Lexical analysis is one of the simplest aspects of compilers
Almost never a problem in practice
Why do we need to study it?
So we study it first.
lamppost = a metal post supporting an outdoor lamp (such as a streetlight)
What are you doing?
Where did you lose it?
Then why are you looking for it here and not there?
The problem can be described using finite state machines
Automated lexical analysis techniques are easier to understand