Mathematics 108 Exercises on Quantifiers

I. Translate the following English sentences into sym- V. Which of the following statements are true? The
bolic sentences with quantifiers. The universe for universe for each statement is given in parentheses.
each is given in parentheses. (Try to also write the (There is no need to justify. Recall the properties of
symbolic sentence such that every negation sym- the objects below from high school algebra and/or
bol has been distributed over quantifiers and logical calculus class.)
connectives.)
1. (∀ x )( x + x ≥ x ) R
( )
(N)
1. Not all precious stones are beautiful. (All stones)
2. (∀ x )( x + x ≥ x )
2. All precious stones are not beautiful. (All stones)
3. Some isosceles triangle is a right triangle. (All
3. (∃ x )(2x + 3 = 6x + 7) N
( )
triangles) 4. (∃ x )(3x ≥ x2 ) R
( )
4. No right triangle is isosceles. (All triangles) 5. (∀ x )(3x ≥ x ) (R)
5. All people are honest or no one is honest. (All 6. (∃ x )(3(2 − x ) = 5 + 8(1 − x )) ( )R
people) 7. (∀ x )( x2 + 6x + 5 ≥ 0) R
( )
(R)
6. Some people are honest and some people are not
8. (∀ x )( x2 + 4x + 5 ≥ 0)
honest. (All people)
7. Every nonzero real number is positive or nega- 9. (∃ x )( x2 − x + 41 is prime) N
( )
tive. (Real numbers) 10. (∀ x )( x2 − x + 41 is prime) (N)
8. Every integer is greater than 4 or less than 6. 11. (∀ x )(∀y)( x < y ⇒ (∃w)( x < w < y)) Q
( )
(Real numbers)
12. (∀ x )(∃y)( x + y = 0) R
( )
(R)
9. Every integer is greater than some integer. (Inte-
13. (∃y)(∀ x )( x + y = 0)
gers)
10. No integer is greater than every other integer. 14. (∃ x )(∃y)( x2 + y2 = −1) ( )R
(Integers) 15. (∀ x )( x > 0 ⇒ (∃y)(y < 0 ∧ xy > 0)) R
( )
11. Between any integer and any larger integer, there 16. (∀y)(∃ x )(∀z)( xy = xz) R
( )
is a real number. (Real numbers)
17. (∃ x )(∀y)( x ≤ y) R
( )
(R)
12. No one loves everybody. (All people)
18. (∀y)(∃ x )( x ≤ y)
13. Everybody loves someone. (All people)
14. For every positive real number x, there is a
19. (∃!y)(y < 0 ∧ y + 3 > 0) R
( )
unique real number y such that 2y = x. (Real 20. (∃!x )(∀y)( x = y2 ) R
( )
numbers) 21. (∀y)(∃!x )( x = y2 ) (R)
II. For each of the propositions in I., write a useful de-
nial, and give a translation into ordinary English.
R
VI. Let U = , and define the predicate P over U by
P( x, y): | x − y| ≤ 1. Determine whether the fol-
(It is also a good exercise to write one that begins
lowing statements are true or false. Justify your an-
positively, and another that begins negatively.)
swers briefly.
III. Give an English translation for each. The universe
is given in parentheses. 1. (∀ x )(∀y)( P( x, y))

1. (∀ x )( x ≥ 1) N( )
2. (∃ x )(∃y)( P( x, y))

2. (∃!x )( x ≥ 0 ∧ x ≤ 0) ( )R 3. (∀ x )(∃y)( P( x, y))

3. (∀ x )( x is prime ∧ x 6= 2 ⇒ x is odd) N
( ) 4. (∃ x )(∀y)( P( x, y))
4. (∃!x )(loge x = 1) ( )R Answers to selected items
5. R
¬(∃ x )( x2 < 0) ( )
6. R
(∃!x )( x2 = 0) ( ) I.1. ¬(∀ x )( x is precious ⇒ x is beautiful)
7. (∀ x )( x is odd ⇒ x2 is odd) ( )N Alternative: (∃ x )( x is precious ∧ x is not beautiful)

IV. Let U1 = {17}, U2 = {6}, U3 = {24}, U4 = II.1. All precious stones are beautiful.
{2, 3, 7, 26}. In which of these four different uni- Alternative: No precious stone is not beautiful.

Z
verses is the given statement true?
I.8. (∀ x )( x ∈ ⇒ ( x > −4 ∨ x < 6))
1. (∀ x )( x is odd ∧ x > 8)
2. (∀ x )( x is odd ⇒ x > 8) I.12. ¬(∃ x )(∀y)( x loves y)
Alternative: (∀ x )(∃y)( x does not love y)
3. (∃ x )( x is odd ∧ x > 8)
4. (∃ x )( x is odd ⇒ x > 8) III.7. The square of any odd natural number is also odd.