Theory of Computation: Formal Languages, Automata, and Complexity [Paperback]

J. Glenn Brookshear (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This book presents the foundations of theoretical computer science in a format accessible to undergraduate computer science students. Designed to serve as a text for a one-semester introductory course in the theory of computation, the book covers the traditional topics of formal languages, automata, computability, and computational complexity. In his book, Glenn Brookshear encourages students to appreciate the theoretical ideas as the foundation on which real problems are solved, rather than viewing them as unuseable abstractions. Theory of Computation covers regular, context-free, and general phrase-structure languages along with their associated automata, computability in the context of Turing machines, partial recursive functions and simple programming languages, and complexity theory with an introduction to some of the open classification problems relating to the classes P and NP.

0805301437B04062001

About the Author

J. Glenn Brookshear is an Associate Professor at Marquette University. He received his Ph.D. from New Mexico State University in 1975, then was hired by Marquette to build a strong Computer Science curriculum. In addition to his highly successful Computer Science: An Overview, Brookshear has authored Theory of Computation: Formal Languages, Automata, and Complexity, also published by Addison-Wesley.

0805301437AB04062001

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley; 1 edition (January 11, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805301437
• ISBN-13: 978-0805301434
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #934,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars really great book, October 13, 2004

By 

Elias Wolff - See all my reviews

This review is from: Theory of Computation: Formal Languages, Automata, and Complexity (Paperback)

this is an excelent book, too bad it's hard to find. Dr brookshear explains very well the theory, without going too deep in not-so-significant subjects, but he does mention them (sometimes in the chapter exercises), so you can look for them on your own.

really worth finding it

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic text that needs to be reprinted, September 30, 2002

By 

"beknatok" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Theory of Computation: Formal Languages, Automata, and Complexity (Paperback)

This is a fantastic text that I'd recommend to anyone studying Formal Languages and Computation. I also had the honor of taking this course at Marquette University, taught by Dr. Brookshear himself. His book is very well written, clear and consise, with fantastic examples of the concepts he writes about.

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical exposition of sound computer science concepts, September 27, 2002

By 

Marco Dorantes (Mexico, DF MEXICO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Theory of Computation: Formal Languages, Automata, and Complexity (Paperback)

I am very thankful to the author of this book. Now I understand and articulate very important computer science concepts, finally.

Very practical and clear expositions with examples and a step by step style, there is no room for doubts.

Thanks, very good book.