The lexical analysis for a modern computer language such as Java needs the power of which one of the following machine models in a necessary and sufficient sense?
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GATE CSE 2011 · Q19
MCQ1 markEasy
Time
The lexical analysis for a modern computer language such as Java needs the power of which one of the following machine models in a necessary and sufficient sense?
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Solution
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Official answer: A) Finite state automata
Lexical AnalysisIn compiler construction:
Lexical analysis is the phase that converts a sequence of characters into a sequence of tokens (identifiers, keywords, literals, operators, etc.).
Tokens in programming languages like Java are specified using regular expressions.
The formal computational model that is both necessary and sufficient to recognize languages defined by regular expressions is a Finite State Automaton (DFA/NFA).
More powerful automata (like pushdown automata or Turing machines) are not required for lexical analysis because token definitions do not require nesting or arbitrary counting.
Therefore, option (A) is correct.
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Examiner trap
The misconception this question tests
Tokens in lexical analysis are described by regular expressions. Which automaton precisely recognizes regular languages?
This Lexical Analysis previous year question is Q19 of the GATE CSE 2011 paper. Find more GATE CSE PYQs on Lexical Analysis in Compiler Design, or browse all GATE CSE PYQs.
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Lexical Analysis in GATE CSE
Lexical Analysis has 7 GATE CSE PYQs across 6 papers from 2011 to 2026. 5 of them are 1-mark MCQs like this one, and GATE CSE 2011 has 2.
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Independent practice explanation verified by the GateAI team. GATE is conducted by the IITs; question text follows the official paper.