Which ONE of the following statements is FALSE regarding the symbol table? A) Symbol table is responsible for keeping track of the scope of variables. B) Symbol table can be implemented using a binary search tree. C) Symbol table is not required after the parsing phase. D) Symbol table is created during the lexical analysis phase.

Official answer: C) Symbol table is not required after the parsing phase.. Explanation: A symbol table is a central data structure maintained by the compiler to store information about identifiers (such as variable names, function names, types, scope, and memory offsets). - Option A is true: A symbol table is used to track the scope and visibility of identifiers (e.g., using block-structured symbol tables). - Option B is true: Symbol tables can be implemented using data structures like hash tables, binary search trees, linked lists, or linear lists. - Option C is false: The symbol table is essential throughout almost all phases of the compiler, including semantic analysis (for type and declaration checking), intermediate code generation, optimization, and target code generation (for memory allocation/offset calculation), as well as by debuggers. - Option D is true: Identifiers are recognized and initially entered into the symbol table during the lexical analysis phase. Hence, statement C is FALSE.

A) Symbol table is responsible for keeping track of the scope of variables.

B) Symbol table can be implemented using a binary search tree.

C) Symbol table is not required after the parsing phase.

D) Symbol table is created during the lexical analysis phase.

Compiler Design · Lexical Analysis

Official IIT answer key · IIT Guwahati · Audited Aug 2026

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GATE CSE 2025 Set 1 Q12 · MCQ · 1 mark

Which ONE of the following statements is FALSE regarding the symbol table?

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Key concept

Lexical Analysis

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How GATE tests Lexical Analysis

Lexical Analysis in GATE CS is consistently tested as a 1-mark foundational topic covering tokenization mechanics, formal automaton models, error classification, and compiler data structure lifecycle. Recent years have shifted from purely definitional phase-matching questions toward practical token segmentation using the maximal munch rule and formal construction of NFA/DFA models from regular expressions.

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Independent practice explanation verified by the GateAI team. GATE is conducted by the IITs; question text follows the official paper.

Compiler Design · Lexical Analysis

Official IIT answer key · IIT Guwahati · Audited Aug 2026

Take topic test

GATE CSE 2025 Set 1 Q12 · MCQ · 1 mark

Which ONE of the following statements is FALSE regarding the symbol table?

Select an option to check

Key concept

Lexical Analysis

Step-by-step verified solution

Examiner trap & misconception

Topic notes

How GATE tests Lexical Analysis

Full Lexical Analysis guide →

More on Lexical Analysis

All 7 questions on Lexical Analysis →

Independent practice explanation verified by the GateAI team. GATE is conducted by the IITs; question text follows the official paper.

Which ONE of the following statements is FALSE regarding the symbol table?

Step-by-step verified solution

Check you can still solve Lexical Analysis under a clock

More from GATE CSE 2025 Set 1

More on Lexical Analysis

Which ONE of the following statements is FALSE regarding the symbol table?

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Check you can still solve Lexical Analysis under a clock

More from GATE CSE 2025 Set 1

More on Lexical Analysis

Which ONE of the following statements is FALSE regarding the symbol table?

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Check you can still solve Lexical Analysis under a clock

More from GATE CSE 2025 Set 1

More on Lexical Analysis

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Which ONE of the following statements is FALSE regarding the symbol table?

Step-by-step verified solution

Check you can still solve Lexical Analysis under a clock

More from GATE CSE 2025 Set 1

More on Lexical Analysis

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