 |
Finite
Automata & Turing Machines |
| CSC
220 |
Topic
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Finite Automata -- The concepts of state and transition.
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Finite Automata as a specification of a process. It is
different from flow charts in that it does not try to specify the details of the
code execution, but gives a more general guide to how a process should be coded.
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Turing Machines -- Mathematical concept that was created in
the 1930's by Alan Turing that formed the theoretical basis of all computers.
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Used by Turing to prove that it is mathematically impossible
to create a program that will debug all other possible programs.
Specifically, you cannot write a program that will determine if an arbitrary
program contains an endless loop or not.
Readings
Chapter 19, Sections 19.6 and 19.7
