 2 k
NFA M: q0 qf
then
1 2 k
DFA M:
{q0 } {q f ,}
w L(M )
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 108
More generally, we will show that if in M:
(arbitrary string) v a1a2 an
a1 a2 an
NFA M: q0 qi qj ql qm
then
a1 a2 an
DFA M:
{q0} {qi ,} {q j ,} {ql ,} {qm ,}
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 109
Proof by induction on |v|
Induction Basis: v a1
a1
NFA M: q0 qi
a1
DFA M:
{q0 } {qi ,}
Is true by construction of M:
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 110
Induction hypothesis: 1 | v | k
v a1a2 ak
a1 a2 ak
M: q0 qi qj qc qd
NFA
a1 a2 ak
DFA M:
{q0} {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,}
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 111
Induction Step: | v | k 1
v a1a2 ak ak 1 vak 1
v
a1 a2 ak
M: q0 qi qj qc qd
NFA
v
a1 a2 ak
DFA M:
{q0 } {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,}
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI
v 112
Induction Step: | v | k 1
v a1a2 ak ak 1 vak 1
v
a1 a2 ak ak 1
NFA M: q0 qi qj qc qd qe
v
a1 a2 ak ak 1
DFA M:
{q0} {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,} {qe ,}
Fall 2005
v
Costas Busch - RPI 113
Therefore if w L(M )
w 1 2 k
1 2 k
NFA M: q0 qf
then
1 2 k
DFA M:
{q0 } {q f ,}
w L(M )
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 114
We have shown: L M L M
We also need to show: L M L M
(proof is similar and omitted)
Fall 2005 Costas Busch - RPI 115
