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[PCC-CSM404] [Formal Language and Automata Theory]

Regular Expressions

A Regular Expression can be recursively defined as follows −

• ε is a Regular Expression indicates the language containing an empty string. (L (ε) = {ε})
• φ is a Regular Expression denoting an empty language. (L (φ) = { })
• x is a Regular Expression where L = {x}
• If X is a Regular Expression denoting the language L(X) and Y is a Regular Expression
denoting the language L(Y), then
o X + Y is a Regular Expression corresponding to the language L(X) ∪
L(Y) where L(X+Y) = L(X) ∪ L(Y).
o X . Y is a Regular Expression corresponding to the language L(X) .
L(Y) where L(X.Y) = L(X) . L(Y)
o R* is a Regular Expression corresponding to the language L(R*)where L(R*) =
(L(R))*
• If we apply any of the rules several times from 1 to 5, they are Regular Expressions.
Some RE Examples

Regular Expressions Regular Set

(0 + 10*) L = { 0, 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000, … }

(0*10*) L = {1, 01, 10, 010, 0010, …}

(0 + ε)(1 + ε) L = {ε, 0, 1, 01}

(a+b)* Set of strings of a’s and b’s of any length including the null string. So L
= { ε, a, b, aa , ab , bb , ba, aaa…….}

(a+b)*abb Set of strings of a’s and b’s ending with the string abb. So L = {abb,
aabb, babb, aaabb, ababb, …………..}

(11)* Set consisting of even number of 1’s including empty string, So L= {ε,
11, 1111, 111111, ……….}

(aa)*(bb)*b Set of strings consisting of even number of a’s followed by odd number

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[PCC-CSM404] [Formal Language and Automata Theory]

of b’s , so L = {b, aab, aabbb, aabbbbb, aaaab, aaaabbb, …………..}

(aa + ab + ba + bb)* String of a’s and b’s of even length can be obtained by concatenating
any combination of the strings aa, ab, ba and bb including null, so L =
{aa, ab, ba, bb, aaab, aaba, …………..}

Conversion of RE to FA
To convert the RE to FA, we are going to use a method called the subset method. This method is
used to obtain FA from the given regular expression. This method is given below:
Step 1: Design a transition diagram for given regular expression, using NFA with ε moves.
Step 2: Convert this NFA with ε to NFA without ε.
Step 3: Convert the obtained NFA to equivalent DFA.

Example 1:
Design a FA from given regular expression 10 + (0 + 11)0* 1.
Solution: First we will construct the transition diagram for a given regular expression.
Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

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[PCC-CSM404] [Formal Language and Automata Theory]

Step 4:

Step 5:

Now we have got NFA without ε. Now we will convert it into required DFA for that, we will
first write a transition table for this NFA.
State 0 1

→q0 q3 {q1, q2}

q1 qf ϕ

q2 ϕ q3

q3 q3 qf

*qf ϕ ϕ
The equivalent DFA will be:
State 0 1

→[q0] [q3] [q1, q2]

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[PCC-CSM404] [Formal Language and Automata Theory]

[q1] [qf] ϕ

[q2] ϕ [q3]

[q3] [q3] [qf]

[q1, q2] [qf] [qf]

*[qf] ϕ ϕ
Example 2:
Design a NFA from given regular expression 1 (1* 01* 01*)*.
Solution: The NFA for the given regular expression is as follows:
Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Example 3:
Construct the FA for regular expression 0*1 + 10.
Solution:
We will first construct FA for R = 0*1 + 10 as follows:
Step 1:

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[PCC-CSM404] [Formal Language and Automata Theory]

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Arden's Theorem

In order to find out a regular expression of a Finite Automaton, we use Arden’s Theorem along
with the properties of regular expressions.
Statement −
Let P and Q be two regular expressions.

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[PCC-CSM404] [Formal Language and Automata Theory]

If P does not contain null string, then R = Q + RP has a unique solution that is R = QP*
Proof −
R = Q + (Q + RP)P [After putting the value R = Q + RP]
= Q + QP + RPP
When we put the value of R recursively again and again, we get the following equation
R = Q + QP + QP2 + QP3…..
R = Q (ε + P + P2 + P3 + …. )
R = QP* [As P* represents (ε + P + P2 + P3 + ….) ]
Hence, proved.

Assumptions for Applying Arden’s Theorem

• The transition diagram must not have NULL transitions
• It must have only one initial state
Method
Step 1 − Create equations as the following form for all the states of the DFA having n states
with initial state q1.
q1 = q1R11 + q2R21 + … + qnRn1 + ε
q2 = q1R12 + q2R22 + … + qnRn2
…………………………
…………………………
…………………………
…………………………
qn = q1R1n + q2R2n + … + qnRnn
Rij represents the set of labels of edges from qi to qj, if no such edge exists, then Rij = ∅
Step 2 − Solve these equations to get the equation for the final state in terms of Rij
Problem
Construct a regular expression corresponding to the automata given below −

Solution −
Here the initial state and final state is q1.
The equations for the three states q1, q2, and q3 are as follows −
q1 = q1a + q3a + ε (ε move is because q1 is the initial state0
q2 = q1b + q2b + q3b
q3 = q2a
Now, we will solve these three equations −

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[PCC-CSM404] [Formal Language and Automata Theory]

q2 = q1b + q2b + q3b

= q1b + q2b + (q2a)b (Substituting value of q3)
= q1b + q2(b + ab)
= q1b (b + ab)* (Applying Arden’s Theorem)
q1 = q1a + q3a + ε
= q1a + q2aa + ε (Substituting value of q3)
= q1a + q1b(b + ab*)aa + ε (Substituting value of q2)
= q1(a + b(b + ab)*aa) + ε
= ε (a+ b(b + ab)*aa)*
= (a + b(b + ab)*aa)*
Hence, the regular expression is (a + b(b + ab)*aa)*.
Problem
Construct a regular expression corresponding to the automata given below −

Solution −
Here the initial state is q1 and the final state is q2
Now we write down the equations −
q1 = q10 + ε
q2 = q11 + q20
q3 = q21 + q30 + q31
Now, we will solve these three equations −
q1 = ε0* [As, εR = R]
So, q1 = 0*
q2 = 0*1 + q20
So, q2 = 0*1(0)* [By Arden’s theorem]
Hence, the regular expression is 0*10*.

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