Consider the following sets: S1. Set of all recursively enumerable languages…

2019

Consider the following sets:

S1. Set of all recursively enumerable languages over the alphabet {0,1}

S2. Set of all syntactically valid C programs

S3. Set of all languages over the alphabet {0,1}

S4. Set of all non-regular languages over the alphabet {0,1}

Which of the above sets are uncountable?

Answer: B. S3 and S4Answer: The uncountable sets are the set of all languages over {0,1} and the set of all non-regular languages. Reasoning: S3 (all languages over {0,1}): The…

  1. A.

    S1 and S2

  2. B.

    S3 and S4

  3. C.

    S2 and S3

  4. D.

    S1 and S4

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Correct answer: B

Answer: The uncountable sets are the set of all languages over {0,1} and the set of all non-regular languages.

Reasoning:

  • S3 (all languages over {0,1}): The set of all languages over the alphabet {0,1} is the power set of Σ*, where Σ* is countable. By Cantor's theorem, the power set of a countable set is uncountable, so this set is uncountable.

  • S4 (non-regular languages): There are only countably many regular languages because each can be described by a finite automaton or a regular expression (finite descriptions over finite alphabets). Removing this countable collection from the uncountable set of all languages leaves an uncountable set of non-regular languages.

  • S1 (recursively enumerable languages): Each recursively enumerable language can be described by a Turing machine or enumerator. Because there are only countably many Turing machines (finite strings encoding machines), the collection of recursively enumerable languages is at most countable.

  • S2 (syntactically valid C programs): Syntactically valid C programs are finite strings over a finite alphabet, so they form a countable set.

Conclusion: Only the set of all languages over {0,1} and the set of non-regular languages are uncountable.

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