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Questions tagged [turing-machines]

A Turing machine is an idealized model of computation consisting of a finite-state control, an infinite tape holding information, and a read head positioned somewhere over the tape. Turing machines are used in computability theory to reason about the limits of computation, to provide a formal definition for an algorithm, and to provide formal models for nondeterminism.

Wiki

A Turing machine is a device that manipulates symbols on a strip of tape according to a table of rules. Despite its simplicity, a Turing machine can be adapted to simulate the logic of any computer algorithm, and is particularly useful in explaining the functions of a CPU inside a computer.

Turing machines are not physical objects but mathematical ones. A Turing machine is a kind of state machine. At any time the machine is in any one of a finite number of states. Instructions for a Turing machine consist in specified conditions under which the machine will transition between one state and another.

The tape is used to store data. In addition, it can also store a series of transitions (a small programs) and thus, the head can run sub-programs. By analogy with modern computers, the tape is the memory and the head is the microprocessor.

Tag usage

The tag can be used for programming related problems in implementing features of a turing machine. The tag can also be used for algorithmic problems related to turing machine. Try to avoid theoretical and research based questions on Stack Overflow.

Please note https://cstheory.stackexchange.com is another stack exchange website which you can use to ask theoretical and conceptual problems with tag

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A square root computing turing machine

I think i am close to this answer but still to confirm can we create a turing machine(At least in Principle) which can work on real number computation and give exact results?**For example finding square root of an integer.(whose output would be a…
bashrc
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Is a dictionary turing complete

With "dictionary" I mean an array of key / value pairs with unique keys. If not, why? If long enough, you can use the key as an input and the value as an output and it could have the solution to as many problems as you wish. It could "compute"…
Juan
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Turing Machine Blank Symbol After Halting

Given a Turing Machine with input alphabet Σ and tape alphabet Γ. Alphabet Σ does not include the blank symbol, Γ does. Let's represent the blank symbol as _ . Say this Turing Machine, given an input w, writes as output w_w. That is, the output is a…
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Can a Turing machine go past the beginning of a tape?

I've got a really simple question about Turning Machines. If the very first action it takes includes rewinding the tape, will it move back past the starting point or is this a special case and will it remain at the starting point?
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Can a Turing machine be constructed having only two tape symbols?

A Turing machine M containing any number of tape symbols can be simulated by one M' containing just three tape symbols: {0, 1, B} (B = Blank). Can M be be simulated by a M" that has just two tape symbols, say {1, B}?
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Automata programming language

Do you know any programming language that implements abstract machines like Turing machines and Finite State Automatons? That is, process the following input: A 5-tuple (The notorious ⟨Q,Σ,δ,q0,F⟩ from formal languages 101), a 7-tuple for Turing…
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Turing machine: But why use template metaprogramming?

I am a final year engineering student. Me and my friends have decided that our final year project would be "Simulation of Turing Machine using Template Metaprogramming". I understand what "Turing Machine" and "Template Metaprogramming" are but my…
Mukesh Kumar
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Recursive language

"if a language is recursive, then there exists a method by which the strings in language can be written in some sequence" I am also told that "if a language can be enumerated in a lexicographic order by some Turing machine, then such a language is…
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Is PCP recognizable?

I want to know whether Post Correspondence Problem(PCP) is recognizable. I learnt how to demonstrate the undecidability of PCP. I thought to use the similar approach for recognizability too i.e. to considering MPCP and show whether it is…
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Algorithm to generate a Turing Machine from a Regular Expression

I'm developing a software to generate a Turing Machine from a regular expression. [ EDIT: To clarify, the OP wants to take a regular expression as input, and programmatically generate a Turing Machine to perform the same task. OP is seeking to…
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Difference between a Turing machine end state and halt state?

Is there a difference between the end state of a Turing machine and the halt state? Especially, for example the Busy Beaver 3-state Problem. It is said that the TM is with 3 states but there is also a halt. Is the end state Q2 or the halt?
Dimitar
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How to create a Turing machine that takes a single digit decimal number from 0 - 9 and output the cube

I'm working on a project for a Turning machine but having problems conceptualizing the steps. f(x) = x^3, where x is a single digit between 0 - 9 inclusive. Based on my understanding I am to convert the number to binary but how do I find the cube…
Julian
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Building Turing Machine to list all the integers in order?

I am learning about Turing machines and I am wondering how to all the int using a turing machine.
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Designing a Turing Machine's state table

Are they any helpful guidelines to describing what a Turing machine does if you already have the pseudo code for the algorithm? I'm taking a course on complexity theory and it takes me a while to describe a Turing machine that decides or accepts…
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Implementing a Turing machine in Erlang

I have a little project which is very similar to implementing a Turing machine. The essential problem I have is to save the current configuration e.g. the position of the head and further information. Important to me is especially saving up the head…
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