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Calculating First and Follow Functions

The document explains the concepts of First and Follow sets in compiler design for context-free grammars, providing definitions and step-by-step calculations. It includes examples to illustrate how to compute First and Follow for given productions. The final results for the example grammar are presented, showing the First and Follow sets for each non-terminal.

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42 views3 pages

Calculating First and Follow Functions

The document explains the concepts of First and Follow sets in compiler design for context-free grammars, providing definitions and step-by-step calculations. It includes examples to illustrate how to compute First and Follow for given productions. The final results for the example grammar are presented, showing the First and Follow sets for each non-terminal.

Uploaded by

junaidwarraich225
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Calculating First and Follow sets is a fundamental task in compiler design when

working with context-free grammars. Here's a straightforward explanation with


steps and examples:

Definitions
1. First(X): The set of terminals that can appear at the beginning of strings
derived from XXX.
o For a terminal XXX, First(X)={X}\text{First}(X) = \{ X \}First(X)={X}.

o For a non-terminal XXX, recursively compute terminals that can start


productions of XXX.
Follow(X): The set of terminals that can appear immediately to the right of X in
some "sentential form."
Follow(X): The set of terminals that can appear immediately to the right of XXX in
some derivation.
 If X is the start symbol, Follow(X) contains $ (end of input).
 Look at the grammar rules to see what comes after X.
Example:
S → AB
A → aA | ε
B → bB | ε

2. Steps to Calculate First(X):


1. If X is a terminal, First(X) = {X}.

2. If X → ε, then ε ∈ First(X).
3. For a production X → Y1 Y2 ... Yk:
o Add First(Y1) (except ε) to First(X).

o If Y1 derives ε, then check Y2 and so on.

o If all Y1, Y2, ..., Yk derive ε, then add ε to First(X).

3. Steps to Calculate Follow(X):


1. Add $ to Follow(StartSymbol) (start symbol).
2. For each production A → αBβ:
o Add First(β) (except ε) to Follow(B).

o If β derives ε, add Follow(A) to Follow(B).

3. For a production A → αB, add Follow(A) to Follow(B).


Step 1: Calculate First
1. First(S):
o S → AB

o Look at First(A) and First(B).

2. First(A):

o A → aA ⇒ Add a to First(A).

o A → ε ⇒ Add ε to First(A).

o So, First(A) = {a, ε}.

3. First(B):

o B → bB ⇒ Add b to First(B).

o B → ε ⇒ Add ε to First(B).

o So, First(B) = {b, ε}.

4. First(S):
o S → AB

o Add First(A) - {ε} to First(S). So, First(S) = {a}.

o Since A can derive ε, also add First(B). So, First(S) = {a, b, ε}.

Step 2: Calculate Follow


1. Follow(S):
o Add $ since S is the start symbol. So, Follow(S) = {$}.

2. Follow(A):

First(B) = {b, ε} ⇒ Add {b}.


o S → AB: Add First(B) (except ε) to Follow(A).

o If B derives ε, add Follow(S) to Follow(A).


Follow(S) = {$}.
o So, Follow(A) = {b, $}.

3. Follow(B):
o S → AB: Add Follow(S) to Follow(B).
Follow(S) = {$}.
o So, Follow(B) = {$}.

Final Results:
 First(S) = {a, b, ε}
 First(A) = {a, ε}
 First(B) = {b, ε}
 Follow(S) = {$}
 Follow(A) = {b, $}
 Follow(B) = {$}

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