Push Down Automata and Context Free Language · Theory of Computation · GATE CSE

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Marks 1

1

Which of the following grammars is/are ambiguous?

GATE CSE 2026 Set 2
2

Consider the following grammar where $S$ is the start symbol, and $a$ and $b$ are terminal symbols.

$$ S \rightarrow a S b S|b S| \in $$

Which of the following statements is/are true?

GATE CSE 2026 Set 1
3

Which ONE of the following languages is accepted by a deterministic pushdown automaton?

GATE CSE 2025 Set 2
4

Let $G_1, G_2$ be Context Free Grammars (CFGs) and $R$ be a regular expression. For a grammar $G$, let $L(G)$ denote the language generated by $G$. Which ONE among the following questions is decidable?

GATE CSE 2025 Set 2
5

Consider the two lists List-I and List-II given below:

List - I List - II
(i) Context free languages (a) Closed under union
(ii) Recursive languages (b) Not closed under complementation
(iii) Regular languages (c) Closed under intersection

For matching of items in List-I with those in List-II, which of the following option(s) is/ are CORRECT?

GATE CSE 2025 Set 2
6

Consider the following context-free grammar $G$, where $S, A$, and $B$ are the variables (nonterminals), $a$ and $b$ are the terminal symbols, $S$ is the start variable, and the rules of $G$ are described as:

$$\begin{aligned} & S \rightarrow a a B \mid A b b \\ & A \rightarrow a \mid a A \\ & B \rightarrow b \mid b B \end{aligned}$$

Which ONE of the languages $L(G)$ is accepted by $G$ ?

GATE CSE 2025 Set 1
7
Let L1 be a regular language and L2 be a context-free language. Which of the following languages is/are context-free?
GATE CSE 2021 Set 2
8
Suppose that L1 is a regular and L2 is a context-free language, Which one of the following languages is NOT necessarily context-free?
GATE CSE 2021 Set 1
9
Let $$\left\langle M \right\rangle $$ denote an encoding of an automation M. Suppose that ∑ = {0, 1}. Which of the following languages is/are NOT recursive?
GATE CSE 2021 Set 1
10
Which of the following languages is generated by the given grammar? $$$S \to aS|bS|\varepsilon $$$
GATE CSE 2016 Set 1
11
The lexical analysis for a modern computer language such as java needs the power of which one of the following machine model in a necessary and sufficient sense?
GATE CSE 2011
12
Which one of the following is FALSE?
GATE CSE 2009
13
$$S \to aSa\,\left| {\,bSb\,\left| {\,a\,\left| {\,b} \right.} \right.} \right.$$
The language generated by the above grammar over the alphabet $$\left\{ {a,\,b} \right\}$$ is the set of
GATE CSE 2009
14
Let $${L_1} = \left\{ {{0^{n + m}}{1^n}{0^m}\left| {n,m \ge 0} \right.} \right\},$$
$$\,\,\,{L_2} = \left\{ {{0^{n + m}}{1^{n + m}}{0^m}\left| {n,m \ge 0} \right.} \right\},$$ and
$$\,\,\,\,{L_3} = \left\{ {{0^{n + m}}{1^{n + m}}{0^{n + m}}\left| {n,m \ge 0} \right.} \right\},$$ Which of these languages are NOT context free?
GATE CSE 2006
15
Which of the following grammar rules violate the requirements of an operator grammar ? $$P,$$ $$Q, R$$ are non-terminals and $$r, s, t$$ are terminals. $$$\eqalign{ & 1)\,\,\,P \to Q\,R\,\,\,\,\,2)\,\,\,P \to Q\,s\,R \cr & 3)\,\,\,P \to c\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,4)P \to Q\,t\,R\,r \cr} $$$
GATE CSE 2004
16
The language accepted by a pushdown Automation in which the stack is limited to $$10$$ items is best described as
GATE CSE 2002
17
Which of the following statement is true?
GATE CSE 2001
18
Let $${L_D}$$ be the set of all languages accepted by a $$PDA$$ by final state and $${L_E}$$ the set of all languages accepted by empty stack. Which of the following is true?
GATE CSE 1999
19
Context free languages are closed under:
GATE CSE 1999
20
Consider the grammar with the following productions.
$$S \to a\,\alpha \,\,b\left| {\,\,b\,\alpha } \right.\,c\,\left| {aB} \right.$$
$$S \to \alpha S\,\left| b \right.$$
$$S \to \alpha \,bb\,\left| {ab} \right.$$
$$S\alpha \to bdb\,\left| b \right.$$
the above grammar is
GATE CSE 1995
21
State whether the following statement is TRUE / FALSE.

