Chapter 5

Pushdown Automata

Esubalew Alemneh
 Contents

 Introduction
 Nondeterministic Pushdown Automata
 Moves by NPDA
 Transition Diagram
 Instantaneous Description
 Acceptance of strings by NFA
 Push down Automata for CFGs
 CFGs for Push down Automat
 Deterministic Pushdown Automata and
 Introduction
 Push-Down Automata (PDA) is an abstract model of a machine –
Finite State Automata.
 It has a finite set of states. However, in addition, it has a
pushdown stack. Moves of the PDA are as follows:
1. An input symbol is read and the top symbol on the stack is
read.
2. Based on both inputs, the machine enters a new state and
writes zero or more symbols onto the pushdown stack.
3. Acceptance of a string occurs if the stack is ever empty.
(Alternatively, acceptance can be if the PDA is in a final
state. Both models can be shown to be equivalent.)
3
Nondeterministic Pushdown Automata(NPDA)
 An NPDA is a seven-tuple:
M = (Q, Σ, Г, δ, q0, z0, F)
 Q - A finite set of states,
 Σ - A finite input alphabet
 Г - A finite stack alphabet,
 Q0 - The initial/starting state, q0 is in Q
 z0 - A starting stack symbol, is in Г
 F -A set of final/accepting states, which is a subset of Q
 δ - A transition function, where
δ: Q x (Σ U {ε}) x Г –> finite subsets of Q x Г*
4
 Moves By NPDA
 Consider the various parts of δ:
Q x (Σ U {ε}) x Г –> finite subsets of Q x Г*
 Q & Г on the LHS means that at each step in a computation, a PDA
must consider its’ current state & the symbol on top of its’ stack.
 Σ U {ε} on the LHS means that at each step in a computation, a PDA
may or may not consider the current input symbol, i.e., it may have
epsilon transitions.

 “Finite subsets” on the RHS means that at each step in a computation,

a PDA will have several options.
 Q on the RHS means that each option specifies a new state.
 Г* on the RHS means that each option specifies zero or more stack
symbols that will replace the top stack symbol, but in a specific
5
sequence.
 Moves By NPDA…
1. δ(q, a, z) = {(p1,γ1), (p2,γ2),…, 2., ε, z) = {(p1,γ1), (p
(pm,γm)} δ(q2,γ2),…, (pm,γm)}
 Current state is q
 Current state is q
 Current input symbol is a
 Current input symbol is not
 Symbol currently on top of the
stack z considered
 Symbol currently on top of the
 Move to state pi from q
stack z
 Replace z with γi on the stack
 Move to state pi from q
(leftmost symbol on top)
 Replace z with γi on the stack
 Move the input head to the next
input symbol (leftmost symbol on top)
 No input symbol is read

6
 Transition Graph
 The nodes are labeled with states
 The arcs are labeled as X,YV , where
 X is the string processed
 Y is the top element of the stack to be popped off
 V is the symbol to be pushed onto stack
 Example Transition graph of PDA for L(M) = {anbn:n>0}
 Instantaneous Description (ID)
 ID have the following format
( q, u , s )
 Where,
o Q is Current state
o U is Remaining input
o S Current stack contents
 A move from one move to another ID is denoted by , or
 Thus (q, qw, bx) (p, w, yx) is possible iff (p, y) e δ (q, a, b)
 Instantaneous Description (ID)…
 Example: show how PDA for L(M) = {anbn:n>0} accepts
String w = a2b2

(q0 , aaabbb,$)  (q1, aaabbb,$) 

(q1, aabbb, a$)  (q1, abbb, aa$)  (q1, bbb, aaa$) 
(q2 , bb, aa$)  (q2 , b, a$)  (q2 ,  ,$)  (q3 ,  ,$)
 Exercise
 Construct a pushdown automata for the language L = {w e{a,
b}*:na(w) = nb(w)} and check how the PDA accepts string baab

 Answer
 Count the number of a’s and b’s

M = ({q0, q1}, {a, b}, {0, 1, z0}, δ, q0, z0, {q1} ) where δ is;

