Formal Languages Questions
The main difference between a deterministic finite automaton (DFA) and a context-sensitive grammar is the level of expressive power and the type of language they can recognize.
A DFA is a type of finite automaton that accepts or rejects strings of symbols based on a set of predetermined rules. It has a fixed number of states and transitions between these states based on the input symbols. DFAs are capable of recognizing regular languages, which are a subset of formal languages.
On the other hand, a context-sensitive grammar is a type of formal grammar that generates languages beyond regular languages. It consists of a set of production rules that define how symbols can be rewritten or replaced. Context-sensitive grammars allow for more complex rules, where the rewriting of symbols can depend on the context or surrounding symbols. They can generate context-sensitive languages, which are a superset of regular languages.
In summary, the main difference lies in the expressive power and the type of languages they can recognize. DFAs are limited to regular languages, while context-sensitive grammars can generate context-sensitive languages, which are more powerful and encompass regular languages as well.