Automata Theory and Formal Languages

Automata Theory and Formal Languages presents the difficult concepts of automata theory in a straightforward manner, including discussions on diverse concepts and tools that play major roles in developing computing machines, algorithms and code. Automata theory includes numerous concepts such as finite automata, regular grammar, formal languages, context free and context sensitive grammar, push down automata, Turing machine, and decidability, which constitute the backbone of computing machines. This book enables readers to gain sufficient knowledge and experience to construct and solve complex machines.

Each chapter begins with key concepts followed by a number of important examples that demonstrate the solution. The book explains concepts and simultaneously helps readers develop an understanding of their application with real-world examples, including application of Context Free Grammars in programming languages and Artificial Intelligence, and cellular automata in biomedical problems.

"The book provides a gentle and very practically oriented introduction to formal languages and automata theory. The regular languages, the context-free languages and the semidecidable languages are formally introduced and for the former two classes also several properties are discussed. Whenever constructions are presented, these are illustrated with full details with multiple examples. Exercises and multiple-choice questions are also provided at the end of each chapter to motivate the readers to check their progress. The solutions to the multiple-choice questions are provided at the end of the book to facilitate self-testing....Overall, the book provides the basic definitions for the mentioned concepts with a very strong focus on actual use of the concepts. “Reading” and “writing” the introduced formal models is supported with endless examples that are provided with full details."—Andreas Maletti, zbMATHOpen