Theory of Computation

Lecture 11
Turing Machine (TM)

Dr. Samar Hesham

Department of Computer Science
Faculty of Computers and AI
Cairo University
Egypt

1
Syllabus and Terminologies

 Regular Languages .. Regular Sets

 REs (Regular Expressions)
 FSMs (or FSAs) … Finite State Machines/Automata
 DFSM vs. NDFSM … Deterministic vs. Non-deterministic FSM
 Comparison and conversion
 Pumping Lemma & Closure Operations
 Context Free Languages
 CFGs … Context Free Grammars
 PDAs … Push Down Automata
 Parsing: CFG generating strings vs. PDA recognizing strings
 Turing Machine

5/31/2024 FCI-CU-EG 2
The Language Hierarchy

n n n ?
a b c ww ?

Context-Free Languages
n n R
a b ww
Regular Languages

a* a *b *
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 3
Where do we go from here?
 From the earlier example, we see that not all
languages are context-free.
 Is there a mathematical model for even more
complex computations?
 There are many.
 We will study one in particular: an automaton
called a Turing machine.

4
 Languages accepted by
Turing Machines

n n n
a b c ww

Context-Free Languages
n n R
a b ww
Regular Languages

a* a *b *
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 5
Turing Machines

 Proposed by Alan Turing, 1936. England

 “Turing Award”

control
infinite tape

a b a b B B B B …

B: blank symbol
Differences between finite automata and Turing
machine
1. A Turing machine can both write on the input tape and read
from it.
2. The read-write head can move both to the left and to the
right.
3. The tape is infinite.
4. The special states for rejecting and accepting take immediate
effect … don’t need to consume all the input.
TMs can be represented in 3 different, but
yet equivalent ways:
1. Transition Graph
2. Instructions
3. Configurations
 TM
in the form of
Transition Graph

9
A Turing Machine
Tape
...... ......

Read-Write head

Control Unit

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 10

The Tape
No boundaries -- infinite length

...... ......

Read-Write head

The head moves Left or Right

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 11

 ...... ......

Read-Write head

The head at each transition (time step):

1. Reads a symbol
2. Writes a symbol
3. Moves Left or Right

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 12

Example:
Time 0
...... ......
a b a c

Time 1
...... ......
a b k c

1. Reads a
2. Writes k
3. Moves Left
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 13
 Time 1
...... ......
a b k c

Time 2
...... ......
a f k c

1. Reads b
2. Writes f
3. Moves Right
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 14
The Input String

Input string Blank symbol

  a b a c   
...... ......

head

Head starts at the leftmost position

of the input string

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 15

Turing Machine:

Input Tape
alphabet alphabet
States

M  (Q, , ,  , q0 , , F )

Transition Accept
function states
Initial Blank
Symbol
Fall 2006
state Costas Busch - RPI 16
States & Transitions
Write
Read Move Left

q1 a  b, L q2

Move Right

q1 a  b, R q2
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 17
 Transition Function

q1 a  b, R q2

 (q1, a )  (q2 , b, R )

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 18

 Transition Function

q1 c  d, L q2

 (q1, c)  (q2 , d , L)

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 19

Example: Time 1

  a b a c   
...... ......

q1
current state
Time 2

  a b b c   
...... ......

q2
q1 a  b, R q2
new state

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 20

Example: Time 1

  a b a c   
...... ......

q1

Time 2

  a b b c   
...... ......

q2

q1 a  b, L q2
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 21
Example:
Time 1

  a b a c   
...... ......

q1

Time 2

  a b b c g  
...... ......

q2

q1   g, R q2
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 22
Determinism
Turing Machines are deterministic

Allowed Not Allowed

a  b, R q2 a  b, R q2

q1 q1
q3 a  d, L q3
b  d, L

No lambda transitions allowed

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 23
 Partial Transition Function
Example:
  a b a c   
...... ......

q1

a  b, R q2
Allowed:
No transition
for input symbol c
q1
b  d, L q3
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 24
Halting

The machine halts in a state if there is

no transition to follow

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 25

Halting Example 1:

  a b a c   
...... ......

q1

No transition from q1
q1 HALT!!!

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 26

Halting Example 2:

  a b a c   
...... ......

q1
No possible transition
a  b, R q2 from q1 and symbol c

HALT!!!
q1
b  d, L q3
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 27
 Accepting States
q1 q2 Allowed

q1 q2 Not Allowed

•Accepting states have no outgoing transitions

•The machine halts and accepts

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 28

 Acceptance
If machine halts
Accept Input string
in an accept state

If machine halts
in a non-accept state
Reject Input string or
If machine enters
an infinite loop
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 29
 Observation:
In order to accept an input string,
it is not necessary to scan all the
symbols in the string