The intersection of two $$CFL's$$ is also $$CFL.$$

GATE CSE 1990
22
State whether the following statement is TRUE / FALSE.

All subjects of regular sets are regular.

GATE CSE 1990
23
State whether the following statement is TRUE / FALSE.

Regularity is preserved under the operation of string reversal.

GATE CSE 1990
24
State whether the following statement is TRUE / FALSE.

A minimal $$DFA$$ that is equivalent to an $$NFDA$$ with $$n$$ modes has always 2n states

GATE CSE 1990
25
State whether the following statement is TRUE / FALSE.

A is recursive if both a and its complement are accepted by Turing Machine M accepts.

GATE CSE 1990
26
State whether the following statement is TRUE / FALSE. The problem is to whether a Turing Machine M accepts input $$w$$ is un-decidable.

GATE CSE 1990

Marks 2

1

Let $\Sigma=\{a, b, c, d\}$ and let $L=\left\{a^i b^j c^k d^l \mid i, j, k, l \geq 0\right\}$.

Which of the following constraints ensure(s) that the language $L$ is context-free?

GATE CSE 2026 Set 2
2

Consider the following context-free grammar $G$ :

$$ \begin{aligned} & S \rightarrow a b a A B A b b a \\ & A \rightarrow a a B B A b \mid b B a b a a \\ & B \rightarrow a B b \mid a b \end{aligned} $$

In the above grammar, $S$ is the start symbol, $a$ and $b$ are terminal symbols, and $A$ and $B$ are non-terminal symbols.

Let $L(G)$ be the language generated by the grammar $G$. For a string $s \in L(G)$, let $n_1(s)$ be the number of a's in $s$ and $n_2(s)$ be the number of b's in $s$.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

GATE CSE 2026 Set 1
3

Consider the following two languages over the alphabet $\{a, b, c\}$, where $m$ and $n$ are natural numbers.

$$\begin{aligned} & L_1=\left\{a^m b^m c^{m+n} \mid m, n \geq 1\right\} \\ & L_2=\left\{a^m b^n c^{m+n} \mid m, n \geq 1\right\} \end{aligned}$$

Which ONE of the following statements is CORRECT?

GATE CSE 2025 Set 1
4

Consider a context-free grammar $G$ with the following 3 rules.

$S \rightarrow aS, \ S \rightarrow aSbS, S \rightarrow c$

Let $w \in L(G)$.

Let $n_a(w)$, $n_b(w)$, $n_c(w)$ denote the number of times $a$, $b$, $c$ occur in $w$, respectively. Which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

GATE CSE 2024 Set 2
5

Let G = (V, Σ, S, P) be a context-free grammar in Chomsky Normal Form with Σ = { a, b, c } and V containing 10 variable symbols including the start symbol S. The string w = a30b30c30 is derivable from S. The number of steps (application of rules) in the derivation S ⟹ w is _______

GATE CSE 2024 Set 1
6

Consider the context-free grammar G below

$$\matrix{ S & \to & {aSb|X} \cr X & \to & {aX|Xb|a|b,} \cr } $$

where S and X are non-terminals, and a and b are terminal symbols. The starting non-terminal is S.

