Theory

of Computer Science
SCSJ 3203

Lecturers Details
Dr. Zalmiyah Zakaria
Email: zalmiyah@utm.my /
zalmiyah@gmail.com
Room: N28A L5-16-01
Tel: 07 5538814

Theory of Computer Science

Course Learning Outcomes

Describe the theory of Computer Science.
Apply and explain the theory in solving the
given problems.
Discuss and make decision to solve problems
related to computer science theory.
Work collaboraUvely in a team to solve
problems using current informaUon related
to computer science theory and
communicate deliverables in wriUng and oral
presentaUon.
Theory of Computer Science

References
Teaching Module for tutorial sessions

Zalmiyah Zakaria dan Paridah Samsuri. Theory of Computer

Science: DeniUons and Examples. Fourth EdiUon, 2015.

Books

Thomas A. Sudkamp. Languages and Machines. 2006. Third

EdiUon. Pearson Addison-Wesley.
Michael Sipser. IntroducUon to the Theory of ComputaUon.
2013. Third EdiUon. Cengage Learning.
John C. MarUn. IntroducUon to Languages and the Theory of
ComputaUon. 2011. Fourth EdiUon. McGraw Hill.
Elaine Rich. Automata, Computability and Complexity. 2009.
Pearson InternaUonal EdiUon. Pearson PrenUce Hall.

Theory of Computer Science

Grading
No. Assessment
Assignment
1
(Take home work)
Quizzes
2
(in-class 10-min assessment)
Tutorials
3 (in-class exercises with
lecturers supervision)

Number

% each

% total

10%

10

5%

10

4%

20

4 Mid-Term Test

25%

25

5 Final Exam

35%

35

Overall Total
Sept2011

100
Theory of Computer Science

UTM Aeendance Policy

To be allowed to sit for nal exam, a
student must have an aeendance more
than 80%.
First warning leeer will be issued for the
rst 4 hours not aeending the class.
Second warning leeer for the subsequent 4
hours.
Leeer to forbid seaUng for nal exam will
be issued for the subsequent 3 hours.
Theory of Computer Science

How to do well
This is essenUally a math course:
you must learn the concepts well; if you dont theres almost no chance of
success
if you do learn the concepts, there is very liele else (facts, etc.) to learn;
you can do really well!
You must do problems. Theres no replacement for this.
Aeending lectures is highly advised!
It will be very hard to learn the concepts by yourself or from textbook.

Dont postpone learning; you will not be able to make up later.

Topics get quickly hard.
Come regularly to discussion secUons; you will learn a lot by working
out problems and learn from fellow students

Theory of Computer Science

IntroducUon & MathemaUcs

Preliminaries

Important Notes
No programming in this course
It is assumed that you are familiar
with:
programming and basic
algorithms
notaUon big-oh
sets
Theory of Computer Science

MoUvaUon to this course

What are the capabiliUes and limitaUons
of computer?
What is computaUon?
Consists of execuUng an algorithm.
StarUng with some input and following a
step by step procedure that will produce a
result
A computaUon is simply a sequence of steps
that can be performed by a computer
Theory of Computer Science

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MoUvaUon to this course

What type of computer?
Abstract machines or model of
computaUon, which will be dened
mathemaUcally.
Language that can be accepted by this
machine

Sept2011

Theory of Computer Science

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MathemaUcal NoUons and

Terminology Used
Sets
FuncUons and RelaUons
Sequences and Tuples
Trees
Boolean Logic
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Sets
Importance: languages are sets
Sets are a collecUon of well dened objects
E.g. : A = {set all items in kitchen} = {utensils,
stove, spoons.....}
B = {set all natural numbers} = {1, 2, 3, ...}
Sets are denoted by capital leeers - A, B, C, etc.
& the objects by small leeers - a, b, c, etc.
The objects called the elements or members of
the set.
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Sets
Sets can be nite or innite.
Finite sets are sets with a small number of members
can dened explicitly; that is, their members can be
listed. . E.g.: X = {1, 2, 3}, Y = {a, b, c, d, e}
An innite set contains innitely many elements.
Sets having a large nite or innite number of
members must be dened implicitly. E.g.: set of
natural numbers = N = {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}, set of integers
= Z = { ... , -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, ... }.
Note: ". . . means "conUnue the sequence forever".
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Sets
There are two common ways of
lisUng the members of a set:
Explicitly - List all the elements, e.g.
{a, e, i, o, u}.
Implicitly - Provide some sort of an
algorithm or rule, such as a grammar,
e.g. {set of vowel leeers}, { x | x A
or x B }.
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Sets
NotaUon:
If x is a member of set S, we write x S
We denote the empty set (the set with no
members) as {} or
If every element of set A is also an element of
set B, we say that A is a subset of B (A B)

