Finite Automata

Automata
• An automaton is an abstract model of a digital computer
• It has a mechanism for reading input from the input file
• It can produce output of some form
• It may have a temporary storage device, consisting of an unlimited number of cells, each
capable of holding a single symbol from an alphabet
• The automaton can read and change the contents of the storage cells.
• The automaton has a control unit, which can be in any one of a finite number of internal
states, and which can change state in some defined manner.
• An automaton whose output response is limited to a simple “yes” or “no” is called an
accepter.
• Presented with an input string, an accepter either accepts the string or rejects it.
• A more general automaton, capable of producing strings of symbols as output, is called a
transducer.
Automata
Finite Automata

Deterministic Non-
Finite Acceptor Deterministic
Finite Acceptor
Deterministic Finite Acceptor
DFA Example
String Acceptance or Rejection
• Check if 1001 belongs to the language generated by the automata

To solve this, remember the extended transition function ẟ*

(i.e.)
 String Acceptance or Rejection

Check if 1001 belongs to the language generated by the automata

ẟ*(q0,1001)
=ẟ(ẟ*(q0, 100),1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ*(q0,10), 0), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ*(q0,1), 0), 0), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ*(q0,λ), 1), 0), 0), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(q0, 1), 0), 0), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(q1, 0), 0), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(q0, 0), 1)
= ẟ(q0, 1)
= q1 ∈ F q1 is a final state. Hence the string is accepted.
 String Acceptance or Rejection

Check if 1011 belongs to the language generated by the automata

ẟ*(q0,1011)
=ẟ(ẟ*(q0, 101),1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ*(q0,10), 1), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ*(q0,1), 0), 1), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ*(q0,λ), 1), 0), 1), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(q0, 1), 0), 1), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(ẟ(q1, 0), 1), 1)
= ẟ(ẟ(q0, 1), 1)
= ẟ(q1, 1)
= q2 ∉ F q2 is a non-final state. Hence the string is rejected.
Language accepted by DFA
• The language accepted by a dfa M = (Q,Σ, δ, q0, F) is the set
of all strings on Σ accepted by M. In formal notation,

• The language rejected by a dfa M = (Q,Σ, δ, q0, F) is the set of all

strings on Σ rejected by M.
Regular Language
• A language L is called regular if and only if there exists some
deterministic finite accepter M such that
L = L(M)
(i.e.) if there exists a valid DFA
Representing DFA – Example 1
• Find a deterministic finite accepter that recognizes the set of all
strings on Σ = {a, b} starting with the prefix ab.
Language accepted {ab, aba, abb, abaa, ababab, …..}

a,b
a b
q0 q1 q2

b a
qt
a,b
 Transition Diagram and Transition Table
a
b
a b
q0 q1 q2

b a
qt
States a b
a
b -> q0 q1 qt
M=({q0, q1, q2, qt}, {a, b}, ẟ, q0, {q2})
where ẟ is given as q1 qt q2
ẟ(q0,a)=q1 ẟ(q0,b)=qt
ẟ(q1,a)=qt ẟ(q1,b)=q2 * q2 q2 q2
ẟ(q2,a)=q2 ẟ(q2,b)=q2
ẟ(qt,a)=qt ẟ(qt,b)=qt qt qt qt
Example 2
• Design a DFA that starts with any number of a’s followed by the string
ba and ending with one or more a’s or b’s.
Language accepted {baa, abab, ababbb, abaaaa, ababab, …..}
a, b
a
b a a, b States a b
q0 q1 q2 q3
-> q0 q0 q1
b
q1 q2 qt
qt q2 q3 q3
a, b
* q3 q3 q3

qt qt qt
Example 3
• Draw the DFA to accept all strings on ∑ = {a, b} that ends with abb.
Language accepted {abb, ababb, abbabb, abbaabb, abababb, …..}

b
a

a b b
q0 q1 q2 q3

a
a

b
Example 4
• Show that 𝐿 = 𝑎𝑤𝑎 𝑤 ∈ 𝑎, 𝑏 ∗ } is regular.
Language accepted { aa, aabaa, abbba, aaaaa, ababababaa …..}

b a
a a
q0 q1 q2

b
b
qt
a, b
Example 5 Example 6
• All the strings on ∑ = {a, b} with • All the strings on ∑ = {a, b} with
exactly one a. atleast one a.
b b a, b
b a, b

a a
q0 q1 qt a
q0 q1
Example 7 Example 8
• All the strings on ∑ = {a, b} • All the strings on ∑ = {a, b} with
with no more than three a’s. atleast three a’s.
b b b
b b b

a a
a a q0 q1 q2
q0 q1 q2
a
a
a, b q3
b q3

a, b qt
Example 9 & 10
• DFA for 𝐿 = 𝑤 𝑤 ∈ 𝑎, 𝑏 and 𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑑 5 ≠ 0}
a, b

a, b a, b a, b a, b
q0 q1 q2 q3 q4

• DFA for 𝐿 = 𝑤 𝑤 ∈ 𝑎, 𝑏 and 𝑛𝑎 𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑑 3 > 1}

b b b

a a
q0 q1 q2

a
Example 11 & 12
• Show that 𝐿 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑛 ≥ 4 is regular on ∑={a}.
a

a a a a
q0 q1 q2 q3 q4

• Show that 𝐿 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑛 ≥ 0 and 𝑛 ≠ 4 is regular on ∑={a}.

a

a a a a a
q0 q1 q2 q3 q4 q5
Example 13
• DFA with condition left most symbol differs from right most symbol
on ∑={0, 1}
0 1
1
q1 q2
0
0
q0 1 0