Which one of the following statements is CORRECT?

GATE CSE 2023
7

Consider the pushdown automation (PDA) P below, which runs on the input alphabet {a, b}, has stack alphabet {$$\bot$$, A}, and has three states {s, p, q}, with s being the start state. A transition from state u to state v, labelled c/X/$$\gamma$$, where c is an input symbol or $$\in $$, X is a stack symbol, and $$\gamma$$ is a string of stack symbols, represents the fact that in state u, the PDA can read c from the input, with X on the top of its stack, pop X from the stack, push in the string $$\gamma$$ on the stack, and go to state v. In the initial configuration, the stack has only the symbol $$\bot$$ in it. The PDA accepts by empty stack.

GATE CSE 2023 Theory of Computation - Push Down Automata and Context Free Language Question 14 English

Which one of the following options correctly describes the language accepted by P?

GATE CSE 2023
8

Consider the following languages:

L1 = {an wan | w $$\in$$ {a, b}*}

L2 = {wxwR | w, x $$\in$$ {a, b}*, | w | , | x | > 0}

Note that wR is the reversal of the string w. Which of the following is/are TRUE?

GATE CSE 2022
9

Consider the following languages:

$$\eqalign{ & {L_1} = \{ ww|w \in \{ a,b\} *\} \cr & {L_2} = \{ {a^n}{b^n}{c^m}|m,\,n \ge 0\} \cr & {L_3} = \{ {a^m}{b^n}{c^n}|m,\,n \ge 0\} \cr} $$

Which of the following statements is/are FALSE?

GATE CSE 2022
10

For a string w, we define wR to be the reverse of w. For example, if w = 01101 then wR = 10110.

Which of the following languages is/are context-free?

GATE CSE 2021 Set 2
11

In a pushdown automaton P = (Q, ∑, Γ, δ, q0, F), a transition of the form,

GATE CSE 2021 Set 1 Theory of Computation - Push Down Automata and Context Free Language Question 20 English 1

where p, q ∈ Q, a ∈ Σ ∪ {ϵ}, and X, Y ∈ Γ ∪ {ϵ}, represents

(q, Y) ∈ δ(p, a, X).

Consider the following pushdown automaton over the input alphabet ∑ = {a, b} and stack alphabet Γ = {#, A}.

GATE CSE 2021 Set 1 Theory of Computation - Push Down Automata and Context Free Language Question 20 English 2
The number of strings of length 100 accepted by the above pushdown automaton is ______

GATE CSE 2021 Set 1
12

Consider the following languages.

L1 = {wxyx | w, x, y ∈ (0 + 1)+}

L2 = {xy | x, y ∈ (a + b)*, |x| = |y|, x ≠ y}

Which one of the following is TRUE?

GATE CSE 2020
13

Which one of the following languages over $\Sigma=\{a, b\}$ is NOT context-free?

GATE CSE 2019
14
Consider the following languages:

$$\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{\rm I}.\,\,\,\,\,\,\,$$ $$\left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}{c^p}{d^q}} \right.|m + p = n + q,$$ where $$\left. {m,n,p,q \ge 0} \right\}$$
$$\,\,\,\,\,\,{\rm II}.\,\,\,\,\,\,\,$$ $$\left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}{c^p}{d^q}} \right.|m = n$$ and $$p=q,$$ where $$\left. {m,n,p,q \ge 0} \right\}$$
$$\,\,\,\,{\rm III}.\,\,\,\,\,\,\,$$ $$\left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}{c^p}{d^q}} \right.|m = n = p$$ and $$p \ne q,$$ where $$\left. {m,n,p,q \ge 0} \right\}$$
$$\,\,\,\,{\rm IV}.\,\,\,\,\,\,\,$$ $$\left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}{c^p}{d^q}} \right.|mn = p + q,$$ where $$\left. {m,n,p,q \ge 0} \right\}$$

Which of the languages above are context-free?

