First and Follow | Solved Examples

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First and Follow-
First and Follow sets are needed so that the parser can properly apply the needed production rule
at the correct position. 
First Function-
First(α) is a set of terminal symbols that begin in strings derived from α.  
Rules For Calculating First Function-
 Rule-01:
For a production rule X → ∈,
First(X) = { ∈ }

Rule-02:
 For any terminal symbol ‘a’,
First(a) = { a }

 Rule-03:
 
For a production rule X → Y1Y2Y3,
 Calculating First(X)
If ∈ ∉ First(Y1), then First(X) = First(Y1)
If ∈ ∈ First(Y1), then First(X) = { First(Y1) – ∈ } ∪ First(Y2Y3)
Calculating First(Y2Y3)
If ∈ ∉ First(Y2), then First(Y2Y3) = First(Y2)
If ∈ ∈ First(Y2), then First(Y2Y3) = { First(Y2) – ∈ } ∪ First(Y3)
Similarly, we can make expansion for any production rule X → Y1Y2Y3…..Yn.

Follow Function-
Follow(α) is a set of terminal symbols that appear immediately to the right of α. 

Rules For Calculating Follow Function-

Rule-02: 
For any production rule A → αB,
Follow(B) = Follow(A)

Rule-03:
 For any production rule A → αBβ,
If ∈ ∉ First(β), then Follow(B) = First(β)
If ∈ ∈ First(β), then Follow(B) = { First(β) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(A)
Note-02:
Before calculating the first and follow functions, eliminate Left Recursion from
the grammar, if present.
Elimination of Left Recursion
 Left recursion is eliminated by converting the grammar into a right recursive grammar.

 If we have the left-recursive pair of productions-

A → Aα / β
(Left Recursive Grammar)

where β does not begin with an A. 

Then, we can eliminate left recursion by replacing the pair of productions with-

A → βA’
A’ → αA’ / ∈

Problem-01:
Consider the following grammar and eliminate left recursion-
A → ABd / Aa / a
B → Be / b

Solution-
 The grammar after eliminating left recursion is-
A → aA’
A’ → BdA’ / aA’ / ∈
B → bB’
B’ → eB’ / ∈ 

Problem-02:
Consider the following grammar and eliminate left recursion-
E→E+E/ExE/a

Solution-
 The grammar after eliminating left recursion is-
E → aA
A → +EA / xEA / ∈

Problem-03:
 Consider the following grammar and eliminate left recursion-
E→E+T/T
T→TxF/F
 F → id

Solution- 
The grammar after eliminating left recursion is-
E → TE’
E’ → +TE’ / ∈
T → FT’
T’ → xFT’ / ∈
F → id

Problem-04:
Consider the following grammar and eliminate left recursion-
S → (L) / a
L→L,S/S

Solution-
The grammar after eliminating left recursion is-
S → (L) / a
L → SL’
L’ → ,SL’ / ∈

Problem-05:
Consider the following grammar and eliminate left recursion-
S → S0S1S / 01 

Solution-
The grammar after eliminating left recursion is-
S → 01A
A → 0S1SA / ∈

Problem-06:
Consider the following grammar and eliminate left recursion-
S→A
A → Ad / Ae / aB / ac
B → bBc / f

Solution-
 The grammar after eliminating left recursion is-
S→A
A → aBA’ / acA’
A’ → dA’ / eA’ / ∈
B → bBc / f

Problem-07:
Consider the following grammar and eliminate left recursion-
A → AAα / β

Solution-
The grammar after eliminating left recursion is-
A → βA’
A’ → AαA’ / ∈  

PRACTICE PROBLEMS BASED ON CALCULATING

Solution- 
The first and follow functions are as follows-

First Functions-
First(S) = { a }
First(B) = { c }
First(C) = { b , ∈ }
First(D) = { First(E) – ∈ } ∪ First(F) = { g , f , ∈ }
First(E) = { g , ∈ }
First(F) = { f , ∈ }
Follow Functions-
Follow(S) = { $ }
Follow(B) = { First(D) – ∈ } ∪ First(h) = { g , f , h }
Follow(C) = Follow(B) = { g , f , h }
Follow(D) = First(h) = { h }
Follow(E) = { First(F) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(D) = { f , h }
 Follow(F) = Follow(D) = { h }
Problem-02:
Calculate the first and follow functions for the given grammar-
S → A
A → aB / Ad
B → b
C → g

