Understanding Myhill-Nerode Theorem in Automata Theory
Myhill-Nerode theorem states that three statements are equivalent regarding the properties of a regular language: 1) L is the union of some equivalence classes of a right-invariant equivalence relation of finite index, 2) Equivalence relation RL is defined in a specific way, and 3) RL has finite index. The theorem's proof involves conditions that mutually imply each other, focusing on equivalence relations, regular languages, and the index of the relation.
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MYHILL NERODE THEOREM By Anusha Tilkam
Myhill Nerode Theorem: The following three statements are equivalent 1. 2. L is the union of some of the equivalence classes of a right invariant equivalence relation of finite index. 3. Let equivalence relation RL be defined by : xRLy iff for all z in * xz is in L exactly when yz is in L. Then RLis of finite index. The set L * is accepted by a FSA
Theorem Proof: There are three conditions: 1. Condition (i) implies condition (ii) 2. Condition (ii) implies condition (iii) 3. Condition (iii) implies condition (i)
Equivalence Relation A binary relation over a set X is an equivalence relation if it satisfies Reflexivity Symmetry Transitivity
Condition (i) implies condition (ii) Proof: Let L be a regular language accepted by a DFSA M = (Q, , ,q0,F). Define RMon * x RMy if (q0, x) = (q0, y) In order to show that its an equivalence relation it has to satisfy three properties.
(q0, x) = (q0, x) --- Reflexive If (q0, x) = (q0, y) then (q0, y) = (q0, x) --- Symmetry If (q0, x) = (q0, y) (q0, y) = (q0, z) then (q0, x) = (q0, z) --- Transitive
Index of an Equivalence relation: There are N states q0 q1 q2 qn-1 If This RMis an Equivalence Relation, Then the index of RM is at most the number of States of M
Right invariant If x RM y Then xz RM yz for any z * Then we say RM is Right invariant Proof: (q0 , x) = (q0 , y) (q0 , xz) = ( (q0 , x), z ) = ( (q0 , y), z ) = (q0 , yz) Therefore RM is right invariant
L is the union of sum of the equivalence classes of that relation. If the Equivalence Relation RM has n states. S0 , S1 , S2, , Si , .. , Sn-1 | | | | | q0 , q1 , q2 , .., qi , .. , qn-1
Condition (ii) implies condition (iii) : Proof: Let E be an equivalence relation as defined in (ii). We have to prove that E is a Refinement of RL. What is Refinement?
x E y | x,y to same equivalence class of E xz E yz | xz is related to yz for any z * L is the union of sum of the equivalence classes of E. If L contains this equivalence class then xz and yz are in L or it may not be in L. Then we can say that x RL y Hence it is proved that every equivalence class in E is an Equivalence class in RL Then we can say that E is a Refinement of RL E is of finite index Index of RL <= index of E therefore RL is of Finite index.
Example : DFA b b b a a q0 q2 q1 a L ={ w | w contains a stings having atleast one a ,no sequence of b} * is partioned into three equivalence class J0,J1,J2
J0 b bb J1 a ba babaa J2 aa aba babab so on so on ..so on J0 strings which do not contain an a J1 strings which contain odd number of a s J2 - strings which contain even number of a s L = J1 U J2
Condition (iii) implies condition (i) Proof: Then xwz RL ywz x RL y if xz L yz L Therefore if z = wz then xwz L ywz L for any w and z RL is right invariant Define an FSA M = (Q , , ,q0 ,F ) as follows: For each equivalence class of RL ,we have a state in Q . |Q | = index of RL Hence RL is Right invariant
If x * denote the Equivalence class of RL to which x to [x] q0 = [ ] belongs to initial state / one equivalence class. For symbol a ([x],a) = [xa] This definition is consistent because RL is right invariant. If xRL y then ([x],a) = [ya] Because x,y belong to same class and Right invariant. Therefore we can say that L is accepted by a FSA.
Example : J0 and J1 U J2 are the two equivalence classes in RL a,b b a J1 , J2 J0
To show that a given language is not Regular: L = {anbn |n>=1} Assume that L is Regular Then by Myhill Nerode theorem we can say that L is the union of sum of the Equivalence classes and etc a, aa,aaa,aaaa, .. Each of this cannot be in different equivalence classes. an ~ am for m n By Right invariance anbn ~ am bn for m n Hence contradiction The L cannot be regular.
Conclusion Shown how the Myhill Nerode theorem helps in minimizing the number of states in a DFA. How it shows that the language is not regular.
References Languages and Machines Thomas A. Sudkamp, Addison Wesley http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myhill%E2%80%9 3Nerode_theorem