GATE CSE 2018
15
Consider the following context-free grammars:
$$\eqalign{ & {G_1}:\,\,\,\,\,S \to aS|B,\,\,B \to b|bB \cr & {G_2}:\,\,\,\,\,S \to aA|bB,\,\,A \to aA|B|\varepsilon ,\,\,B \to bB|\varepsilon \cr} $$

Which one of the following pairs of languages is generated by $${G_1}$$ and $${G_2}$$, respectively?

GATE CSE 2016 Set 1
16
Which of the following languages are context-free? $$$\eqalign{ & {L_1} = \left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}{a^n}{b^m}|m,n \ge 1} \right\} \cr & {L_2} = \left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}{a^m}{b^n}|m,n \ge 1} \right\} \cr & {L_3} = \left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}|m = 2n + 1} \right\} \cr} $$$
GATE CSE 2015 Set 3
17
Consider the following languages over the alphabet $$\sum { = \left\{ {0,\,1,\,c} \right\}:} $$
$$\eqalign{ & {L_1} = \left\{ {{0^n}\,{1^n}\,\left| {n \ge } \right.0} \right\} \cr & {L_2} = \left\{ {wc{w^r}\,\left| {w \in \left\{ {0,\,1} \right\}{}^ * } \right.} \right\} \cr & {L_3} = \left\{ {w{w^r}\,\left| {w \in \left\{ {0,\,1} \right\}{}^ * } \right.} \right\} \cr} $$

Here, $${w^r}$$ is the reverse of the string $$w.$$ Which of these languages are deterministic Context- free languages?

GATE CSE 2014 Set 3
18
Consider the $$DFA$$ $$A$$ given below. GATE CSE 2013 Theory of Computation - Push Down Automata and Context Free Language Question 34 English

Which of the following are FALSE?
$$1.$$ Complement of $$L(A)$$ is context - free.
$$2.$$ $$L(A)$$ $$ = \left( {{{11}^ * }0 + 0} \right)\left( {0 + 1} \right){}^ * {0^ * }\left. {{1^ * }} \right)$$
$$3.$$ For the language accepted by $$A, A$$ is the minimal $$DFA.$$
$$4.$$ $$A$$ accepts all strings over $$\left\{ {0,1} \right\}$$ of length at least $$2.$$

GATE CSE 2013
19
Consider the languages $${L_1}$$, $${L_2}$$ and $${L_3}$$ are given below. $$$\eqalign{ & {L_1} = \left\{ {{0^p}{1^q}\left| {p,q \in N} \right.} \right\} \cr & {L_2} = \left\{ {{0^p}{1^q}\left| {p,q \in N} \right.\,\,and\,\,p = q} \right\}\,\,and \cr & {L_3} = \left\{ {{0^p}{1^q}{0^r}\left| {p,q,r\, \in N\,\,\,and\,\,\,p = q = r} \right.} \right\}. \cr} $$$

Which of the following statements is not TRUE?

GATE CSE 2011
20
Consider the languages $$$\eqalign{ & {L_1} = \left\{ {{0^i}{1^j}\,\left| {i \ne j} \right.} \right\},\,{L_2} = \left\{ {{0^i}{1^j}\,\left| {i = j} \right.} \right\}, \cr & {L_3} = \left\{ {{0^i}{1^j}\,\left| {i = 2j + 1} \right.} \right\}, \cr & {L_4} = \left\{ {{0^i}{1^j}\,\left| {i \ne 2j} \right.} \right\}, \cr} $$$
GATE CSE 2010
21
Which of the following statements are true?
$$1.$$ Every left-recursive grammar can be converted to a right-recursive grammar and vice-versa
$$2.$$ All ε-productions can be removed from any context-free grammar by suitable transformations
$$3.$$ The language generated by a context-free grammar all of whose productions are of the form $$X \to w$$ or $$X \to wY$$ (where, $$w$$ is a string of terminals and $$Y$$ is a non terminal), is always regular
$$4.$$ The derivation trees of strings generated by a context-free grammar in Chomsky Normal Form are always binary trees
GATE CSE 2008
22
Match the following List-$${\rm I}$$ with List - $${\rm II}$$

