Pushdown Automata
PDAs
1
Pushdown Automaton -- PDA
Input String
Stack
States
2
Initial Stack Symbol
Stack Stack
stack
$ z top
head
bottom special symbol
Appears at time 0
3
The States
Input Pop Push
symbol symbol symbol
a, b c
q1 q2
4
a, b c
q1 q2
input
a a
stack
b top c
h Replace h
e e
$ $
5
a, c
q1 q2
input
a a
stack c
b top b
h Push h
e e
$ $
6
a, b
q1 q2
input
a a
stack
b top
h Pop h
e e
$ $
7
a,
q1 q2
input
a a
stack
b top b
h No Change h
e e
$ $
8
Empty Stack
a, $
q1 q2
input
a a
stack empty
$ top Pop
The automaton HALTS
No possible transition after q2
9
A Possible Transition
a, $ b
q1 q2
input
a a
stack
$ top Pop b
10
Non-Determinism
PDAs are non-deterministic
Allowed non-deterministic transitions
q2
a, b c
, b c
q1 q1 q2
a, b c
transition
q3
11
Example PDA
PDA M
L( M ) {a b : n 0}
n n
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
12
L( M ) {a b : n 0}
n n
Basic Idea:
Push the a’s 2. Match the b’s on input
on the stack with a’s on stack
3. Match
a, a b, a found
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
13
Execution Example: Time 0
Input
a a a b b b
$
Stack
current a, a b, a
state
q0 , q b, a q , $ $ q
1 2 3
14
Time 1
Input
a a a b b b
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
15
Time 2
Input
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
16
Time 3
Input a
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
17
Time 4
a
Input
a
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
18
Time 5
a
Input
a
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
19
Time 6
Input a
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
20
Time 7
Input
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
21
Time 8
Input
a a a b b b
$
Stack
a, a b, a
accept
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
22
A string is accepted if there is
a computation such that:
All the input is consumed
AND
The last state is an accepting state
At the end of the computation,
we do not care about the stack contents
(the stack can be empty at the last state)
23
The input string aaabbb
is accepted by the PDA:
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
24
In general,
n n
L {a b : n 0}
is the language accepted by the PDA:
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
25
Rejection Example: Time 0
Input
a a b
$
Stack
current a, a b, a
state
q0 , q b, a q , $ $ q
1 2 3
26
Rejection Example: Time 1
Input
a a b
$
Stack
current a, a b, a
state
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
27
Rejection Example: Time 2
Input
a
a a b
$
Stack
current a, a b, a
state
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
28
Rejection Example: Time 3
Input a
a
a a b
$
Stack
current a, a b, a
state
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
29
Rejection Example: Time 4
Input a
a
a a b
$
Stack
current a, a b, a
state
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
30
Rejection Example: Time 4
Input a
a
a a b
$
Stack
reject
current a, a b, a
state
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
31
The input string aab
is rejected by the PDA:
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
32
A string is rejected if there is
no computation such that:
All the input is consumed
AND
The last state is an accept state
At the end of the computation,
we do not care about the stack contents
33
Another PDA example
L( M ) {vv : v {a, b} }
R
PDA M
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
34
Basic Idea: L( M ) {vv : v {a, b} }
R
Push v 3. Match v R on input
2. Guess
on stack with v on stack
middle
of input
a, a a, a 4. Match
b, b b, b found
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
35
Execution Example: Time 0
Input
a b b a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
36
Time 1
Input
a b b a
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
37
Time 2
Input
b
a b b a
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
38
Time 3
Input
b
a b b a
Guess the middle a
of string $
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
39
Time 4
Input
b
a b b a
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
40
Time 5
Input
a b b a
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
, , $ $ q2
q0 q1
41
Time 6
Input
a b b a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
accept
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
42
Rejection Example: Time 0
Input
a b b b
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
43
Time 1
Input
a b b b
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
44
Time 2
Input
b
a b b b
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
45
Time 3
Input
b
a b b b
Guess the middle a
of string $
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
46
Time 4
Input
b
a b b b
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
47
Time 5
Input There is no possible transition.
