Problem Detail: I understand the proof of the undecidability of the halting problem (given for example in Papadimitriou’s textbook), based on diagonalization. While the proof is convincing (I understand each step of it), it is not intuitive to me in the Read More …
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How does an NFA use epsilon transitions?
Problem Detail: In the picture below, I’m trying to figure out what exactly this NFA is accepting. What’s confusing me is the $epsilon$ jump at $q_0$. If a $0$ is entered, does the system move to both $q_0$ and $q_1$ (the Read More …
Why is this example a regular language?
Problem Detail: Consider this example (taken from this document: Showing that language is not regular): $$L = {1^n mid ntext{ is even}} $$ According to the Pumping Lemma, a language $L$ is regular if : $y ne ε$ $|xy| lt n$ Read More …
Maximum number of states in minimized DFA from NFA with $n$ states
Problem Detail: If an NFA with $n$ states is converted to an equivalent minimized DFA then what will be the maximum number of states in the DFA? Will it be $2^n$ or $2n$? Asked By : Kapes Answered By : bellpeace The maximum Read More …
What future working opportunities do computer science students have?
Problem Detail: If I am right students learning computer science at universities learn very theoretical kind of knowledge. A knowledge most of which (e.g. algorithm theory) can’t be used to create everyday software (e.g. MS Word, IE, etc.). What opportunities do Read More …
High Level Programming Languages vs Block Programming Environments
Problem Detail: I am looking for the opinions of more experienced programmers as to the effectiveness of writing programs in Block Programming Environments such as Scratch or App Inventor as opposed to High Level Languages such as C++, Python or Java. Read More …
Worst case analysis of bucket sort using insertion sort for the buckets
Problem Detail: Suppose I am using the Bucket-Sort algorithm, and on each bucket/list I sort with insertion sort (replace nextSort with insertion sort in the wikipedia pseudocode). In the worst case, this would imply that we would have $O(n^2)$ performance, because Read More …
Turing machine – infinite tape in one or two directions
Problem Detail: I have seen turing machines beeing represented with tapes infinite in one, and in two directions. Is there any difference in the power of such turing machines, or are they basically equivalent? In my head I think they are Read More …
Explaining why a grammar is not LL(1)
Problem Detail: I need some help with explaining why a grammar is not LL(1). Let us take the following grammar: $$ begin{align} S rightarrow & aB mid bA mid varepsilon A rightarrow & aS mid bAA B rightarrow & b end{align} Read More …
Ternary processing instead of Binary
Problem Detail: Most of the computers available today are designed to work with binary system. It comes from the fact that information comes in two natural form, true or false. We humans accept another form of information called “maybe” 🙂 I Read More …