List-$${\rm I}$$
$$E)$$ Checking that identifiers are declared before their
$$F)$$ Number of formal parameters in the declaration of a function agrees with the number of actual parameters in a use of that function
$$G)$$ Arithmetic expression with matched pairs of parentheses
$$H)$$ Palindromes

List-$${\rm II}$$
$$P)$$ $$L = \left\{ {{a^n}{b^m}{c^n}{d^m}\,|\,n \ge 1,m \ge 1} \right\}$$
$$Q)$$ $$X \to XbX\,|\,XcX\,|\,dXf\,|g$$
$$R)$$ $$L = \left\{ {www\,|\,w \in \left( {a\,|\,b} \right){}^ * } \right\}$$
$$S)$$ $$X \to bXB\,|\,cXc\,|\,\varepsilon $$

GATE CSE 2008
23
Which of the following statement is false?
GATE CSE 2008
24
Consider the $$CFG$$ with $$\left\{ {S,A,B} \right\}$$ as the non-terminal alphabet, $$\left\{ {a,b} \right\}$$ as the terminal alphabet, $$S$$ as the start symbol and the following set of production rules: GATE CSE 2007 Theory of Computation - Push Down Automata and Context Free Language Question 40 English

For the correct string of (earlier question) how many derivation trees are there?

GATE CSE 2007
25
Consider the $$CFG$$ with $$\left\{ {S,A,B} \right\}$$ as the non-terminal alphabet, $$\left\{ {a,b} \right\}$$ as the terminal alphabet, $$S$$ as the start symbol and the following set of production rules: GATE CSE 2007 Theory of Computation - Push Down Automata and Context Free Language Question 41 English

Which of the following strings is generated by the grammar?

GATE CSE 2007
26
The language $$L = \left\{ {{0^i}{{21}^i}\,|\,i \ge 0} \right\}$$ over the alphabet $$\left\{ {0,1,2} \right\}$$ is
GATE CSE 2007
27
Consider the following statements about the context-free grammar
$$G = \left\{ {S \to SS,\,S \to ab,\,S \to ba,\,S \to \varepsilon } \right\}$$
$$1.$$ $$G$$ is ambiguous
$$2.$$ $$G$$ produces all strings with equal number of $$a's$$ and $$b's$$
$$3.$$ $$G$$ can be accepted by a deterministic $$PDA$$.

Which combination below expresses all the true statements about $$G?$$

GATE CSE 2006
28
Let $${N_f}$$ and $${N_p}$$ denote the classes of languages accepted by non-deterministic finite automata and non-deterministic push-down automata, respectively. Let $${D_f}$$ and $${D_p}$$ denote the classes of languages accepted by deterministic finite automata and deterministic push-down automata, respectively. Which one of the following is TRUE?
GATE CSE 2005
29
Consider the language :
$${L_1} = \left\{ {{a^n}{b^n}{c^m}\left| {n,m > 0} \right.} \right\}$$ and $${L_2} = \left\{ {{a^n}{b^m}{c^m}\left| {n,m > 0} \right.} \right\}$$

Which of the following statement is FALSE?

GATE CSE 2005
30
Consider the language :
$${L_1}\, = \left\{ {w\,{w^R}\,\left| {w \in \left\{ {0,1} \right\}{}^ * } \right.} \right\}$$
$${L_2}\, = \left\{ {w\, \ne {w^R}\,\left| {w \in \left\{ {0,1} \right\}{}^ * } \right.} \right\}$$ where $$ \ne $$ is a special symbol
$${L_3}\, = \left\{ {w\,w\,\left| {w \in \left\{ {0,1} \right\}{}^ * } \right.} \right\}$$

Which one of the following is TRUE?

