DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Computer Science and Computer Applications Stream

Discrete Mathematics - University Questions
Unit-IV: Languages
Section-A: Choose the best answer

1. Which of the following is not correct? (November 2023/ June 2022)

A. |λ| = 0 B. {λ} ⊆ Σ C. λ ∈ / Σ D. |λ| =
6 φ
Ans: C. {λ} ⊆ Σ

2. Which of the following is not correct? (November 2023/ June 2022)

A. concatenation operation is commutative B. |L1 L2 | ≤ |L1 ||L2 |
C. concatenation operation is associative D. |L1 L2 | =
6 |L2 L1 |
Ans: A. concatenation operation is commutative
P
3. ....... is an identity element for concatenation operation on an alphabet (May 2023)
A. λ B. e C. φ D. 1
Ans: A. λ

4. Which of the following is not correct for the regular expression (May 2023)
A. φr = rφ = φ B. r + r = r C. φ + r = φ D. r∗ r∗ = r∗
Ans:

5. If Σ = {0, 1} and u = 01 then |un | = (December 2022)

A. n B. n2 C. n|u| D. n2 |u|
Ans: C. n|u|

6. The compliment of a language with respect to Σ∗ is defined as (December 2022)

A. L − Σ∗ B. Σ − L C. Σ∗ − λ D. Σ∗ − L
Ans: D. Σ∗ − L
 7. The concateration operation on an alphabet Σ is (July 2021)
A. Associative B. commutative C. Associative but not commutative
D. Associative and commutative
Ans: C. Associative but not commutative

8. Which of the following is false? (July 2021)

A. |L1 L2 | = |L2 L1 | B. |L1 L2 | ≤ |L1 ||L2 | C. |L1 L2 | =
6 |L2 L1 |
D. |L1 × L2 | = |L2 × L1 |
Ans: C. |L1 L2 | = |L2 L1 |

9. For an alphabet Σ and languages L1 and L2 , (L∗1 ∪ L∗2 )∗ = ....... (December 2020)
A. L1 L2 B. L∗1 L∗2 C. (L∗1 L∗2 )∗ D. (L1 ∪ L2 )
Ans: C. (L∗1 L∗2 )∗

10. Let L1 = {a, b} and L2 = {a, c} be Languages over Σ = {a, b, c}. Then (L1 ∩ L2 )∗ = .........
(December 2020)
A. {b} B. {a} C. {an : n ≥ 0} D. {bn : n ≥ 0}
Ans: C. {an : n ≥ 0}

11. Which of the following is not true? (April 2019)

A. L+ ⊆ L∗ B. L∗ = {λ} ∪ L+ C. L+ = L∗ − {λ} D. Ln+1 = Ln L
Ans: C. L+ = L∗ − {λ}

12. L1 consists of all strings beginning with one or more a’s followed by one or more b’s. Then
the corresponding regular expression r over the alphabet Σ = {a, b} is (April 2019)
A. bb∗ abb∗ B. b∗ bab∗ b C. aa∗ bb∗ D. (a + b)∗
Ans: C. aa∗ bb∗

13. Which of the following is not true? (April 2018/ November 2018)
A. L+ ⊆ L∗ B. Ln+1 = Ln L C. L∗ = {λ} ∪ L+ D. L∗ ⊆ L+
Ans: D. L∗ ⊆ L+

14. Which of the following is not true, if r1 and r2 are two equivalent regular expressions (April
2018)
A. (r1 + r2 )∗ = r1∗ + r2∗ B. (r1 r2 )∗ r1 = r1 (r2 r1 )∗ C. (r1 r2 )∗ r1 = r1∗ (r2 r1 ) D. (r1∗ )∗ = r1∗
Ans: C. (r1 r2 )∗ r1 = r1∗ (r2 r1 )

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15. Let L1 = {a, b} and L2 = {b, c} be languages over Σ = {a, b, c} then (L2 −L∗1 )∗ is (November
2018)
A. {an : n ≥ 0} B. {bn : n ≥ 0} C. {cn : n ≥ 0} D. {a, b, c}∗
Ans: C. {cn : n ≥ 0}

