Interactive simulator for the theoretical computer
Tape Symbol
State A
State B
Write Symbol
Move Direction
Next State
Write Symbol
Move Direction
Next State
0
0
L
A
0
L
A
1
0
L
A
0
L
A
HEADA00
TAPE-5
TAPE-4
TAPE-3
TAPE-2
TAPE-1
TAPE0
TAPE1
TAPE2
TAPE3
TAPE4
TAPE5
Explanation
A Turing machine is a set of rules, states, and transitions, first described by Alan Turing in 1936.
They are very useful in the field of computer science since they are basic and simple to describe, yet capable of
implementing any given algorithm. According to the Church-Turing thesis, all computers are only as powerful as Turing
machines.
Turing machines consist of the following components:
A fixed number of states, with one as the start state; a Turing machine is always in exactly one state
An infinitely long tape in both directions, populated with storage cells that can contain a value
A defined transition function that dictates how the Turing machine changes between states depending on the value of the storage cells
An alphabet of all the characters the Turing machine can work with