Converse, Inverse, and

Lesson Contrapositive
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What I Need to Know

With aspects of the implication in our rear view mirror, we now want to form new
compound statement from that original implication. These new statements are called
converse, inverse, and contrapositive.

Logically equivalent statements are related conditional statements that have the
same truth value. Understanding the key concepts in dealing with if-then statement is much
of help in this lesson.

In this lesson, you will illustrate the equivalences of the statement and its
contrapositive, and the converse and inverse of a statement.

What’s In

Activity 1 “Give Me a Statement”

Study the table below to recall how you will convert the statement in terms of p and q.

Statement If p, then q
Converse If q, then p
Inverse If not p, then not q
Contrapositive If not q, then not p

Determine the inverse, converse, and contrapositive of the following if-then

statement.

Conditional: If a shape is a triangle, then it is a polygon.

Hypothesis: _______________________________________________
Conclusion: _______________________________________________
Converse: ______________________________________________________
Inverse: ________________________________________________________
Contrapositive: __________________________________________________

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 In the next section, you will find out the equivalences of the given if-then statement
and its contrapositive, and the converse and inverse of a statement.

What’s New

How can you determine truth value of the conditional statement?

Recall thatthe implication (conditional statement) p ⟶ q is always true except in
the case that p is true and q is false. See the truth table for the implications below.
Conditional Statement Truth Value
p q ( p → q)
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T

The truth value of conditional statement is either true or false. It is false only when
the hypothesis is true and the conclusion is false.

Illustrative Example: Determine the truth value of the following related conditionals.

Conditional: If a shape is a triangle, then it is a polygon.

The given statement is true since all triangles are polygons.

Converse: If a shape is a polygon, then it is a triangle.

Analyse the converse. Is it true? If not, give a counter example. A counterexample
is any example that shows the statement is false.
The converse is false because a square is also a polygon. It is not necessarily a
triangle. Square is what you call a counterexample.

Inverse: If a shape is not a triangle, then it is not a polygon.

The inverse is false because a square is not a triangle but it is a polygon.

Contrapositive: If a shape is not a polygon, then it is not a triangle.

The contrapositive is true since you cannot find a shape which is not a polygon but a
triangle.

Activity 2“Study Show”

Study the table below and show the truth value of the statements.

Statement If-then form Converse Inverse Contrapositive

An even If a number is If a number is If a number is If a number is
number is even, then it is divisible by 2, not even, then it not divisible by
divisible by divisible by 2. then it is even. is not divisible 2, then it is not
two. by 2. even.
Truth Value

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 What Is It

From the example and the activity above, notice that the given statement and its
contrapositive have the same truth value. Therefore, the conditional statement is logically
equivalent to its contrapositive. Likewise with the converse of a statement is logically
equivalent to the inverse of a statement.

Logically equivalent statements are statements that have the same logical content,
i.e., truth value.

Illustrative examples:
Illustrate the equivalences of the statement and its contrapositive; and the converse
and inverse of a statement.

1. If a number is divisible by 2, then it is divisible by 4.

Solution:
Conditional: The given statement is false. Counterexample: 6 is divisible by 2 but not
divisibleby 4.
Converse: If a number is divisible by 4, then it is divisible by 2. The converse is true.
Inverse: If a number is not divisible by 2, then it is not divisible by 4. The inverse is true.
Contrapositive: If a number is not divisible by 4, then it is not divisible by 2. The
contrapositive is false. Counterexample: 6 is not divisible by 4 but divisibleby 2.

Therefore, the statement and its contrapositive are both false while the converse and
inverse of the statement are both true. Thus, the statement and its contrapositive; and the
converse and inverse of a statement are logically equivalent.

2. If a bird is an ostrich, then it cannot fly.

Solution:
Conditional: The given statement is true.
Converse: If a bird cannot fly, then it is an ostrich.The converse is false.
Counterexample: The bird could be a penguin.
Inverse: If a bird is not an ostrich, then it can fly. Theinverse is false.
Counterexample: The bird could be a penguin.
Contrapositive: If a bird can fly, then the bird is not an ostrich. The contrapositive is true.

