CS-850: Advanced
Theory of Computation
(Spring 2020)
Lecture 4
Adnan Rashid
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DFA Summary
Given the current state, we know that
what is the next state
• Only one unique next state
• No choices
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Non-deterministic Finite
Automaton (NFA)
Given the current state, there may be
multiple next states
• The next state is chosen at random
• All next states are chosen
• In parallel
• Pursued simultaneously
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Non-deterministic Finite
Automaton (NFA)
Alphabet = {a}
Two choices
No transition
No transition
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NFA: First Choice
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NFA: First Choice
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NFA: First Choice
All input is consumed
“accept”
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NFA: Second Choice
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NFA: Second Choice
Input cannot be consumed
Automaton Halts
“reject”
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NFA Accepting a String
An NFA accepts a string
▪ If there is a computation of the NFA that
accepts the string
• All the input string is processed and the
automaton is in an accepting state
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Example
aa is accepted by the NFA
“accept”
q1 a q2
a
q0
a
q3 “reject”
This computation This computation
accepts aa is ignored
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Rejection Example 1
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First Choice
“reject”
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Second Choice
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Second Choice
“reject”
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Rejection Example 2
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First Choice
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First Choice
Input cannot be consumed
“reject”
Automaton halts
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Second Choice
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Second Choice
Input cannot be consumed
Automaton halts
“reject”
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NFA Rejecting a String
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 an non-accepting state
▪ OR
• The input cannot be consumed
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Example 1
a is rejected by the NFA
“reject”
“reject”
All possible computations lead to rejection
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Example 2
aaa is rejected by the NFA
“reject”
“reject”
All possible computations lead to rejection
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Language Accepted
Language accepted: L = {aa}
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Lambda Transitions
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Lambda Transitions
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Lambda Transitions
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Lambda Transitions
input tape head does not move
Automaton changes state
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Lambda Transitions
all input is consumed
“accept”
String aa is accepted
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Rejection Example
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Rejection Example
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Rejection Example
(read head doesn’t move)
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Rejection Example
Input cannot be consumed
Automaton halts
“reject”
String aaa is rejected
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Accepted Language
Language accepted: L = {aa}
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
“accept”
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
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NFA Example 2
“accept”
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Activity
Write the Language accepted by the following
automaton
L = ab, abab, ababab, ...
+
= ab
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NFA Example 3
Language accepted
L( M ) = , 10, 1010, 101010, ...
= 10*
(redundant
state)
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Remarks
▪ The symbol never appears on the input tape
Simple automata
L(M1 ) = {} L(M 2 ) = {λ}
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NFA vs DFA
▪ NFAs are interesting because we can express
languages easier than DFAs
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Thank you!
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