CSE-309

Theory of Computation

Lecture 02

Deterministic Finite Automata (DFA)

Md. Rafsan Jani

Assistant Professor
Department of CSE
Jahangirnagar University
 Overview

• Definition of DFA
• Components of DFA
• Converting a problem to DFA
• Example of DFA
• Regular Language

2
 Finite Automata

An automaton with a finite number of states is called a

Finite Automaton(FA) or Finite State Machine(FSM).

FA can be classified into two categories:

1. Deterministic Finite Automaton (DFA)

2. Non-deterministic Finite Automaton (NFA)

3
 DFA

In DFA, for each input symbol, one can determine the state
to which the machine will move. Hence, it is called
Deterministic Automaton.

As it has a finite number of states, the machine is called

Deterministic Finite Machine or Deterministic Finite
Automaton.

4
 Observations

1. Each state has a single transition for each symbol in the

alphabet.

2. Every DFA has a computation for every finite string

over the alphabet.
,

5
 Formal definition of DFA
A DFA can be represented by a 5-tuple (Q, Σ, δ, q0, F), where:

• Q is a finite set of states.

• Σ is a finite set of symbols, called the alphabet.
• δ is the transition function where δ : Q x Σ → Q.
• q0 is the initial state from where any input is processed (q0
∈ Q).
• F is a set of final state/states of Q (F ⊆ Q).

6
 Graphical Representation of a DFA
A DFA is represented by digraphs called state diagram.

• The vertices represent the states.

• The arcs labeled with an input alphabet show the transitions.
• The initial state is denoted by an empty single incoming arc.
• The final state is indicated by double circles.

The dead state is a special state from where for all possible input
symbol the transition repeats to itself.

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Example: DFA accepting only string “abba”

a, b

q5
a, b
b a a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

8
 Set of States Q

Example

Q   q0 , q1, q2 , q3 , q4 , q5 
a, b

q5
a, b
b a a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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 Input Alphabet Σ

  :the input alphabet never contains 

Example
   a, b a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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 Initial State q0

Example

a, b

q5
a, b
b a a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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Set of Accepting States F such that F ⊆ Q

Example

F   q4  a, b

q5
a, b
b a a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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Transition Function δ : Q x Σ → Q

 (q , x )  q 
x
q q

Describes the result of a transition

from state q with symbol x

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Example:
  q0 , a   q1

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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   q0 , b   q5

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

15
   q2 , b   q3

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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 Transition Table for δ
symbols
 a b
q0 q1 q5
q1 q5 q2
states

q2 q5 q3
a,b
q3 q4 q5
q4 q5 q5 q5
q5 q5 q5 a,b
b a a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
17
  
 

 : Q  *  Q
^

 (q, w)  q
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Special case:

for any state q

^
  q,    q

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 Example:

^
^   ^  
  q0 , ab     q0 , a , b        q0 ,  , a , b       q0 , a , b    q1 , b  q2
a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
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^
^   ^  
  q1 , bba       q1 , bb  , a         q1 , b  , b , a 
     
  ^   
         q1 ,   , b , b , a         q1 , b  , b  , a 
     
     q2 , b  , a     q3 , a   q4
a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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 ^
  q0 , abbbaa   q5

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

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Example: Recognizing Strings Ending in “ing”

Not i or g

Not i
Not i or n i

nothing Saw i Saw in Saw ing

i n g

Start i i

Not i

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 Example: Strings With No 11

0 0,1

1 1
A B C

Start 0

String so far String so far Consecutive

has no 11, has no 11, 1’s have
does not but ends in been seen.(Dead State)
end in 1. a single 1.

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Alternative Representation: Transition Table

Final states
starred Columns =
0 1 input symbols

* A A B
Arrow for B A C
*
start state C C C

0 0,1
Rows = states
1 1
A B C
Each entry is δ
of the row and Start 0
column.

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 Example : Tennis
• Probably, it was invented in the 12th century or 1879.

• Match = 3-5 sets.

• Set = 6 or more games.

