The Pumping Lemma

for
Context-Free Languages

1
Take an infinite context-free language

Generates an infinite number

of different strings

Example: S  AB
A  aBb
B  Sb
Bb
2
 S  AB
A  aBb
B  Sb
Bb In a derivation of a long string,
variables are repeated

A derivation:
S  AB  aBbB  abbB
 abbSb  abbABb  abbaBbBb 
 abbabbBb  abbabbbb
3
Derivation tree string abbabbbb
S

A B

a B b S b

b A B

a B b b

b
4
Derivation tree string abbabbbb
S

A B

a B b S b

b A B

a B b b

repeated b
5
B  Sb  ABb  B

 aBbBb  aBbbb S b

A B

a B b b

b
*
B  aBbbb Bb
6
Repeated Part B

S b

A B

a B b b

*
B  aBbbb
7
 B
Another possible
derivation from B S b

* A B

B  aBbbb a B b b

S b

A B

a B b b

* *
B  aBbbb  aaBbbbbbb
8
 B

S b

* A B

B  aBbbb a B b b

S b

A B

a B b b

* *
2 2
B (a ) B (bbb) (a ) B (bbb)
9
A Derivation from S
S
* A B
S  abbBb
a B b
*
B  aBbbb b

Bb

*
S  abbBb
10
 S
* A B
S  abbBb
a B b b
*
B  aBbbb b

Bb

*
0 0
S  abbBb  abbbb  abb(a) b(bbb)

11
 * *
S  abbBb B  aBbbb Bb

*
0 0
S  abb(a ) b(bbb)

0 0
abb(a) b(bbb)  L(G )
12
A Derivation from S
S
* A B
S  abbBb
a B b
*
B  aBbbb b

Bb

*
S  abbBb
13
 S
*
S  abbBb A B

* a B b S b

B  aBbbb b A B

Bb a B b b

* *
S  abbBb  abbaBbbb
14
 S
*
S  abbBb A B

a b b
* B S

B  aBbbb b A B

a B b b
Bb S b

A B

a B b b

* *
2 2
S  abb(a ) B (bbb)  abb(a ) B (bbb)
15
 S
*
S  abbBb A B

a B b S b
*
B  aBbbb b A B

a B b b

Bb S b

A B

a B b b

* *
2 2 2 2
S  abb(a) B(bbb)  abb(a) b(bbb)
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 * *
S  abbBb B  aBbbb Bb

*
2 2
S  abb(a ) b(bbb)

2 2
abb(a ) b(bbb)  L(G )
17
A Derivation from S S

A B
*
S  abbBb
a B b S b

b A B
*
B  aBbbb a B b b

S b
Bb A B

a B b b

*
2 2
S  abb(a ) B (bbb)
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 S

* A B
S  abbBb a B b S b

* b A B
B  aBbbb a B b b

Bb S b

A B

a B b b

S b

A B

a B b b

* *
2 2 3 3
S  abb(a ) B (bbb)  abb( a ) B (bbb)
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 S

* A B

S  abbBb a B b S b

* b A B

B  aBbbb a B b b

S b
Bb A B

a B b b

S b

A B

a B b b

*
3 3 3 3
S  abb(a ) B (bbb)  abb(a) b(bbb)
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 * *
S  abbBb B  aBbbb Bb

*
3 3
S  abb(a) b(bbb)

3 3
abb(a) b(bbb)  L(G )
21
In General:

* *
S  abbBb B  aBbbb Bb

*
i i
S  abb(a ) b(bbb)

i i
abb(a ) b(bbb)  L(G ) i0
22
Consider now an infinite
context-free language L

Let G be the grammar of L  {}

Take G so that I has no unit-productions

no  -productions
23
Let p = (Number of productions) x
(Largest right side of a production)

Let m  p 1
Example G : S  AB
p  4  3  12
A  aBb
B  Sb m  p  1  13
Bb
24
Take a string w L(G )
with length | w | m

We will show:
in the derivation of w
a variable of G is repeated

25
 *
Sw

v1  v2    vk  w

S  v1

26
 v1  v2    vk  w

| vi || vi 1 |  f maximum right hand side

of any production

| w | k  f

m | w | k  f pk f
27
 v1  v2    vk  w

pk f

p
k Number of productions
f in grammar

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 v1  v2    vk  w
k Number of productions
in grammar

Some production must be repeated

v1    a1 Aa2    a3 Aa4    w
S  r1
Repeated A  r2
B  r2
variable

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 w L(G ) | w | m
Derivation of string w
S    a1 Aa2    a3 Aa4    w

Some variable is repeated

30
Derivation tree of string w
S

u z
Last repeated variable A

v y
w  uvxyz
repeated A
u , v, x, y , z :
Strings of terminals
x 31
 S
Possible
derivations: u z
 A
S  uAz
 v y
A  vAy A

A x
x 32
We know:
  
S  uAz A  vAy A x

This string is also generated:

 *
S  uAz  uxz

0 0
uv xy z
33
We know:
  
S  uAz A  vAy A x

This string is also generated:

