Admission Requirements
Foundations of Computer Science 1
Description
Automata theory and formal languages form the foundations of theoretical computer science, as they allow us to talk precisely about what is an algorithm or a computation.
An automaton is in fact a model of computation that can be defined mathematically. The simplest model that we will consider in this course is given by finite state automaton: a machine that is only able to keep track of its current state but it has no memory. Finite state automata specify an algorithmic procedure for recognizing whether a word is in a language. We will concentrate on the relationships between language recognized by a finite state automaton, language generated by a grammar and language described by a specification, and will obtain algorithms for translating one description of a language into another description of a different type.
Adding restricted form of memory to finite state automata increase their expressivity. We will study push-down automata, i.e. the class of automata with an auxiliary memory organized as a stack. In particular we will concentrate on the class of languages recognized by push-down automata, because of its major role in compiler design and parsing.
Course Objectives
The course gives an introduction is an introduction to the theory of computation with emphasis on the relationships between formal languages, automata and abstract models of computation.
Time Table
The most updated version of the timetables can be found on the students' website:
Mode of Instruction
hoorcollege, weekly practice class (which is a mandatory component of the course)
Assessment Method
Students will be evaluated by means of a written exam and homework assignments.
The examination is worth 70% of the final grade (with a minimum of 5.5).
The remaining 30% is from the average grade of the homework assignments.
Reading List
- John C. Martin, Introduction to Languages and the Theory of Computation, 3rd edition, McGraw Hill, 2003
Registration
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Contact information
Onderwijscoördinator Informatica, Riet Derogee