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Set operaUons: Union

The union of sets A and B, wrieen A B, is a set
that contains everything that is in A, or in B, or in
both.
Formal deniUon for the union of two sets:
A U B = { x | x A or x B }
Further examples
{1, 2, 3} U {3, 4, 5} = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
{Johor, Melaka} U {3, 4} = {Johor, Melaka, 3, 4}
{1, 2} U = {1, 2}
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Set operaUons: IntersecUon

The intersecUon of sets A and B, wrieen A B, is a
set that contains all the elements in both A and B.
Formal deniUon for the intersecUon of two sets: A B = { x
| x A and x B }
Further examples
{1, 2, 3} {3, 4, 5} = {3}
{Johor, Melaka} {3, 4} =
No elements in common

{1, 2} =
Any set intersecUon with the empty set yields the empty set

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Disjoint sets
Two sets are disjoint if they have no elements in common, that is,
if AB = .
E.g.: The set of the even numbers and the set of the odd numbers
Formal deniUon for disjoint sets: two sets are disjoint if their
intersecUon is the empty set
Further examples
{1, 2, 3} and {3, 4, 5} are not disjoint
{Johor, Melaka} and {3, 4} are disjoint
{1, 2} and are disjoint
Their intersecUon is the empty set

and are disjoint!

Their intersecUon is the empty set

Theory of Computer Science

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Set operaUons: Dierence

The set dierence of set A and set B, wrieen A - B, is a set
that contains everything that is in A but not in B.
Formal deniUon for the dierence of two sets:
A - B = { x |_
x A and x B }
A - B = A B
Further examples
{1, 2, 3} - {3, 4, 5} = {1, 2}
{Johor, Melaka} - {3, 4} = {Johor, Melaka}
{1, 2} - = {1, 2}
The dierence of any set S with the empty set will be the set S

Theory of Computer Science

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Set operaUons: Symmetric Dierence

A symmetric dierence of the sets contains all the elements
in either set but NOT both

Formal deniUon for the symmetric dierence of

two sets:
A B = { x | (x A or x B) and x A B}
A B = (A U B) (A B)
Further examples
{1, 2, 3} {3, 4, 5} = {1, 2, 4, 5}
{Johor, Melaka} {3, 4} = {Johor, Melaka, 3, 4}
{1, 2} = {1, 2}
The symmetric dierence of any set S with the empty set will be
the set S
Theory of Computer Science
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Complement sets
The complement of a set A, wrieen as A or -A or
(beeer) A with a bar drawn over it, is the set
containing everything that is not in A.
Formal deniUon for the complement of a set: =
{ x | x A }
Or U A, where U is the universal set that contains
"everything" (meaning "everything we are
interested in at the moment").
Then, or A or A is shorthand for U - A.
Further examples:
{1, 2, 3} = { , -2, -1, 0, 4, 5, 6, }
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Take 5..!

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AddiUonal terminology
The cardinality of a set A, wrieen |A|, is the
number of elements in a set A.
The powerset of a set A, wrieen P(A) or 2A, is
the set of all subsets of A. The notaUon
suggests the fact that a set containing n
elements has a powerset containing 2n
elements, including empty set.
Example: 2{a,b,c} = {, {a}, {b}, {c}, {a,b}, {a,c}, {b,c}, {a,b,c}}

Note that the empty set and the set A itself are in
As power set
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Sequences and Tuples

A sequence of objects is a list of
those objects in some order.
Usually designate by wriUng the list
within parenthesis, e.g. (2, 5, 7).
May be nite or innite.
Finite sequences called tuples.
Sequence with k elements is a k-
tuples, e.g., (2, 5, 7) is a 3-tuples.
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Cartesian product (Cross product)

The Cartesian product of two sets A and B, denoted A B,
is the set of all ordered pairs with rst element from A
and second element from B
A B = {(a, b) | a A and b B}
A = {1,2}; B = {3,4}
A B = {1,2} {3,4} = {(1,3), (1,4), (2,3), (2,4)}
B A = {3,4} {1,2} = {(3,1), (3,2), (4,1), (4,2)}

{1, 2} {red, white} = {(1, red), (1, white), (2, red), (2,
white)}.
We can generalize this to ordered k-tuples:
A1 A2 Ak = {(a1, a2, , ak | ai Ai for each i}
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