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This section includes InterviewSolutions, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.

1.

The class of recursive language is known as:(a) R(b) RC(c) RL(d) All of the mentionedThis question was posed to me in a national level competition.This question is from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer»

The correct answer is (a) R

To explain: R is the set of all recursive languages, a class of DECISION problems solvable by TURING machines. Although, R is ALSO used for the class RP.

2.

Decidable can be taken as a synonym to:(a) recursive(b) non recursive(c) recognizable(d) none of the mentionedThe question was asked in a job interview.I'd like to ask this question from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct CHOICE is (a) RECURSIVE

Explanation: We can refer to languages as ‘recursive’ and problems as ‘decidable’. If a LANGUAGE is not recursive , then we CALL the problem expressed by that language UNDECIDABLE.

3.

The language accepted by a turing machine is called ____________(a) Recursive Ennumerable(b) Recursive(c) Both (a) and (b)(d) None of the mentionedThe question was posed to me in an interview for job.Question is taken from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in division Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The CORRECT choice is (c) Both (a) and (b)

Easiest explanation: The language accepted by Turing machines are called RECURSIVELY ennumerable (RE), and the subset of RE LANGUAGES that are accepted by a turing MACHINE that always halts are called RECURSIVE.

4.

Which among the following are semi decidable?(a) Empty-DFA(b) Rec-NFA(c) Infinite-DFA(d) All of the mentionedI got this question in an internship interview.I would like to ask this question from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer» CORRECT answer is (d) All of the mentioned

Explanation: Explanation: All are the properties of REGULAR LANGUAGES and all are decidable languages.
5.

Which of the following technique is used to find whether a natural language isnt recursive ennumerable?(a) Diagonalization(b) Recursive Induction(c) Both (a) and (b)(d) None of the mentionedThe question was asked during an interview for a job.This intriguing question originated from The Diagonalization Languages topic in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer» RIGHT answer is (a) DIAGONALIZATION

Explanation: To find a non recursively ennumerable LANGUAGE, we USE the technique of diagonalization.
6.

Recursive languages are also known as:(a) decidable(b) undecidable(c) sometimes decidable(d) none of the mentionedI have been asked this question by my school teacher while I was bunking the class.This question is from The Universal Language-Undecidability in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct choice is (a) decidable

The BEST explanation: A LANGUAGE is recursive if there exists a turing machine such that it HALTS i.e. accepts if the INPUT belongs to the language else rejects. It is better CALLED Turing decidable language.

7.

Which of the following are incorrect options?(a) Informally, problem is a yes/no question about an infinite set of possible instances(b) Formally, a problem is a language(c) Both (a) and (b)(d) None of the mentionedThis question was addressed to me during an online interview.My question is taken from The Diagonalization Languages in division Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct answer is (d) NONE of the mentioned

Easiest explanation: EXAMPLE: Does a GRAPH G has a HAMILTON cycle?

=>Each undirected graph is an instance of Hamilton cycle PROBLEM.

8.

A formal language is recursive if :(a) a total turing machine exists(b) a turing machine that halts for every input(c) turing machine rejects if the input does not belong to the language(d) all of the mentionedThe question was asked during an interview for a job.The origin of the question is The Universal Language-Undecidability in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer» CORRECT option is (d) all of the mentioned

To explain I would say: A formal language is called RECURSIVE if it is a recursive subset of the SET of all possiblefinite SEQUENCES over the alphabet of the language.
9.

A problem is called __________ if its has an efficient algorithm for itself.(a) tractable(b) intractable(c) computational(d) none of the mentionedI have been asked this question in an interview.This intriguing question comes from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in portion Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Correct option is (a) tractable

Easy explanation: A problem is called INTRACTABLE IFF there is an EFFICIENT (i.e. polynomial time) algorithm that SOLVES it. A problem is called intractable iff there exists no efficient algorithm that solves it.

10.

If a problem has an algorithm to answer it, we call it _________(a) decidable(b) solved(c) recognizable(d) none of the mentionedThis question was posed to me in homework.My query is from The Diagonalization Languages in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Correct choice is (a) DECIDABLE

To ELABORATE: An ALGORITHM is a TM that HALTS on all INPUTS,accepted or not. Putting other way, decidable problems are recursive languages.

11.

