Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF
ENGINEERING
COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEERING
Bachelor of Engineering
Theory of Computation (CST-353)

Topic: PDA
DISCOVER . LEARN .
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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

Learning Objectives & Outcomes

Objective:
• To understand the concept of Push Down Automata.

Outcome:
• Student will understand the
 Push down automata
 Applications of Push Down Automata

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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

PDA - the automata for CFLs

• What is?
– FA to Reg Lang, PDA is to CFL
• PDA == [  -NFA + “a stack” ]
• Why a stack?

Input -NFA Accept/reject

string

A stack filled with “stack symbols”

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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

Pushdown Automata - Definition

• A PDA P := ( Q,∑,, δ,q0,Z0,F ):

– Q: states of the -NFA
– ∑: input alphabet
– : stack symbols
– δ: transition function
– q0 : start state
– Z0: Initial stack top symbol
– F: Final/accepting states

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 old state input symb. Stack top new state(s) new Stack top(s)

δ : Q x ∑ x  => Q x 
δ : The Transition Function

δ(q,a,X) = {(p,Y), …}
1. state transition from q to p
2. a is the next input symbol X Y
3. X is the current stack top symbol
a
dde n--

q p
e
NNoo

4. Y is the replacement for X;

tteer

it is in * (a string of stack symbols)

r
n
m

i. Set Y =  for: Pop(X) Y=? Action

m
in
in

ii. If Y=X:
i) Y= Pop(X)
issm
i

stack top is unchanged

m

iii. If Y=Z1Z2…Zk: X is popped ii) Y=X Pop(X)

and is replaced by Y Push(X)
in reverse iii) Y=Z1Z2..Zk Pop(X)
order (i.e., Z1 will be the Push(Zk)
new stack
Push(Zk-1)
top) …
Push(Z2)
Push(Z1)

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 Example
Example : Define the pushdown automata for language {anbn | n > 0}
Solution : M = where Q = { q0, q1 } and Σ = { a, b } and Γ = { A, Z }
and &delta is given by :

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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

PDA’s Instantaneous Description (ID)

A PDA has a configuration at any given instance: (q,w,y)
– q - current state
– w - remainder of the input (i.e., unconsumed part)
– y - current stack contents as a string from top to bottom of
stack
If δ(q,a, X)={(p, A)} is a transition, then the following are also true:
– (q, a, X ) |--- (p,,A)
– (q, aw, XB ) |--- (p,w,AB)
|--- sign is called a “turnstile notation” and represents one
move
|---* sign represents a sequence of moves

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How does the PDA for Lwwr work on input “1111”?

All moves made by the non-deterministic PDA

(q0,1111,Z0)

(q1,1111,Z0) Path dies…

(q0,111,1Z0)

(q0,11,11Z0) (q1,111,1Z0) Path dies…

(q0,1,111Z0) (q1,11,11Z0)

(q0,,1111Z0) (q1,1,111Z0) (q1,1,1Z0) Acceptance by

final state:

(q1, ,1111Z0) (q1, ,11Z0) (q1, ,Z0) = empty input

Path dies… AND
Path dies…
(q2, ,Z0) 8final state
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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)
There are two types of PDAs that one can design:
those that accept by final state or by empty stack
Acceptance by…
• PDAs that accept by final state:
– For a PDA P, the language accepted by P, denoted by L(P)
by final state, is:
• {w | (q0,w,Z0) |---* (q,, A) }, s.t., q  F Checklist:
- input exhausted?
- in a final state?

• PDAs that accept by empty stack:

– For a PDA P, the language accepted by P, denoted by N(P)
by empty stack, is:
• {w | (q0,w,Z0) |---* (q, , ) }, for any q  Q. Checklist:
- input exhausted?
Q) Does a PDA that accepts by empty stack - is the stack empty?
need any final state specified in the design?
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Example: L of balanced parenthesis

An equivalent PDA that

PDA that accepts by final state accepts by empty stack
(,Z0 / ( Z0
PF: (,Z0 / ( Z0
PN: (, ( / ( (
(,( / ( ( ), ( / 
), ( /  ,Z0 / 

,Z0/ Z0 start
start
q0 q1 q0
,Z0/ Z0 ,Z0/ Z0

How will these two PDAs work on the input: ( ( ( ) ) ( ) ) ( )

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PDAs accepting by final state and empty

stack are equivalent
• PF <= PDA accepting by final state
– PF = (QF,∑, , δF,q0,Z0,F)
• PN <= PDA accepting by empty stack
– PN = (QN,∑, , δN,q0,Z0)
• Theorem:
– (PN==> PF) For every PN, there exists a PF s.t. L(PF)=L(PN)

– (PF==> PN) For every PF, there exists a PN s.t. L(PF)=L(PN)

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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

How to convert an empty stack PDA into a final state PDA?

