More Applications

of

the Pumping Lemma

Costas Busch - LSU 1

 The Pumping Lemma:
• Given a infinite regular language L
• there exists an integer p (critical length)

• for any string w L with length | w |  p

• we can write w x y z

• with |x y|  p and | y | 1
i i  0, 1, 2, ...
• such that: xy z  L
Costas Busch - LSU 2
Non-regular languages R
L  {vv : v  *}

Regular languages

Costas Busch - LSU 3

Theorem: The language
R
L  {vv : v  *}   {a, b}
is not regular

Proof: Use the Pumping Lemma

Costas Busch - LSU 4

 R
L  {vv : v  *}

Assume for contradiction

that L is a regular language

Since L is infinite
we can apply the Pumping Lemma

Costas Busch - LSU 5

 R
L  {vv : v  *}
Let p be the critical length for L

Pick a string w such that: w  L

and length | w| p

We pick wa b b a p p p p

Costas Busch - LSU 6

From the Pumping Lemma:

we can write: wa b b a  x y z

p p p p

with lengths: | x y |  p, | y | 1
p p p p

w  xyz  a...aa...a...ab...bb...ba...a
x y z

Thus: y  a , 1 k  p
k
Costas Busch - LSU 7
x y za b b a
p p p p
y  a , 1 k  p
k

i
From the Pumping Lemma: xy z  L
i  0, 1, 2, ...

2
Thus: xy z  L
Costas Busch - LSU 8
x y za b b a
p p p p
y  a , 1 k  p
k

2
From the Pumping Lemma: xy z  L

pk p p p
2
xy z = a...aa...aa...a...ab...bb...ba...a ∈ L
x y y z

pk
Thus: a b b ap p p
L
Costas Busch - LSU 9
 pk
a p
b b a p p
L k 1

R
BUT: L  {vv : v  *}

pk
a p
b b a p p
L

CONTRADICTION!!!
Costas Busch - LSU 10
Therefore: Our assumption that L
is a regular language is not true

Conclusion: L is not a regular language

END OF PROOF
Costas Busch - LSU 11
Non-regular languages
n l n l
L  {a b c : n, l  0}

Regular languages

Costas Busch - LSU 12

Theorem: The language
n l n l
L  {a b c : n, l  0}
is not regular

Proof: Use the Pumping Lemma

Costas Busch - LSU 13

 n l n l
L  {a b c : n, l  0}

Assume for contradiction

that L is a regular language

Since L is infinite
we can apply the Pumping Lemma

Costas Busch - LSU 14

 n l n l
L  {a b c : n, l  0}

Let p be the critical length of L

Pick a string w such that: w  L and

length | w| p

We pick wa b c p p 2p

Costas Busch - LSU 15

From the Pumping Lemma:

We can write wa b c p p 2p

xyz
With lengths | x y |  p, | y | 1

p p 2p
w  xyz  a...aa...aa...ab...bc...cc...c
x y z

Thus: y  a , 1 k  p
k

Costas Busch - LSU 16

 x y za b c
p p 2p
y  a , 1 k  p
k

i
From the Pumping Lemma: xy z  L
i  0, 1, 2, ...

0
Thus: x y z = xz ∈ L

Costas Busch - LSU 17

 x y za b c
p p 2p
y  a , 1 k  p
k

From the Pumping Lemma: xz  L

pk p 2p

xz  a...aa...ab...bc...cc...c  L
x z

pk
Thus: a p 2p
b c L
Costas Busch - LSU 18
 a pk p 2p
b c L k 1

n l n l
BUT: L  {a b c : n, l  0}

pk
a p 2p
b c L

CONTRADICTION!!!
Costas Busch - LSU 19
Therefore: Our assumption that L
is a regular language is not true

Conclusion: L is not a regular language

END OF PROOF
Costas Busch - LSU 20
 n!
Non-regular languages L  {a : n  0}

Regular languages

Costas Busch - LSU 21

Theorem: The language n!
L  {a : n  0}
is not regular

n!  1  2  (n  1)  n

Proof: Use the Pumping Lemma

Costas Busch - LSU 22

 n!
L  {a : n  0}

Assume for contradiction

that L is a regular language

Since L is infinite
we can apply the Pumping Lemma

Costas Busch - LSU 23

 n!
L  {a : n  0}

Let p be the critical length of L

Pick a string w such that: w  L

length | w |  p

We pick wa p!

Costas Busch - LSU 24

From the Pumping Lemma:

We can write wa  x y z p!

With lengths | x y |  p, | y | 1
p p! p
w  xyz  a  a...aa...aa...aa...aa...a
p!

x y z

Thus: y  a , 1 k  p
k
Costas Busch - LSU 25
 x y za p!
y  a , 1 k  p
k

i
From the Pumping Lemma: xy z  L
i  0, 1, 2, ...

2
Thus: xy z  L

Costas Busch - LSU 26

 x y za p!
y  a , 1 k  p
k

2
From the Pumping Lemma: xy z  L

pk p! p
2
xy z  a...aa...aa...aa...aa...aa...a  L
x y y z

p! k
Thus: a L
Costas Busch - LSU 27
 p! k
a L 1 k  p

n!
Since: L  {a : n  0}

There must exist z such that:

p! k  z!
Costas Busch - LSU 28
However: p! k  p! p for p 1
 p! p!
 p! p  p!
 p!( p  1)
 ( p  1)!

p! k  ( p  1)!

p! k  z! for any z

Costas Busch - LSU 29
for p 1
p!
we could pick string wa
where p  p

and we would obtain the same conclusion:

p! k  z! for any z

Costas Busch - LSU 30
 p! k
a L 1 k  p

n!
BUT: L  {a : n  0}

p! k
a L

CONTRADICTION!!!
Costas Busch - LSU 31
Therefore: Our assumption that L
is a regular language is not true

Conclusion: L is not a regular language

END OF PROOF
Costas Busch - LSU 32