Solution-
We have-
The given grammar is left recursive.
So, we first remove left recursion from the given grammar.
After eliminating left recursion, we get the following grammar-
S → A
A → aBA’
A’ → dA’ / ∈
B → b
C → g
Now, the first and follow functions are as follows-

First Functions-
First(S) = First(A) = { a }
First(A) = { a }
First(A’) = { d , ∈ }
First(B) = { b }
First(C) = { g }
Follow Functions-
Follow(S) = { $ }
Follow(A) = Follow(S) = { $ }
Follow(A’) = Follow(A) = { $ }
Follow(B) = { First(A’) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(A) = { d , $ }
Follow(C) = NA
Problem-03:
Calculate the first and follow functions for the given grammar-
S → (L) / a
L → SL’
L’ → ,SL’ / ∈
 

Solution-
The first and follow functions are as follows-

First Functions-
First(S) = { ( , a }
First(L) = First(S) = { ( , a }
First(L’) = { , , ∈ }
Follow Functions-
Follow(S) = { $ } ∪ { First(L’) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(L) ∪ Follow(L’) = { $ , , , ) }
Follow(L) = { ) }
Follow(L’) = Follow(L) = { ) }
Problem-04:
Calculate the first and follow functions for the given grammar-
S → AaAb / BbBa
A→∈
B→∈

Solution-
The first and follow functions are as follows-

First Functions-
First(S) = { First(A) – ∈ } ∪ First(a) ∪ { First(B) – ∈ } ∪ First(b) = { a , b }
First(A) = { ∈ }
First(B) = { ∈ }
Follow Functions-
Follow(S) = { $ }
Follow(A) = First(a) ∪ First(b) = { a , b }
Follow(B) = First(b) ∪ First(a) = { a , b }
Problem-05:
Calculate the first and follow functions for the given grammar-
E→E+T/T
T→TxF/F
F → (E) / id

Solution-
We have-
The given grammar is left recursive.
So, we first remove left recursion from the given grammar.
After eliminating left recursion, we get the following grammar-
 E → TE’
E’ → + TE’ / ∈
T → FT’
T’ → x FT’ / ∈
F → (E) / id
Now, the first and follow functions are as follows-

First Functions-
First(E) = First(T) = First(F) = { ( , id }
First(E’) = { + , ∈ }
First(T) = First(F) = { ( , id }
First(T’) = { x , ∈ }
First(F) = { ( , id }
Follow Functions-
Follow(E) = { $ , ) }
Follow(E’) = Follow(E) = { $ , ) }
Follow(T) = { First(E’) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(E) ∪ Follow(E’) = { + , $ , ) }
Follow(T’) = Follow(T) = { + , $ , ) }
Follow(F) = { First(T’) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(T) ∪ Follow(T’) = { x , + , $ , ) }
Problem-06:
Calculate the first and follow functions for the given grammar-
S → ACB / CbB / Ba
A → da / BC
B → g / ∈
C → h / ∈

Solution-
The first and follow functions are as follows-

First Functions 
First(S) = { First(A) – ∈ }  ∪ { First(C) – ∈ } ∪ First(B) ∪ First(b) ∪ { First(B) – ∈ } ∪
First(a) = { d , g , h , ∈ , b , a }
First(A) = First(d) ∪ { First(B) – ∈ } ∪ First(C) = { d , g , h , ∈ }
First(B) = { g , ∈ }
First(C) = { h , ∈ }
Follow Functions-
Follow(S) = { $ }
Follow(A) = { First(C) – ∈ } ∪ { First(B) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(S) = { h , g , $ }
Follow(B) = Follow(S) ∪ First(a) ∪ { First(C) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(A) = { $ , a , h , g }
Follow(C) = { First(B) – ∈ } ∪ Follow(S) ∪ First(b) ∪ Follow(A) = { g , $ , b , h }
To gain better understanding about calculating first and follow functions,