Can a Modified PCP problem be reduced to PCP?(a) yes(b) noI had been asked this question by my school teacher while I was bunking the class.The query is from Rice’s Theorem, Properties and PCP topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct OPTION is (a) yes

The best I can EXPLAIN: Yes, it can be. There exists a THEOREM and as WELL as its proofwhich supports the assertion.

12.

Which of the following is true for The Halting problem?(a) It is recursively ennumerable(b) It is undecidable(c) Both (a) and (b)(d) None of the mentionedThe question was asked in an internship interview.Asked question is from The Diagonalization Languages in division Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer» CORRECT answer is (c) Both (a) and (b)

To explain I WOULD say: HALTING problem: Does a given Turing machine M halt on a given input W?
13.

With reference to binary strings, state true or false:(a) Statement: For any turing machine, the input alphabet is restricted to {0,1}.(b) true(c) falseI have been asked this question by my college professor while I was bunking the class.I want to ask this question from The Diagonalization Languages in division Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Correct choice is (a) Statement: For any TURING machine, the input alphabet is restricted to {0,1}.

To EXPLAIN I would say: When turing machines are CODED as Binary strings, we are restricted to take any input alphabet except {0,1}.

14.

An algorithm is called efficient if it runs in ____________ time on a serial computer.(a) polynomial(b) non polynomial(c) logarithmic(d) none of the mentionedThis question was addressed to me during an online exam.The doubt is from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in portion Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct OPTION is (a) polynomial

Easiest EXPLANATION: Example: Runtimes of EFFICIENT algorithms

O(n), O(NLOGN), O(n^3log2^n)

Runtimes of INEFFICIENT algorithms

O(2^n), O(n!)

15.

Which of the following are undecidable problems?(a) Determining whether two grammars generate the same language(b) Determining whether a grammar is ambiguous(c) Both (a) and (b)(d) None of the mentionedThis question was posed to me in class test.The question is from The Diagonalization Languages topic in portion Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Correct choice is (C) Both (a) and (B)

To explain: In contrast we can put up an algorithm for checking whether two FA’s are equivalent and this PROGRAM can be IMPLEMENTED asa program.

16.

The decision problem is the function from string to ______________(a) char(b) int(c) boolean(d) none of the mentionedI have been asked this question in an interview for internship.I'd like to ask this question from The Universal Language-Undecidability in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Right choice is (c) BOOLEAN

The BEST explanation: The DECISION problem requires checking of input (string) has some property or not. That is a string to boolean TRANSACTION.

17.

Which aong the following are undecidable theories?(a) The first order theory of boolean algebra(b) The first order theory of Euclidean geomentry(c) The first order theory of hyperbolic geometry(d) The first order theory of the natural number with addition, multiplication, and equalityI have been asked this question in exam.Query is from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct option is (d) The first order theory of the natural number with addition, multiplication, and equality

To explain I would say: Tarski and Mostowski in 1949, established that the first order theory of natural NUMBERS with addition, multiplication, and equality is an undecidable theory. OTHERS MENTIONED are decidable THEORIES.

18.

Which of the following set of computable functions are decidable?(a) The class of computable functions that are constant, and its complement(b) The class of indices for computable functions that are total(c) The class of indices for recursively enumerable sets that are cofinite(d) All of the mentionedI had been asked this question in a national level competition.My doubt stems from Rice’s Theorem, Properties and PCP topic in division Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct choice is (d) All of the mentioned

To elaborate: ACCORDING to Rice’s THEOREM, if there exists atleast ONE computable FUNCTION in a particular class C of computable functions and another computable function not in C then the problem DECIDING whether a particular program computes a function in C is undecidable.

19.

A language L is said to be ____________ if there is a turing machine M such that L(M)=L and M halts at every point.(a) Turing acceptable(b) decidable(c) undecidable(d) none of the mentionedI got this question in an internship interview.My question is from The Universal Language-Undecidability topic in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct CHOICE is (b) decidable

Easy EXPLANATION: Decidability refers to the decision problem and existence of a EFFECTIVE method for DETERMINING membership, and return TRUE and false accordingly rather that going into a loop forever.

20.

PCP stands for?(a) Post Correspondence Problem(b) Post Corresponding Problem(c) Pre Correspondence problem(d) None of the mentionedThe question was asked in semester exam.This intriguing question comes from Rice’s Theorem, Properties and PCP in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Right CHOICE is (a) POST Correspondence Problem

Explanation: PCP or Post Correspondence PROBLEMIS an undecidable decision problem.

