how to convert a DFA to a regular expression? - regular-language

Question

I am reading the book: introduction to the theory of computation and got stuck on this example.
Convert a DFA to an equivalent expression by converting it first to a GNFA(generalized nondeterministic finite automaton) and then convert GNFA to a regular expression.
here is the example:
enter image description here
I should use this recursively to arrive at the the fourth state:
enter image description here
Unfortunately, I cannot understand what is going on from b to c? I only understand that we are trying to get rid of state 2, but how we arrive at c from b?
Thank you very much!

Answer 1

This can be quite tricky at first but I suggest you check definition 1.64 and see the function CONVERT(G) for more clearance. But as a brief explanation using the function for each possible neighbour state:
First from a to b, add a start state and a new accept state;
Afterwards you need to calculate each new path after qrip is removed, in this case state 1;
So, from start to q2, you get only label a from epsilon and a;
Same goes from start to q3, resulting only in b;
Now from q2 to q2 going trough qrip, you have label a to qrip and label a to get back, so you get (aa U b);
Same goes to q3 to q3 through qrip, so resulting in bb, notice that there is no loop in q3 so no union;
Now from q2 to q3 through qrip, you only need to concatenate a and b resulting in ab label;
Lastly the other way around, from q3 to q2 going through qrip, concatenate b and a resulting in ba but this time making the union with the previous path between q3 and q2;
Now choose a new qrip and proceed to do the same algorithm again.
Hope the explanation was clear enough, but as said before refer to the algorithm in the book for a better and more detailed explanation.

Answer 2

The two popular methods for converting a given DFA to its regular expression are-
Arden’s Method
State Elimination Method
Arden’s Theorem states that:
Let P and Q be two regular expressions over ∑.
To use Arden’s Theorem, the following conditions must be satisfied-
The transition diagram must not have any ∈ transitions.
There must be only a single initial state.
Step-01:
Form an equation for each state considering the transitions which come towards that state.
Add ‘∈’ in the equation of the initial state.
Step-02:
Bring the final state in the form R = Q + RP to get the required regular expression.
If P does not contain a null string ∈, then-
R = Q + RP has a unique solution i.e. R = QP*