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CS386 - Introduction to Automata Theory Fall 2003

Instructor:

Valentino Crespi, ET-A221, 3-4596.
vcrespi@acm.org

Office Hours: M 12:30-2:30pm, W 12:30-1:30pm, R 5:00-6:10pm

cs386 website: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/vcrespi/CS/CS386/cs386.html
Prerequisites: MATH255, CS202
Schedule: MW 10:50-12:30PM ET-A332
Abstract: CS386 focuses on regular languages and Finite State Automata. The main purpose is to help students familiarize with basic formal methods that apply heavily in the theory of languages and in particular in the design of syntax and lexical analyzers.
Topics Overview (cp. 1-5):
  • Mathematical Preliminaries and Proof Techniques: sets, strings, languages and structural induction.
  • DFSA and NDFSA.
  • Regular Languages and Regular Expressions.
  • Pumping Lemma.
  • Grammars and Automata: language generation and language recognition.
  • Regular Grammars.
  • PDA.
  • Context Free Languages.
Course Book: Peter Linz. An Introduction to Formal Languages and Automata (3rd edition). Jones and Burtless Publishers, 2001.
Recommended Book: J. Hopcroft, R. Motwani, J. Ullman. Introduction Automata Theory, Languages and Computation. Addison-Wesley.
Grading: Two Midterm Exams (25%+25%), Final Exam (40%), Homework Assignments (10%)
Score (%) Letter Grade
90-100 A
80-89 B
60-79 C
50-59 D
0-49 F
Date and Time of Final Exam: Monday, December 8, 2003. Time: 10:45-1:15pm.
Policies:
  • Makeup Exams: No.
  • Homework Assignments:
    Homework assignments should be written neatly on standard sized paper (8.5 x 11 inch), possibly in black or blue ink (please do not use red) and submitted at the due date (no electronic submissions accepted). Each page should be numbered. Late submissions will not be accepted.
  • Academic integrity and honesty:
    Students are allowed and encouraged to discuss reading materials with each other. However, homework assignments must be solved and written individually. If you obtain a solution with help then you should acknowledge your source in the paper and then write independently your own solution.
  • Office:
    Students are warmly invited to visit the instructor (during the announced office hours) for questions and clarifications.
  • E-mail:
    E-mails addressed to Valentino.Crespi@calstatela.edu must have, in the subject, the keyword CS386 (e.g. Subject: CS386 ...). All the E-mails will be possibly processed in the evening and so will be answered with a minimum delay. Be careful, the keyword in the subject is important for automatic filtering. Wrong subjects may result in the accidental loss of the message.