Therefore, the statement and its contrapositive are both false while the converse
and inverse of the statement are both true. Thus, the statement and its contrapositive; and
the converse and inverse of a statement are logically equivalent.

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 What’s More

Activity 3 “Fill me Up”

Given the statements below, complete the following table to illustrate the
equivalences of a statement and its contrapositive; and the converse and inverse of the
statement.
TRUT
H
RELATED CONDITIONALS Counterexample
VALU
E
If two angles are right, then they are
Conditional congruent. True N/A
If two angles are congruent, then they are
Converse right.
If two angles are not right, then they are not
Inverse congruent.
Contrapositiv If two angles are not congruent, then they
e are not right.

What I Have Learned

Activity 4 “State the Truth”

Direction: Illustrate the equivalences of the statement and its contrapositive; and the
converse and inverse of a statement by completing the following table and paragraph
below.
TRUTH
RELATED CONDITIONALS Counterexample
VALUE
If a number is a whole number,
Conditional
then it is an integer.

Converse

Inverse

Contrapositiv
e

Therefore, the ___________ and its ___________ are both _________while

the___________ and____________ of the statement are both ____________. Thus, the
___________ and its ____________, and the ___________and ______________of a
statement are _______________ equivalent.
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 What I Can Do

Activity 5“Relate ‘n Table”

Write the related conditional statements of the following conditional statement.
Determine its truth value and identify which statements are equivalent.

Table 1
TRUTH
RELATED CONDITIONALS Counterexample
VALUE
If yesterday is Tuesday, then today
Conditional
is Wednesday.
Converse

Inverse

Contrapositiv
e

Equivalent Statements: __________________________________________

__________________________________________

Table 2
TRUTH
RELATED CONDITIONALS Counterexample
VALUE
If an animal has stripes, then it is a
Conditional
zebra.
Converse

Inverse

Contrapositiv
e

Equivalent Statements: __________________________________________

__________________________________________

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ASSESSMENT
Direction: Encircle the correct answer.

1. What is the equivalent truth value of an inverse statement?

A. Conditional B. Converse C. Statement D. Contrapositive

2. The statement, “If two angles are not congruent, then they do not have the same
measures.” is logically equivalent as ______.
A. If two angles do not have the same measures, then they are not congruent.
B. If two angles have the same measures, then they are congruent.
C. If two angles are not congruent, then they have the same measures.
D. If two angles are congruent, then they have the same measures.

3. Which statement has the same truth value as the following statement?
“If a figure is a segment, then it has exactly one midpoint.”
A. If a figure is not a segment, then it does not have exactly one midpoint.
B. If a figure is a segment, then it does not have exactly one midpoint.
C. If a figure has exactly one midpoint, then it is not a segment.
D. If a figure does not have exactly one midpoint, then it is not a segment

4. Which of the following best describes deductive reasoning?

A. Using logic to draw conclusions based on accepted statements.
B. Accepting the meaning of a term without definition.
C. Defining mathematical terms in relation to physical objects.
D. Inferring a general truth by examining a number of specific examples.

5. What conclusion can you draw from the following two statements?
If a person does not get enough sleep, that person will be tired.
Carl does not get enough sleep.
A. Carl will get enough sleep. C. Carl will be tired.
B. Carl should get enough sleep. D. Carl will not be tired.

6. What law of deductive reasoning is used in item #5?

A. Law of Syllogism C. Modus Tollens
B. Modus Ponens D. Law of Contrapositive

7. It uses specific examples to arrive at a general rule, generalizations, or conclusion.

A. Deductive reasoning C. Inductive reasoning
B. Law of Syllogism D. Law of Detachment

8. What conclusion can you draw from the following two statements?
If you have a job, then you have an income.
If you have an income, then you must pay taxes.
A. If you have a job, then you must pay taxes.
B. If you don’t have a job, then you don’t pay taxes.
C. If you pay taxes then you have a job.