Theory of Computation

Description

This course introduces the fundamental mathematical models of computation. The course presents both inherent capabilities and limitations of these computational models as well as their relationships with formal languages. Topics to be covered include: Finite automata and regular languages, deterministic and nondeterministic computations, pumping lemma for regular languages, context-free grammars and languages, pushdown automata, pumping lemma for context-free languages, and Turing machines and their variants.

Program

Computer Science Program

Objectives

• 1. Understand the capabilities and limitation of computational models.
  2. Prove whether a given language is regular.
  3. Prove whether a given language is context-free.
  4. Design variants of Turing machines.
  5. Understand the relationship between the regular, context-free, and recursively enumerable languages.
  6. Implement simple parsers using Finite State Automata and regular expressions.