PN==> PF construction
• Whenever PN’s stack becomes empty, make PF go to a
final state without consuming any addition symbol
• To detect empty stack in PN: PF pushes a new stack
symbol X0 (not in  of PN) initially before simultating PN
PF = (QN U {p0,pf}, ∑,  U {X0}, δF, p0, X0, {pf})

PF: P N: , X0/ X0
, X0/Z0X0 , X0/ X0
New
start p0 q0 , X0/ X0 pf
…
, X0 / X0
, X0/ X0

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 Example: Matching parenthesis “(” “)”

P N: ( {q0}, {(,)}, {Z0,Z1}, δN, q0, Z0 ) P f: ( {p0,q0 ,pf}, {(,)}, {X0,Z0,Z1}, δf, p0, X0 , pf)

δN : δN(q0,(,Z0) = { (q0,Z1Z0) } δf : δf(p0, ,X0) = { (q0,Z0) }

δN(q0,(,Z1) = { (q0, Z1Z1) } δf(q0,(,Z0) = { (q0,Z1 Z0) }
δf(q0,(,Z1) = { (q0, Z1Z1) }
δN(q0,),Z1) = { (q0, ) }
δf(q0,),Z1) = { (q0, ) }
δN(q0, ,Z0) = { (q0, ) } δf(q0, ,Z0) = { (q0, ) }
δf(p0, ,X0) = { (pf, X0 ) }
(,Z0 /Z1Z0 (,Z0/Z1Z0
(,Z1 /Z1Z1 (,Z1/Z1Z1
),Z1 /  ),Z1/ 
,Z0 /   ,Z0/ 

start
q0
start
,X /Z X
0 0 0
,X / X
0 0
p0 q0 pf

Accept by empty stack Accept by final state

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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

How to convert an final state PDA into an empty stack PDA?

PF==> PN construction
• Main idea:
– Whenever PF reaches a final state, just make an  -transition into a new
end state, clear out the stack and accept
– Danger: What if PF design is such that it clears the stack midway without
entering a final state?
 to address this, add a new start symbol X0 (not in  of PF)
PN = (Q U {p0,pe}, ∑,  U {X0}, δN, p0, X0)

PN:
, X0/Z0X0 , any/  , any/ 
New
start p0 q0 , any/  pe
…
, any/ 
PF
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CFGs == PDAs ==> CFLs

PDA by PDA by
≡
final state empty stack

?
CFG

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Example 1

Let Lwwr = {wwR | w is in (0+1)*}

• CFG for Lwwr : S==> 0S0 | 1S1 | 
• PDA for Lwwr :
• P := ( Q,∑, , δ,q0,Z0,F )

= ( {q0, q1, q2},{0,1},{0,1,Z0},δ,q0,Z0,{q2})

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Initial state of the PDA:

PDA for Lwwr q0

Stack
1. δ(q0,0, Z0)={(q0,0Z0)} top Z0
2. δ(q0,1, Z0)={(q0,1Z0)} First symbol push on stack

3. δ(q0,0, 0)={(q0,00)}
4. δ(q0,0, 1)={(q0,01)}
5. δ(q0,1, 0)={(q0,10)} Grow the stack by pushing
6. δ(q0,1, 1)={(q0,11)} new symbols on top of old
(w-part)
7. δ(q0, , 0)={(q1, 0)}
8. δ(q0, , 1)={(q1, 1)} Switch to popping mode
9. δ(q0, , Z0)={(q1, Z0)} (boundary between w and wR)

10. δ(q1,0, 0)={(q1, )}

Shrink the stack by popping matching
11. δ(q1,1, 1)={(q1, )}
symbols (wR-part)
12. δ(q1, , Z0)={(q2, Z0)}
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 PDA as a state diagram

