• edited by
19,029 views
47 47 votes

Given $\Sigma=\{a,b\}$, which one of the following sets is not countable?

  1. Set of all strings over $\Sigma$
  2. Set of all languages over $\Sigma$
  3. Set of all regular languages over $\Sigma$
  4. Set of all languages over $\Sigma$ accepted by Turing machines

5 Answers

Best answer
55 55 votes

Correct Option: B

Set of all languages over $\Sigma$ is uncountable.

Ref: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-045j-automata-computability-and-complexity-spring-2011/lecture-notes/MIT6_045JS11_lec05.pdf


Power set of an infinite set is uncountable. Set of languages over $\Sigma$ is the power set of set of strings over $\Sigma$ which is an infinite set. Hence the set of languages becomes an uncountable set. 

• edited by
55 55 votes
A) The set Σ* is countable because each element of this set can be generated in the following order (called proper order):

Let Σ={a,b}. So, proper order = a,b,aa,ab,ba,bb,aaa,aab....

D) The set of all languages accepted by TMs is the set of all TMs basically, which is countable because each TM can be represented by a binary string and each binary string can be obtained in a proper order (as stated above) and checked whether it's a TM or not.

C) The set of all regular languages is a subset of the set of all recursively enumerable languages. And a subset of a countable set is always countable. This is because all the elements of the countable set can be written in a specific order and each of that element can be checked for its membership in the other set.

B) The set of all languages is uncountable, according to Cantor's Diagonalisation Proof.
4 4 votes

$\color{red}{\text{Detailed Video Solution, with Proof:}}$ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl8Z3oM2EJk&t=153s 

Given $\Sigma = \{a,b \}$

A.

$\Sigma^*$, the set of all (finite length) binary strings over $\Sigma$, is countable.

Proof 1 (Video Explanation HERE):

We can create a bijection between $\Sigma^*$ and $\mathbb{N}$. 

Assume $a = 0, b=1.$ Consider the mapping $f: \Sigma^* \rightarrow \mathbb{N}$, $f(w) = $ the decimal value of $1w.$ 

For example, $f(\epsilon) = $ decimal value of $1\epsilon = 1$; $f(00) = $ decimal value of $100 = 4$

This mapping $f$ is bijection from $\Sigma^*$ to $\mathbb{N}$. Hence, $\Sigma^*$ is countable. 

NOTE: For EVERY alphabet $\Sigma$, the language $\Sigma^*$ is countable.

Two other ways to prove it are given HERE.


B. 

For EVERY $\Sigma,$ the set of all languages is uncountable.

The set of all languages over $\Sigma$ is the powerset of $\Sigma^*$ i.e. $P(\Sigma^*).$

Proof:

By Cantor’s theorem, we know: If $S$ is ANY infinite set, then $P(S)$ is always uncountable. (Or we can say, NO infinite powerset is countable.)

Since, for every $\Sigma$, $\Sigma^*$ is infinite, hence, $P(\Sigma^*)$ is uncountable.

Learn Cantor’s Theorem & its Consequences HERE.


C.

For EVERY $\Sigma$, Set of ALL regular languages is countable.

For EVERY $\Sigma$, Set of ALL recursively enumerable languages is countable. Proof HERE 

Since set of all RE languages is countable, & subset of countable set is countable; hence, set of regular languages is also countable.


D.

Set of all languages accepted by Turing machines is same as the set of all recursively enumerable languages.

For EVERY $\Sigma$, Set of ALL recursively enumerable languages is countable. Proof HERE 


Countability Complete Course, with Proofs, Variations & All type of questions covered: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPZ2_p3RNHgXosiQv-gL1PvJkcHokW1p&feature=shared 

1 1 vote
for option (a)

 All languages generated by Turing machines, are countable. This is because they are all subsets of Σ* and Σ* itself is countable. However, there are uncountably many languages so (b) is uncountable.
0 0 votes
opt A:set of all strings are finite.so it is countable

opt C:set of all regular languages is always countable

opt D:set of all languages accepted by Turing machine is countable.

opt A: By diagonalization method, we can prove that set of all languages are not countable.
Answer:
Position:
Show:

Related questions

92 92 votes
11 answers 11 answers
51.9k
51.9k views
Kathleen asked Sep 29, 2014
51,901 views
Which one of the following regular expressions over $\{0,1\}$ denotes the set of all strings not containing $\text{100}$ as substring?$0^*(1+0)^*$$0^*1010^*$$0^*1^*01^*$$...
37 37 votes
1 answers 1 answer
19.4k
19.4k views
Kathleen asked Sep 29, 2014
19,385 views
Construct a finite state machine with minimum number of states, accepting all strings over $(a,b)$ such that the number of $a$'s is divisible by two and the number of $b$...
33 33 votes
4 answers 4 answers
11.5k
11.5k views
Kathleen asked Sep 29, 2014
11,471 views
Consider the grammar$S \rightarrow bSe$$S \rightarrow PQR$$P \rightarrow bPc$$P \rightarrow \varepsilon$$Q \rightarrow cQd$$Q \rightarrow \varepsilon$$R \rightarrow dRe...
36 36 votes
2 answers 2 answers
15.6k
15.6k views
Kathleen asked Sep 29, 2014
15,563 views
Given $\sqrt{(224)_r} =(13)_r$.The value of the radix $r$ is:$10$$8$$5$$6$