δ(q0, a, z0) = {(q0, 0z0 )}, δ(q0, a, 0) = {(q1, 00 )},

δ(q0, b, z0) = {(q1, 1z0 )}, δ(q0, b, 1) = {(q1, 11 )},
δ(q0, a, 1) = {(q1, ε )}, δ(q0, b, 0) = {(q1, ε )},
δ(q0, ε, z0) = {(q1, z0 )},
 PDA for CFGs
 Theorem: For any CFL L there is a PDA M such that L = L(M)
 Proof;
 Let G = (N, T, P, S) be a CFG such that L = L(G)
 X e L(G) iff S  X, using left most derivation
 Define PDA that simulates these LMD on stack
 M = (Q, Σ, V, δ, z0, q0, F) Where
 Q = {q0 , q1 , q2}
 Σ =T
 V = T U NU {z0}
 F = {q2}
 δ is given as
 δ(q0, ε, z0) = {(q1, Sz0 )},
 PDA for CFGs…
 δ(q1, ε, A) = {(q1,  |A  is in P, A e N )},
(If A is in the stack pop it & push the RHS of the production)
 δ(q1, a, a) = {(q1, ε )} Ae Σ,
 δ(q1, ε, z0) = {(q2, ε )} …. Accepted by Final State
 Example: Construct a PDA that accepts the language
generated by the following grammar where P is
S  aAA, A  aA | bS | a
 Define M = (Q, Σ, V, δ, z0, q0, F) Where
 Q = {q0 , q1 , q2}
 Σ = {a, b}
 V = {S, A, a, b, z0}
 F = {q2}
 PDA for CFGs…
 δ is given as;
 δ(q0, ε, z0) = {(q1, Sz0 )},
 δ(q1, ε, S) = {(q1, aAA )},
 δ(q1, ε, A) = {(q1, aA), (q1, bS), (q1,b), },
 δ(q1, a, a) = {(q1, ε )}, δ(q1, b, b) = {(q1, ε )},
 δ(q1, ε, z0) = {(q2, ε )},

 Show the sequence of moves that would be made by M in

processing string w = aba4.
 CFG for PDA
 Theorem: let L be a language such that L = L(M) for some
NPDA m. Then L is CFL.
 Proof: Let M = (Q, Σ, V, δ, z0, q0, qf) be an NPDA such that
L=L(M)
 Assume
1. It has a single final state qf that is entered iff the stack is empty (this
can always be done)
2. All transactions must have the form δ(q0, a, A) = {C1, C2, …, Cn}
(this can always be done)
 Suppose variables/non-terminals of the form (qi A qj) and
whose productions are such that
(qi A qj)==>V iff the NPDA erases A from stack while
reading V and going from qi to qj .
 CFG for PDA…
then construct the productions as follows
1. If δ(qi ,a, A) = {(qj, ε )} then, (qi A qj)  a
2. If δ(qi ,a, A) = {(qj, BC)} then, generate rules
(qi A qk) a(qj B ql) (ql C qk) where qk and ql takes on all possible
values in Q
3. Choose (q0A qf) as start symbol
 Exercises: Consider M = ({q0 , q1, q2, q3 }, {a, b}, {A, Z}, δ,
Z, q0, q2) where δ is given as
o δ(q0, a, Z) = {(q0, AZ )}, δ(q3, ε, Z) = {(q0, AZ )}, δ(q0, a, A) = {(q3,
ε )}, δ(q0, b, A) = {(q1, ε )}, δ(q1, ε, Z) = {(q2, ε )}
o Convert NPDA M to its equivalent CFG and derivate string aab using
the new grammar
 CFG for PDA…
 Answer
 From rule one
 (q0A q3 )  a … from δ(q0, a, A) = {(q3, ε )}
 (q0A q1 )  b … from δ(q0, b, A) = {(q1, ε )}
 (q1Zq2 )  ε … from δ(q1, ε, Z) = {(q2, ε )}
 From Rule 2
Take δ(q0, a, Z) = {(q0, AZ )}
 q0 Zq0 a(q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq0 ) | a(q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq0 ) | a(q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq0 )
| a(q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq0 )
 q0 Zq1 a(q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq1 ) | a(q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq1 ) | a(q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq1 )
| a(q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq1 )
 q0 Zq2 a(q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq2 ) | a(q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq2 ) | a(q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq2 )
| a(q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq2 )
 q0 Zq3 a(q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq3) | a(q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq3 ) | a(q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq3 )
| a(q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq3)
 CFG for PDA…
Take δ(q3, ε, Z) = {(q0, AZ
 q3 Zq0 (q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq0 ) | (q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq0 ) | (q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq0 )
| (q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq0 )
 q3 Zq1 (q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq1 ) | (q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq1 ) | (q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq1 )
| (q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq1)
 q3 Zq2 (q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq2 ) | (q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq2 ) | (q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq2 )
| (q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq2 )
 q3 0 Zq3 (q0 Aq0 )(q0 Zq3) | (q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq3 ) | (q0 Aq2 )(q2 Zq3 )
| (q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq3)
 From Rule make (q0 Zq2) as Initial Symbol
 Derivation of String
 q0 Zq2 a(q0 Aq3 )(q3 Zq2)  aa(q3 Zq2)
aa(q0 Aq1 )(q1 Zq2)  aab(q1 Zq2) aab
 Deterministic Push Down Automata(DPDA)
 is a variation of the pushdown automaton in which has at most
one possible move.
 That is
 For any the set has at most one
element.


 A language Accepted by DPDA is called deterministic CFL (DCFL)

 DCFL are subsets of CFL
 DPDA is restricted NPDA

18