Module Details
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title DECISION, COMPUTATION AND LANGUAGE
Code COMP218
Coordinator Dr DK Wojtczak
Computer Science
D.Wojtczak@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2016-17 Level 5 FHEQ Second Semester 15

Aims
  • To introduce formal concepts of automata, grammars and languages.

  • To introduce ideas of computability and decidability.

  • To illustrate the importance of automata, formal language theory and general models of computation in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence.

    		•

    Learning Outcomes
    Be familiar with the relationships between language as an object recognised by an automaton and as a set generated by a formal grammar.

    Be able to apply standard translations between non-deterministic and deterministic finite automata.
    Be familiar with the distinct types of formal grammar (e.g. Chomsky hierarchy) and the concept of normal forms for grammars.
    Be aware of the limitations (with respect to expressive power) of different automata and grammar forms.
    Understand the distinction between recursive and recursively enumerable languages.

    Syllabus
    1 
    • Preliminaries: principal mathematical ideas necessary to understand the material of the course
    • Finite automata and regular expressions: basic definitions, non-determinism, applications of finite automata
    • Properties of regular sets: pumping lemma, closure properties, decision algorithms, minimization of automata
    • Context-free grammars: introduction, derivation trees, simplification, Chomsky normal form, Greibach normal form
    • Pushdown automata: definitions, shared properties with context-free grammars
    • Properties of context-free grammars: pumping lemma, closure properties and decision algorithm
    • Chomsky hierarchy and deterministic context-free languages: normal form, closure, and application in parsing methods
    • Turing machines: Turing machine model, computable languages and functions, Church''s hypothesis
    • U ndecidability: recursive and recursively enumerable languages, universal Turing machines

    Teaching and Learning Strategies

    Lecture -

    Tutorial -

    Assessment -


    Teaching Schedule
      Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
    Study Hours 28

    		   10

    		     2

    		 40
    Timetable (if known)              
    Private Study 110
    TOTAL HOURS 150

    Assessment
    EXAM Duration Timing
    (Semester)    		 % of
    final
    mark    		 Resit/resubmission
    opportunity    		 Penalty for late
    submission    		 Notes
    Unseen Written Exam  2 hours  2  80  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 3 Notes (applying to all assessments) 2 class tests each contributing 10%. This work is marked anonymously. Written examination contributing 80% is marked anonymously.  
    CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
    (Semester)    		 % of
    final
    mark    		 Resit/resubmission
    opportunity    		 Penalty for late
    submission    		 Notes
    Coursework  1 hour  2  10  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 1 There is no reassessment opportunity,  
    Coursework  1 hour  2  10  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 2 There is no reassessment opportunity,  

    Recommended Texts
    Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
    Explanation of Reading List: