Lecture 4

Learning objectives

After this class, you should be able to:

1. Define a deterministic finite acceptor (DFA) and a regular language.
2. Given a DFA, give its graph representation, and given a graph representation of a DFA, give its formal definition.
3. Given a DFA, either through its formal definition or through its graph representation, describe the language it accepts and prove the correctness of your answer.
4. Given a DFA and an input, trace the steps executed by the DFA on that input and determine whether or not the input is accepted.
5. Given a language construct a DFA for it.

Reading assignment

1. Section 2.1.
2. Lecture 4 slides on Blackboard.
3. Page 49: nondeterministic finite acceptor.

Exercises and review questions

• Exercises and review questions on current lecture's material
  1. Section 2.1, exercise #1.
  2. Section 2.1, exercise #2.
  3. Section 2.1, exercise #3.

• Questions on next lecture's material
  1. How does an NFA differ from a DFA?

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Last modified: 29 Dec 2013