The Turing Machine is a mathematical model of computation that describes an abstract device relying on memory tape. It was invented by Alan Turing in 1939
Note
The key feature of a Turing machine is that despite its simplicity, it can perform and execute any computer algorithm
The Turing machine consists of an infinitely long tape that contains several memory cells. Each cell holds a state, which assumes any value derived from a finite set of values the machine can read off of, called the alphabet of the machine. The machine has a head, which is a pointer to one of the cells. The machine can perform 3 operations
- Read the symbol on the cell under the head
- Set the cell’s symbol by writing a new symbol or erasing it
- Move the tape left or right by one square
Turing Machine - Wikipedia Turing Machine - University of Cambridge