Exam-style question
Try this first
A student writes: "A language is regular only if it is written using a programming language such as Python or Java." Assess this statement and give the correct explanation.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The statement is incorrect.
- Regularity is not defined by the programming language used to write something.
- According to the specification, a language is regular if it can be represented by a regular expression.
- Equivalently, a regular language is any language that an FSM will accept.
Explanation
Why this works
The student has confused implementation language with the definition of a regular language. The relevant tests are representation by a regular expression or acceptance by an FSM.
Common mistake
No common mistake is linked to this question yet.