δ(qi,a, X)={(qj,Y)}

Next Current Stack

input stack Top
Current symbol top Replacement
state (w/ string Y)

a, X / Y Next
qi qj state

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 PDA for Lwwr: Transition Diagram

Grow stack ∑ = {0, 1}

0, Z0/0Z0 = {Z0, 0, 1}
1, Z0/1Z0 Pop stack for
Q = {q0,q1,q2}
0, 0/00 matching symbols
0, 1/01
1, 0/10 0, 0/ 
1, 1/11 1, 1/ 

q0 q1 q2
, Z0/Z0
, Z0/Z0 , Z0/Z0
, 0/0
, 1/1 Go to acceptance
Switch to
popping mode
This would be a non-deterministic PDA

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 Example 2: language of balanced
paranthesis

Pop stack for ∑ = { (, ) }

matching symbols = {Z0, ( }
Grow stack
Q = {q0,q1,q2}
(, Z0 / ( Z0
(, ( / ( ( ), ( / 

q0 q1 q2
, Z0 / Z0 ), ( /  , Z0 / Z0
, Z0 / Z0 Go to acceptance (by final state)
when you see the stack bottom symbol
Switch to
(, ( / ( (
popping mode
(, Z0 / ( Z0 To allow adjacent
blocks of nested paranthesis

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Example 2: language of balanced
paranthesis (another design)

∑ = { (, ) }
(,Z0 / ( Z0 = {Z0, ( }
(,( / ( (
), ( / 
Q = {q0,q1}

start ,Z0/ Z0
q0 q1
,Z0/ Z0

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 Example 3
Construct a PDA that accepts the language L over {0, 1} by empty
stack which accepts all the string of 0's and 1's in which a number
of 0's are twice of number of 1's.
There are two parts for designing this PDA:
If 1 comes before any 0's
If 0 comes before any 1's.

We are going to design the first part i.e. 1 comes before 0's. The
logic is that read single 1 and push two 1's onto the stack.
Thereafter on reading two 0's, POP two 1's from the stack. The δ
can be
δ(q0, 1, Z) = (q0, 11, Z) Here Z represents that stack is empty
δ(q0, 0, 1) = (q0, ε)
Now, consider the second part i.e. if 0 comes before 1's. The logic
is that read first 0, push it onto the stack and change state from q0
to q1. [Note that state q1 indicates that first 0 is read and still
second 0 has yet to read].
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 Continue..
Being in q1, if 1 is encountered then POP 0. Being in q1, if 0 is
read then simply read that second 0 and move ahead. The δ will
be:
δ(q0, 0, Z) = (q1, 0Z)
δ(q1, 0, 0) = (q1, 0)
δ(q1, 0, Z) = (q0, ε) (indicate that one 0 and one 1 is already r
ead, so simply read the second 0)
δ(q1, 1, 0) = (q1, ε)
Now, summarize the complete PDA for given L is:
δ(q0, 1, Z) = (q0, 11Z)
δ(q0, 0, 1) = (q1, ε)
δ(q0, 0, Z) = (q1, 0Z)
δ(q1, 0, 0) = (q1, 0)
δ(q1, 0, Z) = (q0, ε)
δ(q0, ε, Z) = (q0, ε) ACCEPT state

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 Department of Computer and Science Engineering (CSE)

Application of PDA
• For designing the parsing phase of a compiler (Syntax
Analysis).
• For implementation of stack applications.
• For evaluating the arithmetic expressions.
• For solving the Tower of Hanoi Problem.

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Summary
• PDAs for CFLs and CFGs
– Non-deterministic
– Deterministic
• PDA acceptance types
1. By final state
2. By empty stack
• PDA
– IDs, Transition diagram

• Applications of PDA

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FAQ :

1. What are the different ways of language acceptances by

a PDA and define them
2. Convert the given expression to PDA
I --> a | b | Ia | Ib | I0 | I1

3. What is the additional feature a PDA has when compared

with NFA?
4. Design a PDA for accepting a language {L= a^nb^n | n
>=1}

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REFERENCES :
• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/introduction-of-
pushdown-automata/
• Martin J.C., “Introduction to Languages and Theory of
Computation”, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company
Limited, 3rd Edition.
• https://www.tutorialspoint.com
• https://en.wikipedia.org

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