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I'm trying to prove a language is not regular through using pumping lemma, but can't seem to come up with any way of doing it.

The alphabet is:

$$ \Sigma = \{c, d\} $$

The language is:

$$ A = \{z \in \Sigma^* \mid c(z) > d(z)\} , \text{where $c(w)$ and $d(w)$ means occurrences of $c$ or $d\in z$ }$$

I tried to define a string like so:

Pumping length = P

$$ s = c^{(P+1)}d^P $$

Here is how I tried to solve it:

If we select P = 5. Then s = ccccccddddd and split it in 3 parts. Where x = ccccccd, y = ddd and z = d. (Is that even allowed though as |xy| <= P, but now |xy|=10 and 10>5). If I then do y^2. Then I get s = ccccccdddddddd, so now d>c which proves the string is not in the language. Does this then prove that the language is not regular?

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    $\begingroup$ I suggest you keep trying. $\endgroup$ – Yuval Filmus Apr 29 '19 at 12:13
  • $\begingroup$ Have been stuck for quite some time so I don't think that will help. @YuvalFilmus $\endgroup$ – Android999 Apr 29 '19 at 12:24
  • $\begingroup$ You won’t understand the material if other people solve all exercises for you. This is a relatively simple application of the pumping lemma, so it’s there to help you practice the basics. $\endgroup$ – Yuval Filmus Apr 29 '19 at 12:39
  • $\begingroup$ Yes I do know this is probably basics, but I would like an answer that I then could look back on when solving the other exercises in the future. @YuvalFilmus $\endgroup$ – Android999 Apr 29 '19 at 12:47
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    $\begingroup$ I seems you are on the right track, but try to switch the order of $c$'s and $d$'s in your string, so $s = d^p c^{p+1}$. $\endgroup$ – AcId Apr 29 '19 at 12:51
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You need to show that with that arbitrary pumping length $P$, for any partition $c^{(P+1)}d^P = xyz$ such that $|y|>0$ and $|xy|\leq P$, there is some $i$ such that $xy^iz \not\in A$.

Since for any partition we require that $|xy|\leq P$, then $x$ and $y$ necessarily consist only of $c$'s. Also, you know that $|y| >0$ (it's also a requirement). Can you find an $i\in\mathbb{N}$ such that the amount of $c$'s in $xy^iz$ is less than or equal to the amount of $d$'s?

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You need to pick a string that's in the language (i.e., has fewer $d$s than $c$s) but, when pumped, creates strings that are not in the language (more $d$s than $c$s). Think about how you can achieve that.

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  • $\begingroup$ Okay I tried to solve it. Do you think the solution I did above is valid or am I missing something? $\endgroup$ – Android999 Apr 29 '19 at 13:44
  • $\begingroup$ @Android999 you can't claim to know what $p$ is, nor can you define $x$, $y$, or $z$. The answer is given here. Carefully review the laws of the lemma and make sure you understand this answer $\endgroup$ – lox Apr 29 '19 at 14:05
  • $\begingroup$ @Android999 That's not quite right, for the reasons that lox points out and because we require $|xy|\leq P$. But the language is strings of $c$s and $d$s in any order, which mean you can choose a similar $s$ which makes your life easier. Or you could choose a different number of repetitions for $y$, which can also be made to work. $\endgroup$ – David Richerby Apr 29 '19 at 14:11

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