Scribd
Upload
14 views

CFG Simplification - Tutorialspoint

The document discusses simplification of context-free grammars by removing unnecessary productions and symbols. It describes reducing a CFG by deriving an equivalent grammar with each variable deriving some terminal string. It also covers removing unit productions by adding new productions, and removing null productions by finding nullable non-terminals and constructing new productions.

Uploaded by

swagat barik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
14 views

CFG Simplification - Tutorialspoint

The document discusses simplification of context-free grammars by removing unnecessary productions and symbols. It describes reducing a CFG by deriving an equivalent grammar with each variable deriving some terminal string. It also covers removing unit productions by adding new productions, and removing null productions by finding nullable non-terminals and constructing new productions.

Uploaded by

swagat barik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

6/12/2021 CFG Simplification - Tutorialspoint

CFG Simplification

In a CFG, it may happen that all the production rules and symbols are not needed for the derivation of strings. Besides, there may be some
null productions and unit productions. Elimination of these productions and symbols is called simplification of CFGs. Simplification essentially
comprises of the following steps −
Reduction of CFG
Removal of Unit Productions
Removal of Null Productions

Reduction of CFG
CFGs are reduced in two phases −
Phase 1 − Derivation of an equivalent grammar, G’, from the CFG, G, such that each variable derives some terminal string.

Derivation Procedure −
Step 1 − Include all symbols, W1, that derive some terminal and initialize i=1.

Step 2 − Include all symbols, Wi+1, that derive Wi.

Step 3 − Increment i and repeat Step 2, until Wi+1 = Wi.


Step 4 − Include all production rules that have Wi in it.

Phase 2 − Derivation of an equivalent grammar, G”, from the CFG, G’, such that each symbol appears in a sentential form.
Derivation Procedure −

Step 1 − Include the start symbol in Y1 and initialize i = 1.


Step 2 − Include all symbols, Yi+1, that can be derived from Yi and include all production rules that have been applied.

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/automata_theory/cfg_simplification.htm 1/5
6/12/2021 CFG Simplification - Tutorialspoint

Step 3 − Increment i and repeat Step 2, until Yi+1 = Yi.

Problem
Find a reduced grammar equivalent to the grammar G, having production rules, P: S → AC | B, A → a, C → c | BC, E → aA | e

Solution
Phase 1 −

T = { a, c, e }
W1 = { A, C, E } from rules A → a, C → c and E → aA
W2 = { A, C, E } U { S } from rule S → AC
W3 = { A, C, E, S } U ∅

Since W2 = W3, we can derive G’ as −


G’ = { { A, C, E, S }, { a, c, e }, P, {S}}
where P: S → AC, A → a, C → c , E → aA | e

Phase 2 −
Y1 = { S }

Y2 = { S, A, C } from rule S → AC
Y3 = { S, A, C, a, c } from rules A → a and C → c
Y4 = { S, A, C, a, c }

Since Y3 = Y4, we can derive G” as −


G” = { { A, C, S }, { a, c }, P, {S}}
where P: S → AC, A → a, C → c

Removal of Unit Productions


https://www.tutorialspoint.com/automata_theory/cfg_simplification.htm 2/5
6/12/2021 CFG Simplification - Tutorialspoint

Any production rule in the form A → B where A, B ∈ Non-terminal is called unit production..

Removal Procedure −
Step 1 − To remove A → B, add production A → x to the grammar rule whenever B → x occurs in the grammar. [x ∈ Terminal, x can be Null]

Step 2 − Delete A → B from the grammar.


Step 3 − Repeat from step 1 until all unit productions are removed.
Problem
Remove unit production from the following −
S → XY, X → a, Y → Z | b, Z → M, M → N, N → a
Solution −
There are 3 unit productions in the grammar −
Y → Z, Z → M, and M → N
At first, we will remove M → N.
As N → a, we add M → a, and M → N is removed.
The production set becomes
S → XY, X → a, Y → Z | b, Z → M, M → a, N → a

Now we will remove Z → M.


As M → a, we add Z→ a, and Z → M is removed.
The production set becomes
S → XY, X → a, Y → Z | b, Z → a, M → a, N → a
Now we will remove Y → Z.
As Z → a, we add Y→ a, and Y → Z is removed.
The production set becomes

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/automata_theory/cfg_simplification.htm 3/5
6/12/2021 CFG Simplification - Tutorialspoint

S → XY, X → a, Y → a | b, Z → a, M → a, N → a

Now Z, M, and N are unreachable, hence we can remove those.


The final CFG is unit production free −
S → XY, X → a, Y → a | b

Removal of Null Productions


In a CFG, a non-terminal symbol ‘A’ is a nullable variable if there is a production A → ε or there is a derivation that starts at A and finally ends
up with
ε: A → .......… → ε

Removal Procedure
Step 1 − Find out nullable non-terminal variables which derive ε.

Step 2 − For each production A → a, construct all productions A → x where x is obtained from ‘a’ by removing one or multiple non-terminals
from Step 1.
Step 3 − Combine the original productions with the result of step 2 and remove ε - productions.
Problem
Remove null production from the following −
S → ASA | aB | b, A → B, B → b | ∈
Solution −

There are two nullable variables − A and B


At first, we will remove B → ε.
After removing B → ε, the production set becomes −
S→ASA | aB | b | a, A ε B| b | &epsilon, B → b

Now we will remove A → ε.

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/automata_theory/cfg_simplification.htm 4/5
6/12/2021 CFG Simplification - Tutorialspoint

After removing A → ε, the production set becomes −


S→ASA | aB | b | a | SA | AS | S, A → B| b, B → b
This is the final production set without null transition.

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/automata_theory/cfg_simplification.htm 5/5

You might also like