Properties of

Regular Languages
For regular languages L1 and L2
we will prove that:

Union: L1  L2

Concatenation: L1L2

Star: L1 * Are regular

Complement: L1
Intersection: L1  L2
We say: Regular languages are closed under

Union: L1  L2

Concatenation: L1L2

Star: L1 *

Reversal: L R
1

Complement: L1
Intersection: L1  L2
A useful transformation: use one accept state

NFA
a
b 2 accept states
a
b

Equivalent
NFA
a
1 accept state
a b

b 

 In General
NFA

Equivalent NFA
 Single
 accepting

state
 Extreme case

NFA without accepting state

Add an accepting state

Regular language L1 Regular language L2

L  M 1   L1 L  M 2   L2

NFA M1 NFA M 2

Single accepting state Single accepting state

M1
n0
a
n
L1  {a b} b

M2

L2  ba b a
 Union
NFA for L1  L2
M1

 M2
 Example
n
NFA for L1  L2  {a b}  {ba}
n
L1  {a b}
a
b


 L2  {ba}
b a
 Concatenation

NFA for L1L2

M1 M2

 Example

n n
NFA for L1L2  {a b}{ba}  {a bba }

n
L1  {a b}
a
L2  {ba}
b  b a
 Star Operation
NFA for L1 * w  w1w2  wk
 wi  L1
M1
  L1 *
 


 Example

n
NFA for L1*  {a b} *


n
L1  {a b}
a
 b 


 Reverse
R
NFA for L1

L1 M1 M1

1. Reverse all transitions

2. Make initial state accepting state

M1
a
n
L1  {a b} b

M1
a
R n
L1  {ba } b
 Complement

L1 M1 L1 M1

1. Take the DFA that accepts L1

2. Make accepting states non-final,

M1
a a, b
n
L1  {a b} b a, b

M1
n a a, b
L1  {a , b} * {a b}
b a, b
 Intersection

L1 regular
We show L1  L2
L2 regular regular
DeMorgan’s Law: L1  L2  L1  L2

L1 , L2 regular

L1 , L2 regular

L1  L2 regular

L1  L2 regular
L1  L2 regular
 Example

n
L1  {a b} regular
L1  L2  {ab}
L2  {ab , ba} regular regular
 Another Proof for Intersection Closure

Machine M 1 Machine M 2
DFA for L1 DFA for L2

Construct a new DFA M that accepts L1  L2

M simulates in parallel M 1 and M 2

qi , p j

State in M 1 State in M 2
 DFA M 1 DFA M 2

q1 a q2 p1 a p2
transition transition

DFA M

q1 , p1 a q2 , p2
New transition
DFA M 1 DFA M 2

q0 p0
initial state initial state

DFA M

q0 , p0
New initial state
 DFA M 1 DFA M 2

qi pj pk

accept state accept states

DFA M
qi , p j qi , pk

New accept states

Both constituents must be accepting states

n0 m0
n m
L1  {a b} L2  {ab }
M1 M2
a b
q0 b q1 p0 a p1

a, b b a
q2 p2
a, b a, b
Automaton for intersection
L  {a nb}  {ab n }  {ab}
a, b

q0 , p0 a q0 , p1 b q1, p1 a q2 , p2

b a b a
q1, p2 b q0 , p 2 q2 , p1

a b
a, b
M simulates in parallel M 1 and M 2

M accepts string w if and only if:

L(M )  L(M1)  L(M 2 )