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Kleene's Algorithm
In theoretical computer science, in particular in formal language theory, Kleene's algorithm transforms a given nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA) into a regular expression. Together with other conversion algorithms, it establishes the equivalence of several description formats for regular languages. Alternative presentations of the same method include the "elimination method" attributed to Brzozowski and McCluskey, the algorithm of McNaughton and Yamada, and the use of Arden's lemma. Algorithm description According to Gross and Yellen (2004), Here: sect.2.1, remark R13 on p.65 the algorithm can be traced back to Kleene (1956). A presentation of the algorithm in the case of deterministic finite automata (DFAs) is given in Hopcroft and Ullman (1979). The presentation of the algorithm for NFAs below follows Gross and Yellen (2004). Given a nondeterministic finite automaton ''M'' = (''Q'', Σ, δ, ''q''0, ''F''), with ''Q'' = its set of states, the algorithm computes :the se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theoretical Computer Science
Theoretical computer science (TCS) is a subset of general computer science and mathematics that focuses on mathematical aspects of computer science such as the theory of computation, lambda calculus, and type theory. It is difficult to circumscribe the theoretical areas precisely. The Association for Computing Machinery, ACM's ACM SIGACT, Special Interest Group on Algorithms and Computation Theory (SIGACT) provides the following description: History While logical inference and mathematical proof had existed previously, in 1931 Kurt Gödel proved with his incompleteness theorem that there are fundamental limitations on what statements could be proved or disproved. Information theory was added to the field with a 1948 mathematical theory of communication by Claude Shannon. In the same decade, Donald Hebb introduced a mathematical model of Hebbian learning, learning in the brain. With mounting biological data supporting this hypothesis with some modification, the fields of n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nondeterministic Finite Automaton
In automata theory, a finite-state machine is called a deterministic finite automaton (DFA), if * each of its transitions is ''uniquely'' determined by its source state and input symbol, and * reading an input symbol is required for each state transition. A nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA), or nondeterministic finite-state machine, does not need to obey these restrictions. In particular, every DFA is also an NFA. Sometimes the term NFA is used in a narrower sense, referring to an NFA that is ''not'' a DFA, but not in this article. Using the subset construction algorithm, each NFA can be translated to an equivalent DFA; i.e., a DFA recognizing the same formal language. Like DFAs, NFAs only recognize regular languages. NFAs were introduced in 1959 by Michael O. Rabin and Dana Scott, who also showed their equivalence to DFAs. NFAs are used in the implementation of regular expressions: Thompson's construction is an algorithm for compiling a regular expression to an NFA that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Algorithms
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specifications for performing calculations and data processing. More advanced algorithms can perform automated deductions (referred to as automated reasoning) and use mathematical and logical tests to divert the code execution through various routes (referred to as automated decision-making). Using human characteristics as descriptors of machines in metaphorical ways was already practiced by Alan Turing with terms such as "memory", "search" and "stimulus". In contrast, a heuristic is an approach to problem solving that may not be fully specified or may not guarantee correct or optimal results, especially in problem domains where there is no well-defined correct or optimal result. As an effective method, an algorithm can be expressed within a finite amount of space and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thompson's Construction Algorithm
In computer science, Thompson's construction algorithm, also called the McNaughton–Yamada–Thompson algorithm, is a method of transforming a regular expression into an equivalent nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA). This NFA can be used to match strings against the regular expression. This algorithm is credited to Ken Thompson. Regular expressions and nondeterministic finite automata are two representations of formal languages. For instance, text processing utilities use regular expressions to describe advanced search patterns, but NFAs are better suited for execution on a computer. Hence, this algorithm is of practical interest, since it can compile regular expressions into NFAs. From a theoretical point of view, this algorithm is a part of the proof that they both accept exactly the same languages, that is, the regular languages. An NFA can be made deterministic by the powerset construction and then be minimized to get an optimal automaton corresponding to the given r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Star Height
In theoretical computer science, more precisely in the theory of formal languages, the star height is a measure for the structural complexity of regular expressions and regular languages. The star height of a regular ''expression'' equals the maximum nesting depth of stars appearing in that expression. The star height of a regular ''language'' is the least star height of any regular expression for that language. The concept of star height was first defined and studied by Eggan (1963). Formal definition More formally, the star height of a regular expression ''E'' over a finite alphabet ''A'' is inductively defined as follows: * \textstyle h\left(\emptyset\right)\,=\,0, \textstyle h\left(\varepsilon\right)\,=\,0, and \textstyle h\left(a\right)\,=\,0 for all alphabet symbols ''a'' in ''A''. * \textstyle h\left(E F\right)\,=\, h\left(E\, \mid\, F\right)\,=\,\max \left(\, h(E), h(F)\,\right) * \textstyle h\left(E^*\right)\,=\,h(E)+1. Here, \scriptstyle \emptyset is the special regular ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Generalized Star Height Problem
