SD01 - Finite Control 1

Question 1

What does it mean to compute?

Answer 1

To change some input into some output

Question 2

What is the name given to a simple computer that can change simple input to simple output?

Answer 2

A finite-state machine or automaton

Question 3

Why is a standard computer generally not considered a finite state machine for practical purposes?

Answer 3

The number of possible states that the computer can be in is too large to reasonably enumerate

Question 4

What is a ‘black box’ system?

Answer 4

A system where you can see the inputs and outputs, but the inside of the system is unknown i.e. How it produces an output from an input

Question 5

What is a ‘state’?

Answer 5

Whatever data the machine needs, derived from earlier input signals, to determine the effects of subsequent input signals

Question 6

What is finite control?

Answer 6

A problem that can be solved using a machine with a finite number of states

Question 7

What constitutes a finite-state machine?

Answer 7

For a machine to be considered finite-state, it must be possible to enumerate all of its possible states. This can be tens, or thousands.

Question 8

Is it possible to tell if a black-box system is a finite-state machine or not?

Answer 8

No

The only way to tell is to actually ‘look inside the box’