resultingstate

Resultingstate is a term used in formal methods and computer science to denote the state that results from applying a transition, event, or operation to a given system state. It is typically represented as S' (s-prime) and contrasted with the pre-state, S. The concept is central to state machines, automata theory, and stateful programming, where a model specifies how actions map from a current state to a resultingstate.

In a deterministic finite-state machine, the state transition function maps a pair (state, input) to a unique resultingstate. In nondeterministic machines, the transition function may map to a set of possible resultingstates. In programming, a state update function takes a state and an event, returning the resultingstate. The notation supports post-state semantics: after executing a transition, the system resides in the resultingstate.

Resultingstate is used in specification and verification to express postconditions and reason about system behavior after transitions. It helps formalize correctness by relating the resultingstate to intended outcomes, independent of intermediate steps. In modeling languages such as UML state machines or formal specification languages, transitions are described with triggers and effects that determine the resultingstate.

The term is sometimes distinguished from post-state or after-state, though these terms are often used interchangeably in practice. Understanding resultingstate supports reasoning about system behavior, composition of transitions, and the design of correct and verifiable stateful systems.