NFAs accept the Regular

Languages

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 Equivalence of Machines

Definition for Automata:

Machine M1 is equivalent to machine M 2

if L M 1   L M 2 

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 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
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 We will prove:


Languages
Regular
accepted
Languages
by NFAs
Languages
accepted
by DFAs
NFAs and DFAs have the
same computation power
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Proof: we only need to show

Languages
accepted  Regular
Languages
by NFAs
AND
Languages
accepted  Regular
Languages
by NFAs

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 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
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 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
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 Conversion NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a
0 q  q 1 2
b

DFA M
 q0 

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  * (q0 , a )  {q1 , q2 }
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

DFA M
 q0  a
 q1, q2 

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 9

  * (q0 , b )   empty set

M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

DFA M
 q0  a
 q1, q2 
b

 trap state
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  (q1 , a )  {q1 , q2 }
*

M a  * (q2 , a )  
NFA
q0 a q1  q2 union

b  q1, q2 

a
DFA M
 q0  a
 q1, q2 
b


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  (q1 , b )  {q0 }
*

M a  * (q2 , b )  {q0 }
NFA
a  union
q0 q1 q2
b q 0 

b a
DFA M
 q0  a
 q1, q2 
b


Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 12
 M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

b a
DFA M
 q0  a
 q1, q2 
b

 a, b trap state
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 END OF CONSTRUCTION

M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2 q1  F
b
a
DFA M b

 q0  a
 q1, q2 
 q1, q2   F 
b

 a, b
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 Convert NFA to DFA
a
NFA M
q a
0 q  q 1 2
b
L M   L(M )
a
DFA M b

 q0  a
 q1, q2 
b

 a, b
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 General Conversion Procedure

Input: an NFA M

Output: an equivalent DFA M 

with L M   L(M )

Procedure: subset construction

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 NFA to DFA: Formally

We are given an NFA M  (QN , ,  N , q0 , FN )

We want to convert it
M   (QD , ,  D , {q0 }, FD )
to an equivalent DFA

With
L M   L(M )
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If the NFA has n states

QN  {q0 , q1 , q2 ,..., qn }

the DFA has 2n states in the power set of QN

i.e.
,  q0  ,  q1 ,  q1, q2  ,  q3 , q4 , q7  ,....

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 Procedure NFA to DFA

1. Initial state of NFA: q0

  q0 ,    q0 , 
*

Initial state of DFA: q0 , 

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 Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

DFA M
 q0 

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 Procedure NFA to DFA
2. For every DFA’s state {qi , q j ,..., qm }

Compute in the NFA

 *  qi , a  Union
  * q j , a 
 {qi , qj ,..., qm
}
...
  *  qm , a 
Add transition to DFA
 {qi , q j ,..., qm }, a   {qi , qj ,..., qm
}
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 Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b
 * (q0 , a )  {q1, q2 }

DFA M 

 q0  a
 q1, q2 

   q0  , a    q1, q2 
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 Procedure NFA to DFA

Repeat Step 2 for all letters in alphabet, until

no more transitions can be added.

OR

Repeat Step 2 for every state in DFA and

symbols in alphabet until no more states can be
added in the DFA

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 Example
M a
NFA
q0 a q1  q2
b

b a
DFA M
 q0  a
 q1, q2 
b

 a, b
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 Procedure NFA to DFA
3. For any DFA state {qi , q j ,..., qm }

If some q j is a final state in the NFA

Then, {qi , q j ,..., qm }

is a final state in the DFA

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 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
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 26
Lemma:
If we convert NFA M to DFA M 
then the two automata are equivalent:
L M   L M  

Proof:
We only need to show: L M   L M  
AND
L M   L M  
First we show: L M   L M  

Take arbitrary: w L(M )

We will prove: w  L(M )

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 w L(M )

M: q0 w qf

w   1 2  k
1 2 k
M: q0 qf

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NOTE: symbol
i
qi qj

denotes a possible sub-path like

symbol
  i 
qi qj
We will show that if w L(M )

w   1 2  k
1 2 k
M: q0 qf

1 2 k
M:
{q0 , } {q f ,}
w  L(M )
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More generally, we will show that if in M:
(arbitrary string) v  a1a2 an
a1 a2 an
M: q0 qi qj ql qm

a1 a2 an
M:
{q0 , } {qi ,} {q j ,} {ql ,} {qm ,}

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 Proof by induction on |v|

Induction Basis: v  a1 |v | 1

a1
M: q0 qi

a1
M:
{q0 , } {qi ,}

is true by construction of M 
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 33
Induction hypothesis: 1 | v | k
v  a1a2 ak
a1 a2 ak
M: q0 qi qj qc qd

a1 a2 ak
M:
{q0 , } {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,}

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 34

Induction Step: | v | k  1
v  a1a2 ak ak 1  vak 1
   
v

a1 a2 ak
M: q0 qi qj qc qd

v
a1 a2 ak
M:
{q0 , } {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,}

v
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 35
Induction Step: | v | k  1
v  a1a2 ak ak 1  vak 1
   
v

a1 a2 ak ak 1
M: q0 qi qj qc qd qe

v
a1 a2 ak ak 1
M:
{q0 , } {qi ,} {q j ,} {qc ,} {qd ,} {qe ,}

v
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 36
Therefore if w L(M )

w   1 2  k
1 2 k
M: q0 qf

1 2 k
M:
{q f ,}
{q0 , }
w  L(M )
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We have shown: L M   L M  

We also need to show: L M   L M  

(proof is similar)

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 38

Activity
Time
NFAs vs. DFAs
 NFAs vs. DFAs

What is non-determinism?

Which is useful?

Which is powerful?

40
•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}
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI 41
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