Understanding Lexical Analyzer

What is the primary purpose of a lexical analyzer?

• To manage memory allocation during runtime.

• To compile the source code into machine language.

• To optimize the execution speed of the program.

• To convert source code into tokens for further processing.

Define tokenization in the context of compilers.

• Tokenization is the process of converting a sequence of characters in source code into a sequence of tokens.

• Tokenization is the method of debugging source code during compilation.

• Tokenization is the process of compiling source code into machine code.

• Tokenization refers to the optimization of code execution in compilers.

What is a lexeme? Give an example.

• The word 'run' is a lexeme, encompassing its various forms like 'runs', 'running', and 'ran'.

• The word 'happy' is a lexeme, but it has no variations.

• The word 'jump' is a lexeme, only referring to its base form.

• A lexeme is a type of punctuation mark, like a comma.

How do tokens differ from lexemes?

• Tokens are categories of meaning; lexemes are the actual character sequences.

• Tokens represent specific instances; lexemes are general concepts.

• Tokens are used in programming; lexemes are used in natural language.

• Tokens are the actual character sequences; lexemes are categories of meaning.

Explain the role of regular expressions in lexical analysis.

• Regular expressions help define patterns for recognizing tokens in lexical analysis.

• Regular expressions are primarily for data storage and retrieval.

• Regular expressions are only applicable in web development.

• Regular expressions are used to compile source code directly.

What is the significance of a finite automaton in tokenization?

• Finite automata enable efficient pattern recognition for tokenization.

• Finite automata are used for data storage in databases.

• Finite automata are only applicable in natural language processing.

• Finite automata are primarily for graphical user interface design.

Describe the process of identifying tokens from a source code.

• Formatting the code for better readability

• The process of identifying tokens from source code involves reading the code, removing comments, defining token patterns, scanning the code, and extracting tokens.

• Running the code to check for errors

• Compiling the code into machine language

What are some common types of tokens in programming languages?

• variables

• functions

• Keywords, identifiers, literals, operators, punctuation

• classes

How does a lexer handle whitespace and comments?

• A lexer replaces whitespace and comments with variable names.

• A lexer ignores whitespace and comments, treating them as non-significant.

• A lexer processes whitespace and comments as significant tokens.

• A lexer converts whitespace and comments into executable code.

What is the purpose of error handling in a lexer?

• To enhance the readability of the source code.

• The purpose of error handling in a lexer is to identify and manage invalid tokens or syntax errors.

• To convert tokens into machine code.

• To optimize the performance of the lexer.