Non-Regular Languages: (Pumping Lemma)

Non-regular languages
(Pumping Lemma)
n n
Non-regular languages
{a b : n 0}
R
{vv : v {a, b}*}
Regular languages
a *b
b*c a
b c ( a b) *
etc...
How can we prove that a language

is not regular?
Prove that there is no DFA or NFA or RE

that accepts L
Difficulty: this is not easy to prove
(since there is an infinite number of them)
Solution: use the Pumping Lemma !!!
The Pigeonhole Principle
4 pigeons
3 pigeonholes
A pigeonhole must
contain at least two pigeons
pigeons
...........
pigeonholes
...........
nm
pigeons
pigeonholes
nm
There is a pigeonhole
with at least 2 pigeons
...........

and
DFAs
Consider a DFA with
q1
states
q2
q3
q4
Consider the walk of a long string:

(length at least 4)
aaaab
A state is repeated in the walk of

q1
q1
q2
q3
q2
q3
q2
q4
a
a
q3
q4
aaaab
The state is repeated as a result of

the pigeonhole principle
Walk of
Pigeons:
(walk states)
q1
q2
q3
aaaab
q2
q3
q4
Are more than
Nests:
q1
(Automaton states)
q2
q3
Repeated
state
q4
Consider the walk of a long string:

(length at least 4)
Due to the pigeonhole principle:
A state is repeated in the walk of
q1
q1
q2
q3
q4
q2
aabb
q4
aabb
a
a
q3
q4
The state is repeated as a result of

the pigeonhole principle
Walk of
q1 a q2 a q3 b
Pigeons:
aabb
q4
q4
(walk states)
Are more than
Nests:
(Automaton states)
q1
q2
q3
Automaton States
q4
Repeated
state
In General: If | w | # states of DFA ,

by the pigeonhole principle,
a state is repeated in the walk w
Walk of w 1 2 k
q1 1
2 .... i q i 1 ....
i
qi
j 1
....
Arbitrary DFA
q1 1
k
......
......
qz
qi
Repeated state
qz
| w | # states of DFA m
Pigeons:
Walk of
(walk states)
q1
....
qi
....
....
qi
w
qi
....
qz
Are
more
than
Nests: q1
q2
(Automaton states)
....
A state is
repeated
qm1
qm
The Pumping Lemma
Take an infinite regular language L

(contains an infinite number of strings)
There exists a DFA that accepts
states
Take string
w L
with
| w| m
(number of
states of DFA)
then, at least one state is repeated

in the walk of w
Walk in DFA of
w 1 2 k
2 ......
...... k
Repeated state in DFA
There could be many states repeated

Take
to be the first state repeated
One dimensional projection of walk

First
occurrence
2 .... i q i 1 ....
Unique states
w:
Second
occurrence
.... k
j 1
We can write
w xyz
One dimensional projection of walk

First
occurrence
2 .... i q i 1 ....
x 1 i
w:
Second
occurrence
y i 1 j
j 1
.... k
z j 1 k
In DFA:
w x y z
contains only
first occurrence of q
y
...
j
...
i 1
j 1
...
...
Observation:
length
| x y | m number
of states
of DFA
y
...
Unique States
j
...
i 1
Since, in xy no
state is repeated
(except q)
Observation:
length
| y | 1
Since there is at least one transition in loop
y
...
j
i 1
We do not care about the form of string
may actually overlap with the paths of
...
z
...
and
Additional string:
Do not follow loop
The string
is accepted
xz
y
...
...
i 1
j 1
...
...
Additional string:
Follow loop
2 times
The string
is accepted
xyyz
y
...
j
...
i 1
j 1
...
...
Additional string:
The string
is accepted
Follow loop
3 times
xyyyz
...
j
...
i 1
j 1
...
...
In General:
The string
is accepted
Follow loop
times
xy z
i 0, 1, 2, ...
...
j
...
i 1
j 1
...
...
Therefore:
i 0, 1, 2, ...
x y z L
i
Language accepted by the DFA
y
...
j
...
i 1
j 1
...
...
In other words, we described:
The Pumping Lemma !!!
The Pumping Lemma:

