200 Problems on Languages, Automata, and Computation

This book presents a series of compelling exercises of increasing difficulty in formal languages, automata and computation.

Filip Murlak (Edited by), Damian Niwiński (Edited by), Wojciech Rytter (Edited by)

9781009073783, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 April 2023

266 pages
23 x 15.3 x 1.8 cm, 0.402 kg

'I began reading this book skeptical that I would find problems in it that I had not already seen. I was wrong. There are many great problems in this book, some for your students as homework, some to be the basis of lectures you will give your students … and some for your own edification.' William Gasarch, SIGACT News

Formal languages and automata have long been fundamental to theoretical computer science, but students often struggle to understand these concepts in the abstract. This book provides a rich source of compelling exercises designed to help students grasp the subject intuitively through practice. The text covers important topics such as finite automata, regular expressions, push-down automata, grammars, and Turing machines via a series of problems of increasing difficultly. Problems are organised by topic, many with multiple follow-ups, and each section begins with a short recap of the basic notions necessary to make progress. Complete solutions are given for all exercises, making the book well suited for self-study as well as for use as a course supplement. Developed over the course of the editors' two decades of experience teaching the acclaimed Automata, Formal Languages, and Computation course at the University of Warsaw, it is an ideal resource for students and instructors alike.

Part I. Problems: 1. Words, numbers, graphs
2. Regular languages
3. Context-free languages
4. Theory of computation
Part II. Solutions: 1. Words, numbers, graphs
2. Regular languages
3. Context-free languages
4. Theory of computation
Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Mathematical theory of computation [UYA]