# Push down automata for $\{a^n b^n c^n | n \ge 0\}$

I am learning about context free languages.

I understand how $\{a^n b^n c^n | n \ge 0\}$ can be shown to be not context free using the pumping lemma for CFL's.

Intuitively however it seems that a pushdown automata to recognize $\{a^n b^n c^n | n \ge 0\}$ can be constructed. This PDA would initially push two $a$'s into its stack whenever it sees an $a$ in the input. It would change state when it first encounters a $b$ and pop a single $a$. It would continue to pop $a$'s for every b in the input until it encounters a $c$. It would again change state and pop single $a$'s for every c encountered. If the stack is empty at the end of the input the language is recognized as $\{a^n b^n c^n | n \ge 0\}$.

There must be something I am overlooking whilst constructing the PDA as a language is context free if its has a PDA recognizing it. Please point out my mistake.

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## 1 Answer

Your PDA would also accept strings of the form $a^nb^ic^j$ where $i+j=2n$ and $i,j>0$. For example the string "aaabbbbbc" is accepted. There is no way to tell that there are exactly $n$ $a$'s still remaining on the stack once you've finished reading the $b$'s.

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Actually it wouldn't accept any other strings than the ones you described. –  Khaur Jan 17 '13 at 16:20
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