Turing Machine – Important 7-Mark
Questions and Answers (AKTU)
Q1. Explain the structure and working of a Turing Machine with a proper
block diagram.
A Turing Machine (TM) is a theoretical model of computation that defines an abstract
machine. It manipulates symbols on an infinite tape according to a set of rules.
Structure of Turing Machine:
A Turing Machine is a 7-tuple: M = (Q, Σ, Γ, δ, q₀, B, F) where:
- Q → Finite set of states
- Σ → Input alphabet (does not include blank symbol)
- Γ → Tape alphabet (includes input symbols + blank symbol)
- δ → Transition function: Q × Γ → Q × Γ × {L, R}
- q₀ → Initial state (q₀ ∈ Q)
- B → Blank symbol (B ∈ Γ and B ∉ Σ)
- F → Set of final/accepting states (F ⊆ Q)
Working of Turing Machine:
1. The tape is infinite in both directions and divided into cells.
2. Each cell can hold one symbol from Γ.
3. The read/write head scans one cell at a time.
4. Based on the current state and symbol under the head, the machine:
- Writes a symbol,
- Moves the head (L or R),
- Changes state.
5. It halts when it reaches a final state or there is no applicable transition.
Block Diagram (Textual Representation):
+-------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Tape: | a | b | a | b | B | B | B | ... |
| ↑ |
| Read/Write Head |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------+
Q2. Design a Turing Machine to recognize the language L = {aⁿbⁿ | n ≥ 1}
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Q3. Design a Turing Machine for string reversal over the alphabet {a, b}.
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Q4. Construct a Turing Machine to accept palindromes over the alphabet
{a, b}.
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Q5. What are recursive and recursively enumerable languages? Explain
with examples.
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Q6. Compare DFA, PDA, and Turing Machines in terms of power and
functionality.
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Q7. Describe in detail the Universal Turing Machine. How does it simulate
other TMs?
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Q8. What is Church-Turing thesis? Explain its significance in Automata
theory.
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Q9. Explain the concept of non-deterministic Turing Machine. Is it more
powerful than deterministic TM? Justify.
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Q10. Explain various types of Turing Machines: Multi-tape, Multi-track,
and Non-deterministic.
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Q11. Explain the concept of Turing Machine Halting Problem. Why is it
undecidable?
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Q12. Design a Turing Machine to accept the language L = {w#w | w ∈
{a,b}*}
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Q13. Explain the simulation of two-way infinite tape Turing Machine using
a standard Turing Machine.
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Q14. Design a Turing Machine to perform binary addition.
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Q15. Explain how Turing Machines can be used to compute functions.
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