1. Numerical Representation of Strings
2.) g(u, v) = CONCATn(u, v)
This function is primitive recursive because it is defined by the following equation:
CONCATn(u, v) = un|v| + v
Example: Alphabet A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, X}:
CONCAT10(13, 478) = 13 = 13478
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

2. Numerical Representation of Strings
3.) CONCATn(m)(u1, …, um)
This function is primitive recursive for each m, n  1.
It follows at once from the previous example using composition.
Example:
Alphabet A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, X}, m = 3:
CONCATn(u, v, w) = un|v| + |w| + vn|w| + w
CONCAT10(13, 478, 9) = 13  =
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

3. Numerical Representation of Strings
4.) RTENDn(w) = h(0, n, w)
Remember:
im = h(m, n, x), m = 0, …, k.
RTENDn gives the rightmost symbol of a given word.
We know that h is primitive recursive, so RTENDn is also primitive recursive.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

4. Numerical Representation of Strings
5.) LTENDn(w) = h(|w| - 1, n, w)
Corresponding to RTENDn, LTENDn gives the leftmost symbol of a given word.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

5. Numerical Representation of Strings
6.) RTRUNCn(w) = g(1, n, w)
Remember:
g(m, n, x) = um
u0 = iknk + ik-1nk-1 + … + i1n1 + i0
u1 = iknk-1 + ik-1nk-2 + … + i1
RTRUNCn gives the result of removing the rightmost symbol from a given nonempty string.
When we can omit the reference to the base n, we often write w- for RTRUNCn(w).
Note that 0- = 0.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

6. Numerical Representation of Strings
7.) LTRUNCn(w) = w - (LTENDn(w) n|w| -1)
LTRUNCn gives the result of removing the leftmost symbol from a given nonempty string.
Example: Alphabet A = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, X}:
LTRUNC10(3478) = 1000 = 478.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

7. Numerical Representation of Strings
We will use these newly introduced primitive recursive functions to prove the computability of a pair of functions that can be used in changing base.
Let 1  n < l.
Let A  Ã, where A is an alphabet of n symbols and à is an alphabet of l symbols.
So whenever a string belongs to A*, it also belongs to Ã*.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

8. Numerical Representation of Strings
For any x  N, let w be the word in A* that represents x in base n.
Then we write UPCHANGEn,l(x) for the number which w represents in base l.
Examples:
UPCHANGE2,6(5) = 13
The representation of 5 in base 2 is s2s1. In base 6, s2s1 represents the number 13.
UPCHANGE1,5(3) = 31
The representation of 3 in base 1 is s1s1s1. In base 5, s1s1s1 represents the number 31.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

9. Numerical Representation of Strings
Correspondingly, we define the following:
For x  N, let w be the string in Ã* which represents x in base l.
Let w’ be obtained from w by crossing out all of the symbols that belong to à – A, so w’  A*.
We write DOWNCHANGEn,l(x) for the number which w’ represents in base n.
Example:
DOWNCHANGE2,6(109) = 5
The representation of 109 in base 6 is s2s6s1. We cross out the s6 and get s2s1. In base 2, s2s1 represents the number 5.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

10. Numerical Representation of Strings
UPCHANGEn,l and DOWNCHANGEn,l are actually primitive recursive functions, but now we will just show that they are computable.
This program computes UPCHANGEn,l:
[A] IF X = 0 GOTO E
Z ← LTENDn(X) // Z receives leftmost symbol
X ← LTRUNCn(X) // removes this symbol from x
Y ← l  Y + Z // add to output
GOTO A
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

11. Numerical Representation of Strings
Let us look at the computation of UPCHANGE2,10(12) iteration by iteration (string s2s1s2):
[A] IF X = 0 GOTO E
Z ← LTENDn(X)
X ← LTRUNCn(X)
Y ← l  Y + Z
GOTO A
0. Z = 0, Y = 0, X = 12
Z = 2, Y = 2, X = 4
Z = 1, Y = 21, X = 2
Z = 2, Y = 212, X = 0
Result: 212
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

12. Numerical Representation of Strings
This program computes DOWNCHANGEn,l:
[A] IF X = 0 GOTO E
Z ← LTENDl(X) // Z receives leftmost symbol
X ← LTRUNCl(X) // removes this symbol from x
IF Z > n GOTO A // check if we must cross out Z
Y ← n  Y + Z // if not, add digit Z to output
GOTO A
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

13. A Progr. Language for String Computations
The instructions in our programming language L do not seem well-designed for string computations.
Let us consider the instruction type V  V + 1.
For example, if we use the alphabet {a, b, c, d}, and the variable V contains the number corresponding to the string cadd, what will this instruction do?
It will turn cadd into cbaa.
Why would we want to have this as one of our fundamental operations in the programming language?
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

14. A Progr. Language for String Computations
To improve this situation, we will now introduce specific programming languages Ln for computations on alphabets of size n for all n > 0.
All variables will be the same as in L , except that we now consider their values to be from A* with | A | = n.
The use of labels, formal rules of syntax, and macro expansions will also be identical to L .
An m-ary partial function on A* which is computed by a program in Ln is said to be partially computable in Ln.
If the function is total and partially computable in Ln, it is called computable in Ln.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

15. A Progr. Language for String Computations
Instruction Interpretation
V  V (with A) Place the symbol  to the left of the string which is the value of V.
V  V- Delete the final symbol of the string which is the value of V If the value of V is 0, leave it unchanged.
IF V ENDS  GOTO L If the value of V ends in the symbol , continue with the first instruction labeled L; otherwise proceed to the next instruction.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

16. A Progr. Language for String Computations
Although the instructions of Ln refer to strings, we can still think of them as referring to the numbers associated with the strings.
For example, given an alphabet with n symbols, the instruction
V  siV
has the effect of replacing the current value of the variable V with the value
in|V| + V.
So you see that the “natural” string operations in Ln have complex numerical counterparts.
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

17. A Progr. Language for String Computations
Now let us look at some useful macros for use in Ln and their expansions:
1. The macro IF V0 GOTO L has the expansion
IF V ENDS s1 GOTO L
IF V ENDS s2 GOTO L :
IF V ENDS sn GOTO L
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V

18. A Progr. Language for String Computations
2. The macro V  0 has the expansion
[A] V  V-
IF V0 GOTO A
3. The macro GOTO L has the expansion
Z  0
Z  s1Z
IF Z ENDS s1 GOTO L
April 25, 2019
Theory of Computation Lecture 20: Calculations on Strings V