Chapter 1: Regular Languages

For Your Enjoyment

• An article on Regular Expression Matching recommended by Alex.

Chapter 1.3, Regular Expressions

Definition

R is a regular expression if R is

1. a for some a in alphabet Σ,
2. ε,
3. ∅,
4. (R₁ ∪ R₂) where each R_i is a regular expression,
5. (R₁ ◦ R₂) where each R_i is a regular expression, or
6. (R₁^*) where R₁ is a regular expression,

Active Learning

• Construct an NFA for the regular expression a.
• Construct an NFA for the regular expression ε
• Construct an NFA for the regular expression ∅
• What about NFAs for union, concatenation and star?

Sundry Notes

• The precedence of the operators from highest to lowest: star, concatenation, union.
• R⁺ = RR^*
• Σ^* is the language consisting of all strings over the alphabet.
• R ∪ ∅ = R
• R ∪ ε ?= R
• R ◦ ε = R
• R ◦ ∅ ?= R

Active Learning

• Write a regular expression over the binary alphabet that captures {w | w contains a single 1}.
• Write a regular expression over any alphabet that captures {w | w is a string of even length}.
• Write a regular expression over the binary alphabet that captures {w | every 0 in w is followed by at least one 1}.

Theorem

• A language is regular if and only if some regular expression describes it.
• To prove this theorem, we need to show that (1) if a language is described by a regular expression, then it is regular and (2) if a language is regular, then it is described by a regular expression.
• We have already shown one of these two directions. Which one?

Active Learning

• Convert regular expression (01)^* ∪ 1 to an NFA using the construction methodology in the proof above.

In-Class Notes