16. Let Σ = {a, b, c, d}. Then |Σ3 |=..... (November 2017)

A. 4 B. 16 C. 32 D. 64
Ans: D. 64, i.e., 43 −→ no. of elements in Σ

17. Which one of the following is not true (November 2017)

A. |un | = n|u| B. |L1 L2 | = |L2 L1 | C. |uv| = |u| + |v|
D. L∗ ⊆ L∗ for all languages L
Ans: B. |L1 L2 | = |L2 L1 |

18. Let u = a2 bab2 and v = bab2 then |uλv|=...... (April 2017)

A. 6 B. 8 C. 10 D. 12
Ans: C. 10

19. Let V = bab2 then |v 2 | =? (November 2016)

A. 4 B. 6 C. 8 D. 10
Ans: C. 8

Section-B

1. Explain the different types of grammars. (November 2023/ June 2022).

2. Let L1 = {a, ab, a2 } and L2 = {b2 , aba} be two languages over the alphabet Σ{a, b}, then find
L1 L2 , L2 L1 , L22 , L21 . (November 2023/ June 2022/July 2021/December 2020/April
2019/November 2017)

3. If L = {ab, a2 } be a language over the alphabet Σ = {a, b}. Then find L0 , L2 , L3 (May
2023)

4. Explain the Backus-Naur form with example (May 2023)

5. If L = {ab, c} be a language over the alphabet Σ = {a, b}. Then find L0 , L2 , L3 (December
2022)

6. Explain the major features of FSM. (December 2022)

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 7. Define regular language. Also describe the language L = {bm abn , m, n > 0} by regular
expression r over the alphabet Σ{a, b}. (April 2019).

8. Let L1 = {a, b} and L2 = {a2 , ab, b2 }. Find L1 L2 , L2 L1 and L1 L1 (April 2018/November

2016)

9. Explain regular expression with example.(April 2018)

(OR) List all the identities of regular expressions. (July 2021)

10. If L = {ab, c} over Σ = {a, b, c} find L0 , L3 , L−3 (November 2018)

11. Find the language L(G) generated by the grammar with V = {S, A}, Σ = {a, b, c} and
productions P = {S → aSb, aS → Aa, Aab → c} (November 2018/2017)

12. If L = {a2 , ba} find L0 , L2 and L3 . (December 2020/April 2017)

13. Let Σ = {0, 1}. Show that the following expressions are regular expressions over Σ (April
2017)
(i). 0∗ (0 + 1)
(ii). 00∗ (0 + 1)∗

14. Let Σ = {a, b} be an alphabet show that a∗ (a + b)∗ and aa∗ (a + b)∗ a are regular expression
over Σ. (November 2016)

Section-C

1. Design a finite state automaton M that accepts those strings from Σ = {a, b} which have
even number of 0 a0 . (November 2023/ December 2022/June 2022)

2. Consider the language L = {bn abn : n ≥ 0}. Find grammar G which generate L. (Novem-
ber 2023/ June 2022)

3. Find the phrase structure grammar that generate the language L = {an b2n : n ≥ 1} (May
2023)

4. Design a finite-state machine M where the input set is {0, 1, 2} and the output set contains
digits which are modulo 3 sum of the digits in the input sequence. (May 2023/ December
2020/ November 2018/ November 2016)

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 5. Consider the language L = {an bn : n ≥ 1}. Find grammar G which generate L. (December
2022)

6. Define Deterministic finite-state automaton. Also draw a transition diagram of a finite state
automation M that accepts binary sequences that ends with the digits 011 over the set
Σ{0, 1}. (July 2021/April 2019/November 2017)

7. Find the context free grammar G which generates L = {an bm : n 6= m}. (July 2021/
December 2020/ April 2018/November 2018/2017)

8. Construct regular grammar to generate the language L = {al bm cn : l, m, n ≥ 1}. (April

2019)

9. Consider the context free grammar with productions S → bAS, S → b, A → aS find the
derivation tree of the word w = babbabb. (April 2018/2017)

10. Find the language L(G) generated by the grammar with V = {S, A, B}, Σ = {a, b} and
productions P = {S → aB, B → b, B → bA, A → aB} (November 2016)

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