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Let the regular expression $R = ((a^*\cup \emptyset \cup \varepsilon^*)^*b)^*$ above $\Sigma = \{a,b,c,d\}$. What is the minimal number of states for a DFA accepting this regex?

  1. $1$
  2. $2$
  3. $4$
  4. $5$ or more

So for my understanding, this regex is equivalent to $(a^*b)^*$. I was able to build the following DFA, nevertheless, I know the answer is $2$. How is it possible?

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ Your simplified regex is ok. Your automaton is not correct. You can have any number of consecutive $b$. BTW, you do not tell which is the initial state. And you do need 3 states if you have an explicit failure state. $\endgroup$
    – babou
    May 18, 2015 at 17:49
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    $\begingroup$ Follow the algorithms you've seen in class; this is a rote exercise. (Note, though, that not all definitions of DFA require the existence of q_fail. Your material should be consistent about that. Hopefully.) $\endgroup$
    – Raphael ♦
    May 18, 2015 at 18:10
  • $\begingroup$ @babou, so basically this regex can be translated to $L = \{a^nb^n : n \ge 0\}$. I still need the third state "q_fail" in order to handle the characters $c,d$, so I am still not sure how can it can be reduced to $2$ states.. $\endgroup$
    – Elimination
    May 18, 2015 at 18:49
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    $\begingroup$ @Elimination The regexp certainly doesn't translate to $\{a^nb^n\mid n\geq 0\}$ because thats the canonical non-regular language. $\endgroup$
    – David Richerby
    May 18, 2015 at 19:03
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    $\begingroup$ What the regex says is that you can have any string that is empty or ends with a $b$. But you need 2 states to distinguish whether you are allowed to accept, having just read a $b$ or not, plus a third state for failure when you read $c$ or $d$. But it is often the case that the failure state and corresponding transitions are left implicit. Try to understand why the regex reads as I said. $\endgroup$
    – babou
    May 18, 2015 at 23:47

1 Answer 1

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Your $\Sigma=\{a,b,c,d\}$ so you have to add at least one dead state. The DFA is: enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ Some authors have an implicit dead state by defining a DFA as one in which each state has at most one transition per symbol. Since 3 isn't an option, I guess whoever set the exercise in the quesion subscribes to that viewpoint. $\endgroup$
    – David Richerby
    May 18, 2015 at 19:07
  • $\begingroup$ Interesting. However you can obtain the correct answer by discard. As we already generated a DFA with 3 states we can discard alternative 3 and 4. Alternative 1 is not possible because the DFA of one state denote a different language. So I would mark alternative 2 and ask an explanation from my teacher later haha. $\endgroup$
    – Renato Sanhueza
    May 18, 2015 at 21:43

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