A pushdown automaton is a type of computational model that extends finite-state machines by adding a stack, which allows it to recognize a broader class of languages, specifically context-free languages. This addition enables the automaton to manage an unbounded amount of memory, making it capable of processing nested structures, such as parentheses in mathematical expressions. The power of a pushdown automaton lies in its ability to utilize this stack to keep track of multiple states and transitions based on the input it receives.
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