 * *
S  uAz  uvAyz  uvxyz

1 1
The original w  uv xy z
34
We know:
  
S  uAz A  vAy A x

This string is also generated:

 * * *
S  uAz  uvAyz  uvvAyyz  uvvxyyz

2 2
uv xy z
35
We know:
  
S  uAz A  vAy A x

This string is also generated:

 * *
S  uAz  uvAyz  uvvAyyz 
* *
 uvvvAyyyz  uvvvxyyyz
3 3
uv xy z
36
We know:
  
S  uAz A  vAy A x
This string is also generated:
* uAz 
S * uvAyz 
* uvvAyyz *
* uvvvAyyyz 
* 
* uvvvvAy  yyyz *

* uvvvvxy  yyyz


i i
uv xy z
37
Therefore, any string of the form

i i
uv xy z i0

is generated by the grammar G

38
Therefore,

knowing that uvxyz  L(G )

i i
we also know that uv xy z  L(G )

L(G )  L  {}

i i
uv xy z  L
39
 S

u z
A

v y
A

x
Observation: | vxy |  m
Since A is the last repeated variable 40
 S

u z
A

v y
A

x
Observation: | vy |  1
Since there are no unit or -productions 41
The Pumping Lemma:
For infinite context-free language L
there exists an integer m such that

for any string w  L, | w | m

we can write w  uvxyz
with lengths | vxy | m and | vy | 1
and it must be:
i i
uv xy z  L, for all i  0
42
 Applications
of
The Pumping Lemma

43
Non-context free languages
n n n
{a b c : n  0}

Context-free languages

n n
{a b : n  0}

44
Theorem: The language
n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
is not context free

Proof: Use the Pumping Lemma

for context-free languages

45
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}

Assume for contradiction that L

is context-free

Since L is context-free and infinite

we can apply the pumping lemma

46
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}

Pumping Lemma gives a magic number m

such that:

Pick any string w L with length | w | m

m m m
We pick: wa b c

47
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}

m m m
wa b c

We can write: w  uvxyz

with lengths | vxy | m and | vy | 1

48
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Pumping Lemma says:

i i
uv xy z  L for all i0
49
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

We examine all the possible locations

of string vxy in w

50
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

m
Case 1: vxy is within a

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
51
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 1: v and y consist from only a

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
52
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 1: Repeating v and y

k 1
mk m m
aaaaaa...aaaaaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u 2 2 z
v xy
53
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

2 2
Case 1: From Pumping Lemma: uv xy z  L
k 1
mk m m
aaaaaa...aaaaaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u 2 2 z
v xy
54
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

2 2
Case 1: From Pumping Lemma: uv xy z  L
k 1
2 2 m k m m
However: uv xy z  a b c L
Contradiction!!!
55
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

m
Case 2: vxy is within b

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
56
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 2: Similar analysis with case 1

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
57
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

m
Case 3: vxy is within c

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
58
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 3: Similar analysis with case 1

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
59
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

m m
Case 4: vxy overlaps a and b

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
60
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 4: Possibility 1: v contains only a

y contains only b
m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
61
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 4: Possibility 1: v contains only a

k1  k 2  1 y contains only b
m  k1 m  k2 m
aaa...aaaaaaa bbbbbbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u 2 2 z
v xy
62
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

2 2
Case 4: From Pumping Lemma: uv xy z  L
k1  k 2  1
m  k1 m  k2 m
aaa...aaaaaaa bbbbbbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u 2 2 z
v xy
63
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

2 2
Case 4: From Pumping Lemma: uv xy z  L
k1  k 2  1

2 2 m  k1 m k2 m
However: uv xy z  a b c L
Contradiction!!!
64
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 4: Possibility 2: v contains a and b

y contains only b
m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
65
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 4: Possibility 2: v contains a and b

k1  k 2  k  1 y contains only b
m k1 k 2 mk m
aaa...aaaaabbaabb bbbbbbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u 2
v xy 2 z
66
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

2 2
Case 4: From Pumping Lemma: uv xy z  L
k1  k 2  k  1
m k1 k 2 mk m
aaa...aaaaabbaabb bbbbbbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u 2
v xy 2 z
67
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

2 2
Case 4: From Pumping Lemma: uv xy z  L

However: k1  k 2  k  1
2 2 m k1 k 2 m  k m
uv xy z a b a b c L
Contradiction!!!
68
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 4: Possibility 3: v contains only a

y contains a and b
m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
69
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 4: Possibility 3: v contains only a

y contains a and b

Similar analysis with Possibility 2

70
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

m m
Case 5: vxy overlaps b and c

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
71
 n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
m m m
wa b c
w  uvxyz | vxy | m | vy | 1

Case 5: Similar analysis with case 4

m m m
aaa...aaa bbb...bbb ccc...ccc
u vxy z
72
There are no other cases to consider

(since | vxy | m , string vxy cannot

m m m
overlap a , b and c at the same time)

73
In all cases we obtained a contradiction

Therefore: The original assumption that

n n n
L  {a b c : n  0}
is context-free must be wrong

Conclusion: L is not context-free

74