1 0
q3 q4

1
Example 14
• Find a dfa that accepts all the strings on {0, 1}, except those containing
the substring 001.
1 0, 1

0 0 1
q0 q1 q2 q3

1 0
Runs – Example 15
• A run in a string is a substring of length atleast 2, as long as possible
and consisting entirely of same symbol.
• Example: Design a DFA for L={w | every run of a’s has length either 2
or 3} on ∑={a, b}

a, b
b

a a a a
q0 q1 q2 q3 qt
b
b
b
Example 16
• L={w | w has no runs of length less than 4} on ∑={a, b}
Modulo Problems – Example 1
• L={w | na(w)mod 2=0 and nb(w) mod 2=0} (i.e.) na(w) and nb(w) are
both even.
Language accepted {λ, abab, ababbb, abbabb, ababaa, abababba, …..}

a
00 a 10

b b b b
a

01 11
a
Example 2
• L={w | na(w) mod 3 >= nb(w) mod 2}
a a
00 10 20

b b b b b b

a a
01 11 21

a
Division by K problems
• Draw a DFA to accept the binary strings divisible by 5.
∑={0, 1}
ẟ(qi, d) = qj
j=((r*i)+d) mod k
where r is the radix (ex: decimal, binary..}
i is the current state from the set of states
d is the set of digits
k is the division factor
 Example 1
• Draw a DFA to accept the binary strings divisible by 5.
∑={0, 1} i d j ẟ
d={0, 1} 0 0 0 ẟ(q0, 0) = q0
1 1 ẟ(q0, 1) = q1
k=5
1 0 2 ẟ(q1, 0) = q2
i = 0 to k-1 1 3 ẟ(q1, 1) = q3
r=2 2 0 4 ẟ(q2, 0) = q4
j=((r*i)+d) mod k 1 0 ẟ(q2, 1) = q0
3 0 1 ẟ(q3, 0) = q1
1 2 ẟ(q3, 1) = q2
4 0 3 ẟ(q4, 0) = q3
1 4 ẟ(q4, 1) = q4
 ẟ
Example 1 ẟ(q0, 0) = q0
ẟ(q0, 1) = q1
• Draw a DFA to accept the binary strings divisible by 5. ẟ(q1, 0) = q2
1
ẟ(q1, 1) = q3
0
ẟ(q2, 0) = q4
0
1 q1
q2
ẟ(q2, 1) = q0
q0
ẟ(q3, 0) = q1
0 1 1 0 ẟ(q3, 1) = q2
1
ẟ(q4, 0) = q3
ẟ(q4, 1) = q4
q3 0 q4
Example 2
• Obtain a DFA that accepts set of all strings when interpreted in
reverse as a binary string is divisible by 5
∑={0, 1} 1

d={0, 1} 0
0
k=5 1 q 1 q2
q0
i = 0 to k-1
1 0 1 0
r=2
1
j=((r*i)+d) mod k
q3 0 q4
Example 3
• DFA to accept the decimal strings divisible by 3.
Example strings: 393, 915, 7254 are accepted
Example strings: 593, 785, 9346 are rejected
d={0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9} It could be noted that, digits,
0, 3, 6, 9 mod 3 is 0
k=3
1, 4, 7 mod 3 is 1
i = 0 to k-1 2, 5, 8 mod 3 is 2
r=10 Hence digits can be grouped as
D1={0, 3, 6, 9}
j=((r*i)+d) mod k D ={1, 4, 7}
2
D3={2, 5, 8}
 Example 3
• Draw a DFA to accept the binary strings divisible by 3.
j=((r*i)+d) mod k
i d j ẟ
r=10
D1 0 ẟ(q0, D1) = q0
k=3 0 D2 1 ẟ(q0, D2) = q1
• D1={0, 3, 6, 9} D3 2 ẟ(q0, D3) = q2
• D2={1, 4, 7} D1 1 ẟ(q1, D1) = q1
1 D2 2 ẟ(q1, D2) = q2
• D3={2, 5, 8} D3 0 ẟ(q1, D3) = q0
D1 2 ẟ(q2, D1) = q2
2 D2 0 ẟ(q2, D2) = q0
D3 1 ẟ(q2, D3) = q1
 Example 3
ẟ
• Draw a DFA to accept the binary strings divisible by 3. ẟ(q0, D1) = q0
ẟ(q0, D2) = q1
D1 ẟ(q0, D3) = q2
D1
D2 ẟ(q1, D1) = q1
q1 ẟ(q1, D2) = q2
q0 D1={0, 3, 6, 9} ẟ(q1, D3) = q0
D3
D2={1, 4, 7}
D2 D3
D3={2, 5, 8} ẟ(q2, D1) = q2
D3 ẟ(q2, D2) = q0
D2
ẟ(q2, D3) = q1
q2

D1
Example strings: 393, 915, 7254 are accepted
Example strings: 593, 785, 9346 are rejected
Exercises
1. L={aw1aaw2a : w1, w2 ∈ {a, b}*}
2. L={w1abbw2 : w1, w2 ∈ {a, b}*}
3. L={ban : n ≥ 1, n ≠ 4}
4. L={w | na(w) mod 3 = 0 and nb(w) mod 2 = 0}
5. L={w | na(w) mod 4 < nb(w) mod 6}
6. L={w | na(w) mod 2 <= nb(w) mod 4}
7. L = {w : there are exactly two runs of a’s of length 3} on {a, b}}
8. All strings on {0, 1} where the leftmost two symbols and the rightmost
two symbols are identical
9. All strings with atleast one b and exactly two a’s on {a, b}
10. All strings that contain substring 000, but not 0000 on {0,1}