The generalized star-height problem in formal language theory is the open question whether all regular languages can be expressed using generalized regular expressions with a limited nesting depth of Kleene stars. Here, generalized regular expressions are defined like regular expressions, but they have a built-in complement operator. For a regular language, its generalized star height is defined as the minimum nesting depth of Kleene stars needed in order to describe the language by means of a generalized regular expression, hence the name of the problem. More specifically, it is an open question whether a nesting depth of more than 1 is required, and if so, whether there is an algorithm to determine the minimum required star height.Sakarovitch (2009) p.171 Regular languages of star-height 0 are also known as star-free languages. The theorem of Schützenberger provides an algebraic characterization of star-free languages by means of aperiodic syntactic monoids. In particular st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Star Height Problem
The star height problem in formal language theory is the question whether all regular languages can be expressed using regular expressions of limited star height, i.e. with a limited nesting depth of Kleene stars. Specifically, is a nesting depth of one always sufficient? If not, is there an algorithm to determine how many are required? The problem was raised by . Families of regular languages with unbounded star height The first question was answered in the negative when in 1963, Eggan gave examples of regular languages of star height ''n'' for every ''n''. Here, the star height ''h''(''L'') of a regular language ''L'' is defined as the minimum star height among all regular expressions representing ''L''. The first few languages found by are described in the following, by means of giving a regular expression for each language: :\begin e_1 &= a_1^* \\ e_2 &= \left(a_1^*a_2^*a_3\right)^*\\ e_3 &= \left(\left(a_1^*a_2^*a_3\right)^*\left(a_4^*a_5^*a_6\right)^*a_7\right)^*\\ e_4 &= ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Floyd–Warshall Algorithm
In computer science, the Floyd–Warshall algorithm (also known as Floyd's algorithm, the Roy–Warshall algorithm, the Roy–Floyd algorithm, or the WFI algorithm) is an algorithm for finding shortest paths in a directed weighted graph with positive or negative edge weights (but with no negative cycles). A single execution of the algorithm will find the lengths (summed weights) of shortest paths between all pairs of vertices. Although it does not return details of the paths themselves, it is possible to reconstruct the paths with simple modifications to the algorithm. Versions of the algorithm can also be used for finding the transitive closure of a relation R, or (in connection with the Schulze voting system) widest paths between all pairs of vertices in a weighted graph. History and naming The Floyd–Warshall algorithm is an example of dynamic programming, and was published in its currently recognized form by Robert Floyd in 1962. However, it is essentially the same as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kleene Algebra
In mathematics, a Kleene algebra ( ; named after Stephen Cole Kleene) is an idempotent (and thus partially ordered) semiring endowed with a closure operator. It generalizes the operations known from regular expressions. Definition Various inequivalent definitions of Kleene algebras and related structures have been given in the literature. Here we will give the definition that seems to be the most common nowadays. A Kleene algebra is a set ''A'' together with two binary operations + : ''A'' × ''A'' → ''A'' and · : ''A'' × ''A'' → ''A'' and one function * : ''A'' → ''A'', written as ''a'' + ''b'', ''ab'' and ''a''* respectively, so that the following axioms are satisfied. * Associativity of + and ·: ''a'' + (''b'' + ''c'') = (''a'' + ''b'') + ''c'' and ''a''(''bc'') = (''ab'')''c'' for all ''a'', ''b'', ''c'' in ''A''. * Commutativity of +: ''a'' + ''b'' = ''b'' + ''a'' for all ''a'', ''b'' in ''A'' * Distributivity: ''a''(''b'' + ''c'') = (''ab'') + (''ac'') ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deterministic Finite Automata
In the theory of computation, a branch of theoretical computer science, a deterministic finite automaton (DFA)—also known as deterministic finite acceptor (DFA), deterministic finite-state machine (DFSM), or deterministic finite-state automaton (DFSA)—is a finite-state machine that accepts or rejects a given string of symbols, by running through a state sequence uniquely determined by the string. Hopcroft 2001: ''Deterministic'' refers to the uniqueness of the computation run. In search of the simplest models to capture finite-state machines, Warren McCulloch and Walter Pitts were among the first researchers to introduce a concept similar to finite automata in 1943. The figure illustrates a deterministic finite automaton using a state diagram. In this example automaton, there are three states: S0, S1, and S2 (denoted graphically by circles). The automaton takes a finite sequence of 0s and 1s as input. For each state, there is a transition arrow leading out to a next state f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Formal Language Theory
In logic, mathematics, computer science, and linguistics, a formal language consists of words whose letters are taken from an alphabet and are well-formed according to a specific set of rules. The alphabet of a formal language consists of symbols, letters, or tokens that concatenate into strings of the language. Each string concatenated from symbols of this alphabet is called a word, and the words that belong to a particular formal language are sometimes called ''well-formed words'' or ''well-formed formulas''. A formal language is often defined by means of a formal grammar such as a regular grammar or context-free grammar, which consists of its formation rules. In computer science, formal languages are used among others as the basis for defining the grammar of programming languages and formalized versions of subsets of natural languages in which the words of the language represent concepts that are associated with particular meanings or semantics. In computational complexity ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