GATE CSE 2005
31
Consider the following grammar $$G:$$
$$\eqalign{ & S \to bS\,\left| {\,aA\,\left| {\,b} \right.} \right. \cr & A \to bA\,\left| {\,aB} \right. \cr & B \to bB\,\left| {\,aS\,\left| {\,a} \right.} \right. \cr} $$

Let $${N_a}\left( w \right)$$ and $${N_b}\left( w \right)$$ denote the number of $$a's$$ and $$b's$$ in a string $$w$$ respectively. The language
$$L\left( G \right)\,\,\, \subseteq \left\{ {a,b} \right\} + $$ generated by $$G$$ is

GATE CSE 2004
32
The language $$\left\{ {{a^m}{b^n}{c^{m + n}}\left| {m,n \ge } \right.} \right\}$$ is
GATE CSE 2004
33
Let $$M = \left( {K,\,\sum {,\,F,\,\Delta ,\,s,\,F} } \right)$$ be a pushdown automation. Where $$K = \left\{ {s,\,f} \right\},\,F = \left\{ f \right\},\,\sum { = \left\{ {a,b} \right\},\,F = \left\{ a \right\}} $$ and $$\Delta = \left\{ {\left( {\left( {s,\,a,\, \in } \right)} \right.,\,\left. {\left( {s,\,a} \right)} \right),\,\left( {\left( {s,\,b,\, \in } \right),\,\left. {\left( {s,\,a} \right)} \right),\,} \right.} \right.$$ $$\left( {\left( {s,\,a,\, \in } \right),\,\left( {f,\, \in } \right),\,\left( {\left( {f,\,a,\,a} \right),\,\left. {\left( {f,\, \in } \right)} \right),\,\left( {\left( {f,\,b,\,a} \right),\,\left. {\left. {\left( {f,\, \in } \right)} \right)} \right\}} \right.} \right.} \right..$$

Which one of the following strings is not a number of $$L(M)?$$

GATE CSE 2004
34
If $${L_1}$$ is a context free language and $${L_2}$$ is a regular which of the following is/are false?
GATE CSE 1999
35
Which of the following statements is false?
GATE CSE 1998
36
Let $$L$$ be the set of all binary strings whose last two symbols are the same. The number of states in the minimum state deterministic finite-state automation accepting $$L$$ is
GATE CSE 1998
37
Which of the following languages over $$\left\{ {a,b,c} \right\}$$ is accepted by Deterministic push down automata?
GATE CSE 1997
38
Let $$G$$ be a context free grammar where $$G = \left( {\left\{ {S,A,.B,C} \right\},\left\{ {a,b,d} \right\},P,S} \right)$$ with productions $$P$$ given below
$$\eqalign{ & S \to ABAC\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,S \to aA{\mkern 1mu} \left| \varepsilon \right. \cr & S \to bB{\mkern 1mu} \left| \varepsilon \right.\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,C \to d \cr} $$

($$\varepsilon $$ denotes the null string). Transform the given grammar $$G$$ to an equivalent context- free grammar $${G^1}$$ that has no $$\varepsilon $$ productions ($$A$$ unit production is of the from $$x \to y,\,x$$ and $$y$$ are non terminals).

GATE CSE 1996
39
If $${L_1}$$ and $${L_2}$$ are context free languages and $$R$$ a regular set, one of the languages below is not necessarily a context free language. Which one?
GATE CSE 1996
40
Which of the following features cannot be captured by context-free grammars?
GATE CSE 1994
41
Context-free languages are
GATE CSE 1992
42
Context free languages and regular languages are both closed under the operation(s) of :
GATE CSE 1989
43
FORTRAN is:
GATE CSE 1987
44
A context-free grammar is ambiguous if:
GATE CSE 1987