Theory of Computing: A Gentle Introduction

by Efim Kinber, Carl Smith

Overview

This book focuses on fundamental issues of computation. The readers can master the content and gain lasting perspective from which to understand computers by carefully worked out examples, illustrations, and algorithmic proofs. KEY TOPICS: Teaches the fundamental concepts behind computation. Hundreds of exercises marked according to the level of difficulty provide readers ample opportunity to apply concepts. Hundreds of illustrations which enhance understanding. Only algorithmic proofs are given in the text allowing readers to calibrate the mathematical depth they want to pursue. MARKET: Appropriate for upper division undergraduate and graduate level courses in Computer Science Theory, Theory of Computation, and Automata and Formal Language Theory.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780130279613
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	06/13/2000
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

Table of Contents

(NOTE: Each chapter concludes with Exercises.)
1. Introduction.

Why Study the Theory of Computing? What Is Computation? The Contents of This Book. Mathematical Preliminaries.

2. Finite Automata.

Deterministic Finite Automata. Nondeterministic Finite Automata. Determinism versus Nondeterminism. Regular Expressions. Nonregular Languages. Algorithms for Finite Automata. The State Minimization Problem.

3. Context Free Languages.

Context-Free Grammars. Parsing. Pushdown Automata. Languages and Automata. Closure Properties. Languages That Are Not Context-Free. Chomsky Normal Form. Determinism.

4. Turing Machines.

Definition of a Turing Machine. Computations by Turing Machines. Extensions of Turing Machines. Nondeterministic Turing Machines. Turing Enumerable Languages.

5. Undecidability.

The Church-Turing Thesis. Universal Turing Machines. The Halting Problem. Undecidable Problems.

6. Computational Complexity.

The Definition and the Class P. The Class N P. N P-Completeness.

References.
List of Symbols.
Index.

Editorial Reviews

This textbook for a one-semester course covers the automata and regular languages that serve as the basis for pattern-matching algorithms, communication protocols, control mechanisms, sequential circuit design and other ubiquitous applications, and the basic principles behind the parsing of computer languages. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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