Boolean expressions for Turing Machine

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on expressing a Non-Deterministic Turing Machine constraint using Boolean expressions, specifically the condition that cells not being read remain unchanged at the next time step. The proposed expression is analyzed, with participants clarifying the definitions of the read/write head (H) and the symbols in cells (S) at given times. There is a debate about whether H and S are treated as random variables or constants, with emphasis on the correct interpretation of their truth values in the context of Turing machines. Participants express confusion over notational conventions and the logical implications of the expressions presented. The conversation highlights the complexities of formalizing Turing machine operations with Boolean logic.
insectosaurus
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Hello,
I want to express Non-Deterministic Turing Machine constraint with boolean expression.
The constraint is: "Cells which aren’t being read remain the same at time t+1".
lets say H[i,j] means the read/write head at time i at cell j
and S[i,j,k] means the symbol k at time i in cell j

so the expression would be:
~H[i,j] ^ ~S[i,j,k] -> ~S[i+1,j,k]

which equivalent to
H[i,j] V S[i,j,k] V ~S[i+1,j,k]

is this correct ?
i saw in many lecture notes in the web very different expressions, so I'm confused for what's correct.

Thank You
 
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I don't understand the algebra. H and S are range variables, aren't they? If so, how do you obtain the truth value of H when H=12, for instance?
 
H and S are 2D and 3D arrays
H[i,j] is TRUE if the read/write head at time i is scanning cell j, else FALSE
S[i,j,k] has symbol k at time i in cell j
 
OK.

By your definition S[i,j,k] = True always, and S[i+1,j,k] = False always.

But i,j, and k are random variables aren't they? If so S[2,2,3] = True and S[1+1,2,3]=False. This is an immediate contradition.
 
no it's not,
more precisely, 0 \leq k \leq |\Sigma | - 1, where
\Sigma is the alphabet.

so S[i,j,k] means at time i, the contents of tape square j is symbol s_{k}

and 0 \leq i \leq p(n) and -p(n) \leq j \leq p(n)

where n is input's length,
lets say the input string is x, then x = s_{1} \cdot s_{2} \cdot ... \cdot s_{k} \cdot ...\cdot s_{n}
 
Back up a minute. Is S[i,j,k] always true?
 
no, it's true if cell j contains symbol s_{k} at time i
 
I believe your problem with this is the notational conventions in use. Though, nearly universally, i,j and k are random variables.

You might try to decipher what objects are treated as constants and what are treated as variables in any given assignments.

I'm afraid my time is up for tonight.
 
i,j,k are not random variables
 
  • #10
You are confused as to what constitutes a logical statement.
 

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