Does B accepts the language L',no matter which is the initial automaton A?

In summary: Being explicit, the answer to the question in post #1 is no, the statement is not true.No, the statement in post #1 is not true.
  • #1
evinda
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Hello! :)
I have a question..
Suppose that we have a finite automaton $A$(deterministic or not) and $L(A)$ the language that it accepts.It interest us to recognize the complement language $L'=(\Sigma^{*}-L(A))$.So,we reverse the states of A as followed:we make the accepting state non-accepting and the non-accepting,accepting,defining in that way a new automaton $B$.Does $B$ accepts the language $L'$,no matter which is the initial automaton $A$?If yes,prove it,else give a counter-example.
 
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  • #2
evinda said:
Hello! :)
I have a question..
Suppose that we have a finite automaton $A$(deterministic or not) and $L(A)$ the language that it accepts.It interest us to recognize the complement language $L'=(\Sigma^{*}-L(A))$.So,we reverse the states of A as followed:we make the accepting state non-accepting and the non-accepting,accepting,defining in that way a new automaton $B$.Does $B$ accepts the language $L'$,no matter which is the initial automaton $A$?If yes,prove it,else give a counter-example.

Hey! :eek:

What is the simplest language you can think of that is not empty?

Then, what is the simplest complement language that you can think of, which is also not empty?

Does it fit?
 
  • #3
I like Serena said:
Hey! :eek:

What is the simplest language you can think of that is not empty?

Then, what is the simplest complement language that you can think of, which is also not empty?

Does it fit?

I don't really know..Could you give me a hint? :eek:
 
  • #4
evinda said:
I don't really know..Could you give me a hint? :eek:

Hmm, the simplest language defined by a finite automaton that is not empty...

... we need at least 1 input symbol, say $a$.
And we also need at least 1 state, say $S$.
And an initial state, which should be $S$ as well.
And at least 1 final state, which can be $S$ as well.
And at least 1 transition: say reading $a$ and making a transition from $S$ to $S$.

Which language does that generate?
 
  • #5
I like Serena said:
... we need at least 1 input symbol, say $a$.
And we also need at least 1 state, say $S$.
And an initial state, which should be $S$ as well.
And at least 1 final state, which can be $S$ as well.
And at least 1 transition: say reading $a$ and making a transition from $S$ to $S$.
And what is the point? The statement in post #1 is true for this automaton.
 
  • #6
Evgeny.Makarov said:
And what is the point? The statement in post #1 is true for this automaton.

Oh?
 
  • #7
I like Serena said:
... we need at least 1 input symbol, say $a$.
If the alphabet $\Sigma$ consists of $a$ only, then the language accepted by this automaton is the whole $\Sigma^*$. The accepted language of the automaton where this only state is not accepting is empty, as expected.
 
  • #8
Evgeny.Makarov said:
If the alphabet $\Sigma$ consists of $a$ only, then the language accepted by this automaton is the whole $\Sigma^*$. The accepted language of the automaton where this only state is not accepting is empty, as expected.

That would not be consistent with the other conditions I set.
 
  • #9
Could you say plainly what I am missing? I claim that if the single-state automaton you described is called $A$ and the corresponding automaton where the state is not accepting is called $A'$, then the language accepted by $A$ is $\{a\}^*$ and the language accepted by $A'$ is empty.
 
  • #10
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Could you say plainly what I am missing? I claim that if the single-state automaton you described is called $A$ and the corresponding automaton where the state is not accepting is called $A'$, then the language accepted by $A$ is $\{a\}^*$ and the language accepted by $A'$ is empty.

Pick $\Sigma = \{a,b\}$.
That way $L'$ is not empty.
 
  • #11
I like Serena said:
Pick $\Sigma = \{a,b\}$.
That way $L'$ is not empty.
Ah, OK, so the statement in post #1 is true for deterministic automata. In particular, from each state there should be an outgoing arrow for each input symbol.
 
  • #12
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Ah, OK, so the statement in post #1 is true for deterministic automata. In particular, from each state there should be an outgoing arrow for each input symbol.

... being explicit, the answer to the question in post #1 is no, the statement is not true.
Such a fine distinction.
 

Related to Does B accepts the language L',no matter which is the initial automaton A?

1. What is an automaton and why is it important in language acceptance?

An automaton is a mathematical model used to recognize and accept languages. It is important because it allows us to determine whether a given string of symbols belongs to a language or not, which has various applications in computer science, linguistics, and artificial intelligence.

2. How is the initial automaton A related to the language L'?

The initial automaton A is a representation of the language L'. It consists of a set of states, transitions, and an input alphabet. The automaton processes the input string and either accepts or rejects it based on the defined rules of transitions and final states.

3. Can an automaton accept multiple languages?

Yes, an automaton can accept multiple languages. This is possible by adding new transitions and final states that correspond to the new language. However, the automaton must be designed carefully to avoid conflicts between the different languages.

4. Is the initial automaton A the only factor in determining whether B accepts L'?

No, there are other factors that can affect the acceptance of a language L' by an automaton B. These include the input string, the defined rules and transitions in B, and the final states. Additionally, the set of states and transitions in A must be equivalent to those in B for the language L' to be accepted.

5. Can the initial automaton A be modified to accept a different language?

Yes, the initial automaton A can be modified to accept a different language. This can be achieved by adding or removing transitions and final states, as well as modifying the input alphabet. However, the modified automaton must still adhere to the rules of accepting languages in order to be valid.

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