Units / FIT2014
FIT2014 · Theory of computation
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 2Faculty of Information Technology
Last checked: 22 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
This unit introduces formal languages, models of computation, and computational complexity. It looks at what computers can and cannot compute. Topics include finite state automata, regular expressions, grammars, pushdown automata, computable functions, Turing machines, polynomial-time reductions, complexity classes P and NP, and NP-completeness. Skills at writing formal proofs will be developed.
Areas of study: Computer science Computational science
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | Second semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
| Malaysia | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
| Clayton | First semester | Some activities have a choice of on-campus or online teaching activities (FLEXIBLE) |
| Clayton | Second semester | Some activities have a choice of on-campus or online teaching activities (FLEXIBLE) |
Assessment
The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Practical Preparation | Written | 5% | Threshold |
| 2 | Assignment 1: Regular Expressions and Finite Automata | Project | 10% | Threshold |
| 3 | Mid-semester Test | Examination | 15% | Threshold |
| 4 | Assignment 2: Lexical Analysis, Parsing, Computability | Project | 20% | Threshold |
| 5 | Scheduled final assessment (3 hours and 10 minutes) | Examination | 50% | Threshold |
This unit has threshold mark hurdles. You must achieve at least 45% of the available marks in the final scheduled assessment, at least 45% in total for in-semester assessments, and an overall unit mark of 50% or more to be able to pass the unit. If you do not achieve the threshold mark, you will receive a fail grade (NH) and a maximum mark of 45 for the unit.
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
prerequisite
- FIT1008 — Fundamentals of algorithms
- FIT1054 — Fundamentals of algorithms (Advanced)
- FIT2085 — Fundamentals of algorithms for engineers
- MTH2021 — Linear algebra with applications
- MTH2025 — Linear algebra (Advanced)
- MTH2140 — Real analysis
- MTH3140 — Real analysis
- MTH2141 — Algebra 1: Group theory
- MTH3141 — Algebra 1: Group theory
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Learning outcomes
- Use propositional logic, predicates and quantifiers to represent and analyse problems in the theory of computation;
- Construct Finite Automata, Nondeterministic Finite Automata and Context-Free Grammars to describe languages;
- Convert Regular Expressions into Finite Automata and vice versa;
- Find a Regular Grammar for a Regular Language;
- Find a parse tree, leftmost derivation and rightmost derivation for a word in a Context Free Language;
- Use Turing Machines to describe languages and represent computable functions;
- Demonstrate the limitations of the models of computation considered;
- Show a language is not regular, or not context-free, or not decidable;
- Show that a language is in P, or in NP, or NP-complete;
- Write rigorous formal proofs, including proofs by construction, cases, contradiction and induction.
Workload
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled online and face to face learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated reading and preparation for scheduled teaching activities.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 36 hours |
| Applied sessions | 24 hours |
| Workshops | 36 hours |
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