CS 341: Foundations of Computer Science II

Prof. Marvin Nakayama

Homework 2 Solutions

1. For the drawing below,

a b
b
q1 q2 b q3
a

we can formally express the DFA as M = (Q, Σ, δ, q1 , F ), where

ˆ Q = {q1 , q2 , q3 }
ˆ Σ = {a, b}
ˆ transition function δ is given by

a b
q1 q1 q2
q2 q1 q3
q3 q1 q3

ˆ q1 is the start state

2. There are (infinitely) many correct DFAs for each part below.

(a) A DFA that recognizes the language A = {ε, b, ab} is

1
 q4
a
q2
b a, b

a q5
a, b
a, b
q1 q8
a, b
b q6
a
q3 a, b
b
q7

There are simpler DFAs that recognize this language. Can you come up with one
with only 4 states?
(b) A DFA that recognizes the language B = { w ∈ Σ∗ | na (w) mod 3 = 1 } is
b

q2
a
q1 a

a
q3
b

(c) A DFA that recognizes the language C = { w ∈ Σ∗ | w = saba for some string s ∈
Σ∗ } is

2
 a

q2 a q4
a b a
b
q1 q3
b

(d) Since D = C, the complement of C, we can convert the DFA for C into a DFA
for D by swapping the accept and non-accept states:

q2 a q4
a b a
b
q1 q3
b

(e) A DFA for E = { w ∈ Σ∗ | w begins with b and ends with a } is

b a

a
q1 b q2 q3
b
a
a, b
q4

(f) A DFA for F = { w ∈ Σ∗ | na (w) ≥ 2, nb (w) ≤ 1 } is

3
 a
q1 a q2 a q3

b b b
a
q4 a q5 a q6

b
b b

q7

a, b
(g) A DFA for G = { w ∈ Σ∗ | |w| ≥ 2, second-to-last symbol of w is b } is

a q3
a
b
q1 b q2 a
b
b
a
q4

3. Show that, if M is a DFA that recognizes language B, swapping the accept and
non-accept states in M yields a new DFA that recognizes B, the complement of B.
Conclude that the class of regular languages is closed under complement.

Answer:
Suppose language B over alphabet Σ has a DFA

M = ( Q, Σ, δ, q1 , F ).

Then, a DFA for the complementary language B is

M = ( Q, Σ, δ, q1 , Q − F ).

The reason why M recognizes B is as follows. First note that M and M have the
same transition function δ. Thus, since M is deterministic, M is also deterministic.
Now consider any string w ∈ Σ∗ . Running M on input string w will result in M
ending in some state r ∈ Q. Since M is deterministic, there is only one possible state

4
 that M can end in on input w. If we run M on the same input w, then M will end in
the same state r since M and M have the same transition function. Also, since M is
deterministic, there is only one possible ending state that M can be in on input w.
Now suppose that w ∈ B. Then M will accept w, which means that the ending state
r ∈ F , i.e., r is an accept state of M . But then r 6∈ Q − F , so M does not accept w
since M has Q − F as its set of accept states. Similarly, suppose that w 6∈ B. Then
M will not accept w, which means that the ending state r 6∈ F . But then r ∈ Q − F ,
so M accepts w. Therefore, M accepts string w if and only M does not accept string
w, so M recognizes language B. Hence, the class of regular languages is closed under
complement.
4. We say that a DFA M for a language A is minimal if there does not exist another
DFA M ′ for A such that M ′ has strictly fewer states than M . Suppose that M =
(Q, Σ, δ, q0 , F ) is a minimal DFA for A. Using M , we construct a DFA M for the
complement A as M = (Q, Σ, δ, q0 , Q − F ). Prove that M is a minimal DFA for A.

Answer:
We prove this by contradiction. Suppose that M is not a minimal DFA for A. Then
there exists another DFA D for A such that D has strictly fewer states than M .
Now create another DFA D ′ by swapping the accepting and non-accepting states of
D. Then D ′ recognizes the complement of A. But the complement of A is just A,
so D ′ recognizes A. Note that D ′ has the same number of states as D, and M has
the same number of states as M . Thus, since we assumed that D has strictly fewer
states than M , then D ′ has strictly fewer states than M . But since D ′ recognizes A,
this contradicts our assumption that M is a minimal DFA for A. Therefore, M is a
minimal DFA for A.
5. Suppose A1 and A2 are defined over the same alphabet Σ. Suppose DFA M1 recognizes
A1 , where M1 = (Q1 , Σ, δ1 , q1 , F1 ). Suppose DFA M2 recognizes A2 , where M2 =
(Q2 , Σ, δ2 , q2 , F2 ). Define DFA M3 = (Q3 , Σ, δ3 , q3 , F3 ) for A1 ∩ A2 as follows:

ˆ Set of states of M3 is
Q3 = Q1 × Q2 = { (x, y) | x ∈ Q1 , y ∈ Q2 }.
ˆ The alphabet of M3 is Σ.
ˆ M3 has transition function δ3 : Q3 × Σ → Q3 such that for x ∈ Q1 , y ∈ Q2 ,
and ℓ ∈ Σ,
δ3 ( (x, y), ℓ ) = ( δ1 (x, ℓ), δ2 (y, ℓ) ) .
ˆ The initial state of M3 is s3 = (q1 , q2 ) ∈ Q3 .
ˆ The set of accept states of M3 is
F3 = { (x, y) ∈ Q1 × Q2 | x ∈ F1 and y ∈ F2 } = F1 × F2 .
Since Q3 = Q1 × Q2 , the number of states in the new DFA M3 is |Q3 | = |Q1 | · |Q2 |.
Thus, |Q3 | < ∞ since |Q1 | < ∞ and |Q2 | < ∞.