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 30

Turing Machine Example
Input alphabet   {a , b }

Accepts the language: a*

a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 31

Example
Time 0   a a a  

q0

a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 32

Time 1   a a a  

q0

a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 33

Time 2   a a a  

q0

a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 34

Time 3   a a a  

q0

a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 35

Time 4   a a a  

q1

a  a, R Halt & Accept

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 36

Rejection Example

Time 0   a b a  

q0

a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 37
Time 1   a b a  

q0
No possible Transition

a  a, R
Halt & Reject

  , L
q0 q1
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 38
Infinite Loop Example

b  b, L
a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 39

Time 0   a b a  

q0

b  b, L
a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 40

Time 1   a b a  

q0

b  b, L
a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 41

Time 2   a b a  

q0

b  b, L
a  a, R

  , L
q0 q1

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 42

Time 2   a b a  
q0
  a b a  

Infinite loop
Time 3

q0
Time 4   a b a  
q0
Time 5   a b a  
Fall 2006
q0
Costas Busch - RPI 43
 Because of the infinite loop:

•The accepting state cannot be reached

•The machine never halts

•The input string is rejected

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 44

 Another Turing Machine Example
n n
Turing machine for the language {a b }
n 1

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 45
Basic Idea:
Match a’s with b’s:
Repeat:
replace leftmost a with x
find leftmost b and replace it with y
Until there are no more a’s or b’s

If there is a remaining a or b reject

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 46

 Time 0  a a b b  

q0

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 47
 Time 1  x a b b  

q1

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 48
 Time 2  x a b b  

q1

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 49
 Time 3  x a y b  

q2

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 50
 Time 4  x a y b  

q2

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 51
 Time 5  x a y b  

q0

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 52
 Time 6  x x y b  

q1

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 53
 Time 7  x x y b  

q1

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 54
 Time 8  x x y y  

q2

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 55
 Time 9  x x y y  

q2

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 56
 Time 10  x x y y  

q0

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 57
 Time 11  x x y y  

q3

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 58
 Time 12  x x y y  

q3

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 59
 Time 13  x x y y  

q4
Halt & Accept

q4 y  y, R y  y, L
y  y, R a  a, R a  a, L
  , L
y  y, R a  x, R b  y, L
q3 q0 q1 q2
Fall 2006
x  x, R
Costas Busch - RPI 60
 Computing Functions
with
Turing Machines

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 61

Example:
Addition function
A function may have many parameters:

f ( x, y )  x  y

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 62

 Integer Domain

Decimal: 5

Binary: 101

Unary: 11111

We prefer unary representation:

easier to manipulate with Turing machines
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 63
Definition:

A function f
is computable if
there is a Turing Machine M such that:

Initial configuration Final configuration

 w   f (w) 

q0 qf
initial state accept state

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 64

 Example
The function f ( x, y )  x  y is computable

x, y are integers

Turing Machine:

Input string: x0 y unary

Output string: xy 0 unary

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 65

 x y

Start
 1 1  1 0 1  1 

q0
initial state

The 0 is the delimiter that

separates the two numbers

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 66

 x y

Start
 1 1  1 0 1  1 

q0 initial state

x y

Finish
 1 1  1 1 0 

Fall 2006
qf final state
Costas Busch - RPI 67
Turing machine for function f ( x, y )  x  y

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 68
Execution Example: Time 0

x y
x  11 (=2)
 1 1 0 1 1 
y  11 (=2)
q0

Final Result

x y
 1 1 1 1 0 

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI

q4 69
 Time 0  1 1 0 1 1 

q0

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 70
 Time 1  1 1 0 1 1 

q0

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 71
 Time 2  1 1 0 1 1 

q0

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 72
 Time 3  1 1 1 1 1 

q1

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 73
 Time 4  1 1 1 1 1 

q1

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 74
 Time 5  1 1 1 1 1 

q1

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 75
 Time 6  1 1 1 1 1 

q2

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 76
 Time 7  1 1 1 1 0 

q3

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 77
 Time 8  1 1 1 1 0 

q3

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 78
 Time 9  1 1 1 1 0 

q3

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 79
 Time 10  1 1 1 1 0 

q3

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 80
 Time 11  1 1 1 1 0 

q3

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI
q4 81
 Time 12  1 1 1 1 0 

q4

1  1, R 1  1, R 1  1, L

q0 0  1, R q1   , L q 2
1  0, L q3

  , R
HALT & accept q4
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 82
 Another Example
The function f ( x)  2 x is computable

x is integer

Turing Machine:

Input string: x unary

Output string: xx unary

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 83

 x

Start  1 1  1 

q0 initial state

2x

Finish
 1 1  1 1 1 
qf accept state

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 84

Turing Machine Pseudocode for f ( x )  2 x

• Replace every 1 with $

• Repeat:

• Find rightmost $, replace it with 1

• Go to right end, insert 1

Until no more $ remain

Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 85

Turing Machine for f ( x)  2 x

1  $, R 1  1, L 1  1, R

q0   , L q1 $  1, R q2
  , R   1, L
q3
Fall 2006 Costas Busch - RPI 86
 Example
Start Finish

 1 1   1 1 1 1 
q0 q3
1  $, R 1  1, L 1  1, R

q0   , L q1 $  1, R q2
  , R   1, L
Fall 2006
q3 Costas Busch - RPI 87