21.

Post Correspondence problem is(a) decidable decision problem(b) undecidable decision problem(c) not a decision problem(d) none of the mentionedThis question was posed to me in unit test.I'm obligated to ask this question of Rice’s Theorem, Properties and PCP topic in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer» CORRECT answer is (b) undecidable DECISION problem

Explanation: Post Correspondence problem is an undecidable decision problem that was introduced by Emil Post in 1946. Being SIMPLER than HALTING problem, it can be USED in proofs of undecidability.
22.

Diagonalization can be useful in:(a) To find a non recursively ennumerable language(b) To prove undecidablility ofhaltig problem(c) Both (a) and (b)(d) None of the mentionedThe question was asked in semester exam.Origin of the question is The Diagonalization Languages topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct ANSWER is (c) Both (a) and (b)

EXPLANATION: Diagonalization is a TECHNIQUE we use for the following OPERATIONS:

a) To find a non recursively ennumerable language.

b) To prove undecidablility ofhalting problem.

23.

According to the rice’s theorem, If P is a non trivial property, Lp is :(a) infinite(b) decidable(c) undecidable(d) none of the mentionedI had been asked this question during an online exam.My question comes from Rice’s Theorem, Properties and PCP topic in chapter Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Correct option is (c) undecidable

Explanation: Rice’s THEOREM STATES that ‘Any NON TRIVIAL PROPERTY about the language recognized by a turing machine is undecidable’.

24.

Which of the following are decidable problems?(a) Can a particular line of code in a program ever be executed?(b) Do two given CFG’s generate the same language(c) Is a given CFG ambiguous?(d) None of the mentionedI have been asked this question in unit test.Origin of the question is The Diagonalization Languages in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer» RIGHT OPTION is (d) None of the MENTIONED

Best EXPLANATION: All of the mentioned problems are undecidable.
25.

State true or false:Statement: The difference between PCP and MPCP is that in MPCP, a solution is required to start with the first string on each list.(a) Statement: The difference between PCP and MPCP is that in MPCP, a solution is required to start with the first string on each list.(b) true(c) falseThis question was posed to me by my college director while I was bunking the class.My enquiry is from Rice’s Theorem, Properties and PCP topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer»

The CORRECT OPTION is (a) Statement: The difference between PCP and MPCP is that in MPCP, a solution is required to start with the first STRING on each list.

The best explanation: The MPCP is : GIVEN lists A and B of K strings ,say A = w1 ,w2, …wk and B= x1, x2,…..xk does there exists a sequence of integers i1,i2,…ir such that w1wi1wi2…..WIR = x1xi1xi2…xir?

26.

The problems which have no algorithm, regardless of whether or not they are accepted by a turing machine that fails to halts on some input are referred as:(a) Decidable(b) Undecidable(c) Computable(d) None of the mentionedI have been asked this question in a national level competition.This question is from The Universal Language-Undecidability in division Undecidability of Automata Theory

Answer» CORRECT ANSWER is (b) Undecidable

For explanation: The problems that can be SOLVED by a turing machine can divided into two classes:

a) Those that have an algorithm

b) Intractable problems: Those that are only solved by a turing machine that may RUN forever on inputs they do not accept.
27.

Statement: If L id R.E., L^c needs to be R.E. Is it correct?(a) Yes(b) No(c) Maybe(d) Cannot predictThe question was posed to me by my school teacher while I was bunking the class.This intriguing question comes from The Diagonalization Languages topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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The correct CHOICE is (B) No

The explanation: Any RECURSIVE ennumerable LANGUAGE is not closed under complementation.

28.

Which of the following are correct statements?(a) TMs that always halt are known as Decidable problems(b) TMs that are guaranteed to halt only on acceptance are recursive ennumerable.(c) Both (a) and (b)(d) None of the mentionedThe question was asked by my school teacher while I was bunking the class.Query is from The Diagonalization Languages topic in section Undecidability of Automata Theory

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Correct choice is (C) Both (a) and (B)

The explanation is: There are two types of TMs on the basis of halting: Recursive and RECURSIVELY Ennumerable(TM MAY or may not halt,could loop forever).