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43 votes
43 votes

If $L_1\:=\{a^n \mid n\:\geq\:0\}$  and $L_2\:= \{b^n \mid n\:\geq\:0\}$ , consider 

  1. $L_1.L_2$ is a regular language
  2. $L_1.L_2 = \{a^nb^n \mid n\: \geq \:0\}$

Which one of the following is CORRECT?

  1. Only I
  2. Only II
  3. Both I and II
  4. Neither I nor II
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3 Answers

Best answer
68 votes
68 votes

Option A.

$L_1 = \{ \varepsilon, a, aa, aaa, aaaa, \ldots \}$

$L_2 = \{ \varepsilon, b, bb, bbb, bbbb, \ldots \}$

$\begin{align}
L_1 \cdot L_2 &= \left \{ \begin{array}{c} \varepsilon , \\ a, &b,\\ aa, &ab, &bb\\ aaa, &aab, &abb, &bbb,\\ aaaa, &aaab, &aabb, &abbb, &bbbb, & \ldots \end{array}\right \}\\[1em]
L_1 \cdot L_2 &= a^*b^*
\end{align}$

Thus, $L_1 \cdot L_2$ is Regular.

(Also, since both $L_1$ and $L_2$ are Regular, their concatenation has to be Regular since Regular languages are closed under concatenation)

However, $L_1 \cdot L_2 \neq a^nb^n$. This is because in $a^*b^*$, the number of $a$'s and $b$'s can be different whereas in $a^nb^n$ they have to be the same.

edited by
4 votes
4 votes

L1.L2 is also regular since regular languages are closed under concatenation.

But, L1.L2 is not { anbn | n ≥ 0 }, because both the variable is independent in both languages.
It should have been L1.L2 = { ambn | m ≥ 0, n ≥ 0 }

So, the correct answer is option (A).

Answer:

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