What is an automaton?
Q: What is an automaton?
A: An Automaton is a concept from mathematics that is like an abstract machine and can be given input that is either rejected or accepted.
Q: What is another term for an automaton?
A: Sometimes the concept is called a state machine.
Q: Can you compare an automaton to a vending machine?
A: Yes, it's like a vending machine where coins or money needs to be inserted into the machine, and if the coins are the right ones, the requested item is dropped so it can be removed.
Q: What happens when input is given to an automaton?
A: The automaton goes through all the input, consuming one item at a time, and internally has different states it can be in. Feeding it input may or may not change its state.
Q: What happens when there are no symbols left for the automaton?
A: When there are no symbols left, the automaton is in a particular state, which may be a final state. If this is the case, the input is accepted; otherwise, the input is rejected.
Q: What is a finite state machine?
A: If the machine has a countable, finite number of states, it is called a finite state machine.
Q: What is a finite state diagram?
A: A diagram that shows all the states, and transitions of such a machine is called a finite state diagram.
