What are the components of a formal grammar?

Formal Languages Questions



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What are the components of a formal grammar?

The components of a formal grammar are:

1. Terminal symbols: These are the basic units or symbols that cannot be further divided. They represent the smallest elements of the language.

2. Non-terminal symbols: These symbols can be further expanded or derived into other symbols. They represent the intermediate elements of the language.

3. Production rules: These rules define how the non-terminal symbols can be replaced or expanded into other symbols. They specify the structure and syntax of the language.

4. Start symbol: This symbol represents the initial or starting point of the grammar. It is the symbol from which the derivation of the language begins.

5. Derivation: It is the process of applying the production rules to generate valid strings of the language. It involves replacing non-terminal symbols with their corresponding production rules until only terminal symbols remain.

6. Language: The set of all valid strings that can be generated by the grammar is the language defined by the formal grammar.