CSE 3169: Automata Theory and Compiler Design

Lecture:03
Finite automata
A recognizer for a language is a program that takes as input a string x and
answers yes if x is a sentence of the language and no otherwise.
A regular expression is compiled into a recognizer by constructing a generalized
transition diagram called a Finite Automaton (FA).
Finite automata can be Non-deterministic Finite Automata (NFA) or Deterministic
Finite Automata (DFA).
It is given by M = (Q, Σ, qo, F, δ).
Where Q - Set of states
Σ - Set of input symbols
qo - Start state
F - set of final states
δ - Transition function (mapping states to input symbol).

• Non-deterministic Finite Automata (NFA)

o More than one transition occurs for any input symbol from a state.
o Transition can occur even on empty string (Ɛ).
• Deterministic Finite Automata (DFA)
o For each state and for each input symbol, exactly one transition occurs from that
state.
Regular expression can be converted into DFA by the following methods:
(i) Thompson's subset construction
• Given regular expression is converted into NFA
• Resultant NFA is converted into DFA
(ii) Direct Method
• In direct method, given regular expression is converted directly into DFA.

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Syed Jamaluddin Ahmad, Asst. Prof., CSE
CSE 3169: Automata Theory and Compiler Design

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Syed Jamaluddin Ahmad, Asst. Prof., CSE