Automata Theory Questions
The main difference between a deterministic automaton and a non-deterministic automaton lies in their behavior when faced with multiple possible transitions from a given state on a given input symbol.
In a deterministic automaton, there is at most one possible transition for each input symbol from any given state. This means that the next state is uniquely determined by the current state and the input symbol. Deterministic automata are characterized by their ability to process input strings in a unique and predictable manner.
On the other hand, a non-deterministic automaton can have multiple possible transitions from a given state on a given input symbol. This means that the next state is not uniquely determined, and the automaton can have multiple paths to follow simultaneously. Non-deterministic automata are characterized by their ability to explore multiple possibilities and make choices during the computation process.
In summary, the key difference is that deterministic automata have a single, unique transition for each input symbol, while non-deterministic automata can have multiple possible transitions.