Language Associated with

Regular Expressions

AUTOMATA AND LANGUAGE THEORY

FIRST SEM. SY. 2008-2009

 We are now ready to give the rules for associating a language
with every regular expression. As we might suspect, the
method for doing this is given recursively.
 Definition

 The following ruled define the language associated with any

regular expression:
Rule 1:

The Language associate with the regular expression that is just a

single letter is that one-letter word alone and the language
associated with ^ is just {^}, a one-word language.
 Definition

Rule 2

If r1 is a regular expression associated with the language L1 and

r2 is a regular expression associated with the Language L2, then:

(i) The regular expression (r1) (r2) is associated with the L1L2 that is
the language L1 times L2 language(r1r2) = L1L2
(ii) The regular expression r1+r2 is associated with the language
formed by the union of the set L1 and L2:

language(r1+r2) = L1+L2
 Definition

(ii) The language associated with the regular expression (r1)* is L1*,
the Kleen closure of the set L1 as a set of words:
language(r1*) = L1*

 One again, this collection of rules proves recursively that there

is some language associated with every regular expression.
 As we build up a regular expression from the rules, we
simultaneously are building up the corresponding language.
 Finite Language are Regular

Theorem
If L is finite language (a language with only finite many words),
then L can be defined by a regular expression. In other words, all
finite language are regular
 Finite Language are Regular

Proof
 Language:L = {baa abbba bababa}
 The regular expression of that language:

baa + abbba + bababa

 Language:L = {aa ab ba bb}

 Reg. Exp:
aa+ab+ba+bb
(a+b)(a+b)
 Language:
L = {^ x xx xxx xxxx xxxxx}

 Reg Exp:
^ + x + xx + xxx + xxxx + xxxxx
How Hard it is to Understand a Regular Expression

 Let us Examine some regular expression and se if we are lucky

enough to understand something about the language they
represent.

 Example:
 Consider (a+b)*(aa+bb)(a+b)*
• How ca you describe the regular expression?
• What strings are not covered by this expression?
• How would you express that expression?
How Hard it is to Understand a Regular Expression

Combining the two gives

 (a+b)*(aa+bb)(a+b)* + (^+b)(ab)*(^+a)

• This expression defines all things

 Consider
E = (a+b)* a (a+b)* (a+^) (a+b)* a (a+b)*
E = (a+b)* a (a+b)* a (a+b)* a (a+b)* +
(a+b)* a (a+b)* ^ (a+b)* a (a+b)*
E = (a+b)* a (a+b)* a (a+b)* a (a+b)* +
(a+b)* a (a+b)* a (a+b)*
E = (a+b)* a (a+b)* a (a+b)*
How Hard it is to Understand a Regular Expression

It is possible by repeated application of the rules for forming

regular expressions to produce an expression in which the star
operator is applied to a subexpression that already has a star in it
Examples
 (a+b*)*
 (aa+ab*)*
• In (a+b*)*, the internal * adds nothing to the language since
possible strings of a’s and b’s are described by both expressions.
(a+b*)* = (a+b)*
• Also, in accordance with the theorem 1, (a*)* = a*
• Is (aa+ab*)* ≠ or = (aa + ab)* (explain why?)
 Now, try to evaluate: ((a+bbba*) + ba*b)*
How Hard it is to Understand a Regular Expression

Prove that (a*b*)* = (a+b)*

 The language defined by this expression can be made up of factors of
the form a*b*, but since both the single a and the single b are words
form in a*b*, this language contains all strings of a’s and b’s. it cannot
contain more than everything