A Markov Model of Certain Structured Programs
1976) A Markov Model of Certain Structured Programs. Technical Report CS76004-R, Computer Science, Virginia Tech. (
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Abstract
The paper is concerned with modeling the run time behavior of a certain class of programs. Each program, represented by its flowgraph, is built up from one-in/one-out constructs (after the manner of Dijkstra). The programs have neither transient states nor absorbing states. Each program has one state which possesses two cycles of relatively prime length. A program which possesses these properties is called regular. Such a program may he modeled by a finite Markov chain. It is shown that if a program is regular then its Markov model has a regular transition matrix, that is, the sequence of powers of the transition matrix converges to a matrix all of whose rows are identical. The experimental validity of the method is discussed, as are the implications of the method for program design.
Item Type: | Departmental Technical Report |
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Subjects: | Computer Science > Historical Collection(Till Dec 2001) |
ID Code: | 810 |
Deposited By: | Administrator, Eprints |
Deposited On: | 27 April 2006 |