Given a infinite regular language
there exists an integer
for any string
we can write
with
w L
(critical length)
with length
| w| m
w x y z
| x y | m and | y | 1
such that:
xy z L
i 0, 1, 2, ...
In the book:
Critical length
= Pumping length
Applications
of
the Pumping Lemma
Observation:
Every language of finite size has to be regular
(we can easily construct an NFA
that accepts every string in the language)
Therefore, every non-regular language

has to be of infinite size
(contains an infinite number of strings)
Suppose you want to prove that

An infinite language L is not regular
1. Assume the opposite:
is regular
2. The pumping lemma should hold for

3. Use the pumping lemma to obtain a
contradiction
4. Therefore,
is not regular
Explanation of Step 3: How to get a contradiction

1. Let
m be the critical length for L
2. Choose a particular string w L which satisfies

the length condition | w | m
3. Write
w xyz
4. Show that
w xy z L
i
for some
5. This gives a contradiction, since from

pumping lemma
w xy z L
i
i 1
Note:
It suffices to show that

only one string w L
gives a contradiction
You dont need to obtain

contradiction for every w L
Example of Pumping Lemma application
Theorem: The language L {a nb n : n 0}

is not regular
Proof:
Use the Pumping Lemma
n n
L {a b : n 0}
Assume for contradiction

that L is a regular language
Since L is infinite
we can apply the Pumping Lemma
n n
L {a b : n 0}
Let
be the critical length for L
Pick a string
such that:
w L
and length
We pick
m m
wa b
| w| m
From the Pumping Lemma:

we can write w a m b m x y z
with lengths
| x y | m, | y | 1
m
w xyz
m m
a b
a...aa...aa...ab...b
Thus: y a , 1 k m
k
y a , 1k m
m m
x y za b
xy z L
i 0, 1, 2, ...
Thus:
xy z L
y a , 1k m
m m
x y za b
xy z L
mk
xy z a...aa...aa...aa...ab...b L
x
Thus:
m k m
b L
BUT:
m k m
b L
k 1
n n
L {a b : n 0}
m k m
b L
CONTRADICTION!!!
Therefore:
Our assumption that L

is a regular language is not true
Conclusion: L
is not a regular language
END OF PROOF
Non-regular language
n n
{a b : n 0}
Regular languages
* *
L(a b )

Non-Regular Languages: (Pumping Lemma)

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Non-regular languages

{vv : v {a, b}*}

How can we prove that a language

Prove that there is no DFA or NFA or RE

Difficulty: this is not easy to prove

(since there is an infinite number of them)

Solution: use the Pumping Lemma !!!

The Pigeonhole Principle

The Pigeonhole Principle

The Pigeonhole Principle

Consider a DFA with

Consider the walk of a long string:

A state is repeated in the walk of

The state is repeated as a result of

Are more than

Consider the walk of a long string:

The state is repeated as a result of

Are more than

In General: If | w | # states of DFA ,

The Pumping Lemma

Take an infinite regular language L

then, at least one state is repeated

Repeated state in DFA

There could be many states repeated

to be the first state repeated

One dimensional projection of walk

One dimensional projection of walk

Since there is at least one transition in loop

We do not care about the form of string

may actually overlap with the paths of

Do not follow loop

Language accepted by the DFA

In other words, we described:

The Pumping Lemma !!!

The Pumping Lemma:

Therefore, every non-regular language

Suppose you want to prove that

2. The pumping lemma should hold for

Explanation of Step 3: How to get a contradiction

m be the critical length for L

2. Choose a particular string w L which satisfies

5. This gives a contradiction, since from

It suffices to show that

You dont need to obtain

Example of Pumping Lemma application

Theorem: The language L {a nb n : n 0}

Use the Pumping Lemma

Assume for contradiction

be the critical length for L

From the Pumping Lemma:

From the Pumping Lemma:

From the Pumping Lemma:

Our assumption that L

is not a regular language

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