Digital electronicsLesson 2 of 2 in the course Sequential logic

Finite-State Machines: Models, Outputs, and Applications

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

A finite-state machine (FSM) models a system that can occupy one of a limited number of states and change state in response to inputs. FSMs help explain systems that react to events in predictable ways.

A finite-state machine, also called a finite-state automaton, is an abstract model that has exactly one current state at a time from a finite set of possible states. An input may cause the machine to move to another state. This change is called a transition.

All flashcards

Finite-state machine (FSM)
An abstract model with finitely many states that responds to inputs through state changes and may produce outputs.
Deterministic finite automaton (DFA)
A finite automaton in which a state and input symbol determine at most one next state.
Entry action
An action performed when a machine enters a state.
Acceptor
A finite automaton that accepts or rejects an input sequence.
Powerset construction
A method for converting an NFA into an equivalent DFA by using sets of NFA states.

Quiz questions

  1. In a deterministic finite automaton, what does the transition function assign to a state and input symbol?Answer: At most one specified next state.
  2. How can an NFA differ from a DFA for a given state and input?Answer: It may have multiple possible next states or none.
  3. What is a regular language?Answer: A language accepted by some finite automaton.
  4. In a Moore machine, what determines the output?Answer: The machine's current state.
  5. What does a compiler's lexical analyzer do?Answer: Groups source-code characters into tokens.

Based on the Wikipedia article Finite-state machine, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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