a b b b Input is not a
consumed
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
, , $ $ q2
q0 q1
48
Another computation on same string:
Input Time 0
a b b b
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
49
Time 1
Input
a b b b
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
50
Time 2
Input
b
a b b b
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
51
Time 3
Input b
b
a b b b
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
52
Time 4 b
Input b
b
a b b b
a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
53
Time 5 b
Input b
No final state b
a b b b is reached a
$
Stack
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
54
There is no computation
that accepts string abbb
abbb L(M )
a, a a, a
b, b b, b
q0 , q1 , $ $ q2
55
Another PDA example
L( M ) {w {a, b} :
*
in every prefix v, na (v) nb (v)}
a, a
b, a
PDA M
q0
56
Execution Example: Time 0
Input
a a b
a, a $
b, a Stack
b, $
q0
57
Time 1
Input
a a b a
a, a $
b, a Stack
b, $
q0
58
Time 2
Input
a
a a b a
a, a $
b, a Stack
b, $
q0
59
Time 3
Input
a a b a
a, a $
b, a Stack
b, $
accept
q0
60
Rejection example: Time 0
Input
a b b b
$
Stack
q0
61
Time 1
Input
a b b b a
a, a $
b, a Stack
b, $
q0
62
Time 2
Input
a b b b
a, a $
b, a Stack
b, $
q0
63
Time 3
Input
a b b b
a, a
b, a Stack
b, $
q0
64
Time 4
Input
a b b b
a, a
b, a Stack
b, $
Halt and Reject
q0
65
Pushing Strings
Input Pop Push
symbol symbol string
a, b w
q1 q2
66
Example:
a, b cdf
q1 q2
input
a
a
c pushed
stack d
top string
b f
h Push h
e e
$ $
67
Another PDA example
L( M ) {w {a, b} : na ( w) nb ( w)}
*
PDA M
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
q1 , $ $ q2
68
Execution Example: Time 0
Input
a b b b a a
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
current
state
q1 , $ $ q2
69
Time 1
Input
a b b b a a
0
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
q1 , $ $ q2
70
Time 3
Input
a b b b a a
0
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
q1 , $ $ q2
71
Time 4
Input
a b b b a a
1
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
q1 , $ $ q2
72
Time 5
Input
a b b b a a 1
1
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
q1 , $ $ q2
73
Time 6
Input
a b b b a a 1
1
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
q1 , $ $ q2
74
Time 7
Input
a b b b a a
1
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
q1 , $ $ q2
75
Time 8
Input
a b b b a a
$
a, $ 0$ b, $ 1$
Stack
a, 0 00 b, 1 11
a, 1 b, 0
accept
q1 , $ $ q2
76
Formalities for PDAs
77
a, b w
q1 q2
Transition function:
(q1, a, b) {(q2 , w)}
78
q2
a, b w
q1
a, b w q3
Transition function:
(q1, a, b) {( q2 , w), (q3 , w)}
79
Formal Definition
Pushdown Automaton (PDA)
M (Q, Σ, Γ, δ, q0 , z , F )
Final
States states
Input Stack
alphabet Transition Initial start
Stack
function state symbol
alphabet
80
Instantaneous Description
( q, u , s )
Current Current
Remaining
state stack
input
contents
81
Example: Instantaneous Description
(q1, bbb, aaa$)
a
Time 4: Input a
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
82
Example: Instantaneous Description
(q2 , bb, aa$)
a
Time 5: Input a
a a a b b b a
$
Stack
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
83
We write:
(q1, bbb, aaa$) (q2 , bb, aa$)
Time 4 Time 5
84
A computation:
(q0 , aaabbb,$) (q1, aaabbb,$)
(q1, aabbb, a$) (q1, abbb, aa$) (q1, bbb, aaa$)
(q2 , bb, aa$) (q2 , b, a$) (q2 , ,$) (q3 , ,$)
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
85
(q0 , aaabbb,$) (q1, aaabbb,$)
(q1, aabbb, a$) (q1, abbb, aa$) (q1, bbb, aaa$)
(q2 , bb, aa$) (q2 , b, a$) (q2 , ,$) (q3 , ,$)
For convenience we write:
(q0 , aaabbb,$) ( q3 , ,$)
86
Formal Definition
Language L(M ) of PDA M :
L( M ) {w : (q0 , w, s ) (q f , , s ' )}
Initial state Final state
87
Example:
(q0 , aaabbb,$) (q3 , ,$)
aaabbb L(M )
PDA M :
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
88
n n
(q0 , a b ,$) (q3 , ,$)
n n
a b L(M )
PDA M :
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
89
n n
Therefore: L( M ) {a b : n 0}
PDA M :
a, a b, a
q0 , q1 b, a q2 , $ $ q3
90