• Game =  at least four points and at least two points more than
the opponent

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 Winning a Game
• One person serves throughout.
• To win, you must score at least 4 points.
• You also must win by at least 2 points.
• Inputs are s = “server wins point” & o = “opponent wins point.
• Scores from zero to three points are described as " love",
"fifteen", "thirty", and "forty", respectively
• Scores equal to forty for each, the score is not called out as
"forty-forty", but rather as "deuce“
• For server "advantage" is called “Ad-in“
• For opponent   "advantage“ is called “Ad-out" 
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 Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
o s
30-Love
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love s
30-15 40-30
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all o deuce
s s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s o
s
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o
o Ad-out
Love-40
o
o
Opp’nt
Wins

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 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
* o
Love-15
s
o
15-30
s
s
30-40
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 29
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s

Start
*15-Love s o s
40-15 o
s
o
30-15 40-30
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 30
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s
o * s
o
s
o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 31
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s

*
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 32
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s

Love
s
o
15-all
s
o *
30-all
s
o
deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 33
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s

*
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 34
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s
o
s
o
s
o *
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 35
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
Wins
*
s
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 36
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s

Love
s
o
15-all
s
o
30-all
s
o *
deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 37
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
Wins
*
s
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 38
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s

Love
s
o
15-all
s
o
30-all
s
o *
deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 39
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs
Server
Wins
*
s
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 40
 Example: Processing a String

sosososososs *
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins 41
   {a , b }

L M  = { all strings with prefix “ab” }

a, b

q0 a q1 b q2

b a accept

q3 a, b

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L M  = { all binary strings containing substring “001” }

0,1
1 0
1

 0 0 00 1 001
0

43
L M  = { all binary strings without substring “001”}

1 0 0,1
1

 0 1
0 00 001

0
44
 
L(M )  awa : w   a , b 
*
 a
b
b
q0 a q2 q3

b a
q4

a, b
45
 Language of a DFA
Automata of all kinds define languages.

If A is an automaton, L(A) is its language.

For a DFA A, L(A) is the set of strings labeling paths from

the start state to a final state.

Formally: L(A) = the set of strings w such that δ(q0, w) is in F.

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 Example: String in a Language

String 101 is in the language of the DFA below.

Start at A.
0 0,1

1 1
A B C

Start 0

47
 Example: String in a Language

String 101 is in the language of the DFA below.

Follow arc labeled 1.

0 0,1

1 1
A B C

Start 0

48
 Example: String in a Language

String 101 is in the language of the DFA below.

Then arc labeled 0 from current state B.

0 0,1

1 1
A B C

Start 0

49
 Example: String in a Language

String 101 is in the language of the DFA below.

Finally arc labeled 1 from current state A. Result
is an accepting state, so 101 is in the language.
0 0,1

1 1
A B C

Start 0

50
 Example – Concluded
The language of our example DFA is:
{w | w is in {0,1}* and w does not have two consecutive 1’s}

These conditions
Such that… about w are true.

Read a set former as

“The set of strings w…

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For a DFA A   Q ,  ,  , q0 , F 

Language accepted by A :

 ^

L  A    w   :   q0 , w   F 
*

 

q0 w q q  F

52
Language rejected by : A

 ^

L  A    w   :   q0 , w   F 
*

 

q0 w q q  F

53
 Regular Languages
Definition:

A language L is regular if there is a DFA A that accepts

it ( L( A)  L )

The languages accepted by all DFAs form the family of

regular languages

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Example regular languages:

 abba   , ab, abba

{a b : n  0} awa : w  a , b  
n *

{ all strings in {a,b}* with prefix “ab”}

{ all binary strings without substring “001” }

{x : x  {1} and x is even}

*

{ } { } {a , b } *

There exist automata that accept these languages (see previous

slides).
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 There exist languages which are not Regular:

n n
L {a b : n  0}

ADDITION  {x  y  z : x  1 , y  1 , z  1 ,
n m k

nm k}

There is no DFA that accepts these languages (we will prove this in a later class)

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