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Can a non regular language be a subset of a regular language

By Emma Terry
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If I have a Language A and A is not regular and A is a subset of B, then B can't be regular.

I think this is False. Because I can have B = {a^m b^n | m,n >= 0} A = {a^m b^m | m >=0 }

A is not regular and B is regular. And A is a subset of B. So it is possible for B to be regular.

I just a bit confused and want to know if this thought would be correct or not?

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1 Answer

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Your argument is correct, but there is a simpler example. Let $A$ be any nonregular language on a finite alphabet $\Sigma$. Then $A$ is a subset of $\Sigma^*$, but $\Sigma^*$ is regular.

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