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7 - Module 7 - Elementary Logic

This document provides an overview of elementary logic. It defines propositions, simple statements, and compound statements. It explains the key logical connectives - negation, conjunction, disjunction, conditional, and biconditional. Examples are given of writing compound propositions using these connectives in both statement form and symbolic logical notation. The purpose is to introduce the basic concepts and building blocks of propositional logic.

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Sapphire Au Martin
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114 views5 pages

7 - Module 7 - Elementary Logic

This document provides an overview of elementary logic. It defines propositions, simple statements, and compound statements. It explains the key logical connectives - negation, conjunction, disjunction, conditional, and biconditional. Examples are given of writing compound propositions using these connectives in both statement form and symbolic logical notation. The purpose is to introduce the basic concepts and building blocks of propositional logic.

Uploaded by

Sapphire Au Martin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

MMW 101
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

Module 7
Elementary Logic
“Achieving Universal Understanding and
Peace Through the Language of
Mathematics”
Elementary Logic

Objectives of the Module

At the end of the module, you should be able to:


1. Identify propositions
2. Distinguish the kinds of propositional logic
3. Write compound propositions in statements and symbolic forms

Logic is the discipline that deals with the methods of reasoning. It is regarded
as one of the oldest intellectual disciplines in the history of humanity. It was the Greek
philosopher Aristotle who pioneered logical reasoning. Throughout centuries, logic has
immensely influenced other fields such as philosophy, mathematics, science,
engineering, business, and law, to name a few.
Logic is essential in our daily lives. It helps steer us in the direction of the truth
and away from falsehood. Thus, it helps us in expressing our ideas and opinions and
in making decisions.
Propositions, Simple and Compound Statements

The first step to learning logic is to identify propositions. A proposition,


sometimes called a statement, is a declarative sentence that is either true or false, but
not both. To represent propositions, we symbolically use lower case letters a, b, c, d,
…, p, q, r, s, … or z. When several statements are involved, they can be denoted as
𝑝1 , 𝑝2, … , 𝑝𝑛 .

The table shows examples of propositions and sentences that are not
propositions.
Examples of Propositions Examples of not a Proposition
1. Tarlac is a province in Region III. 1. Where is your teacher? (It is
(True) a question.)
2. Elephants have wings. (False) 2. Open the door. (It is a
command.)
3. 15 – 2x = 8, if x = 5. (False) 3. Ouch! (an exclamation)
4. Twenty is less than fifty. (True) 4. This food is delicious.
(subjective)
5. 52 + 1 is a prime number. (False) 5. 5x + 2y = 7 (There are no
assigned values to x and y.)

Propositions can either be a simple statement or a compound statement.


A simple statement is a single statement that does not have other statements
as parts.

1
A compound statement contains two or more statements joined by logical
connectives.
Try this!
Which of the following are propositions?
a. I am a freshman student.
b. Answer the exercises.
c. −9 + 15 = −6

Logic Connectives and Symbols


The table that follows shows the kinds of propositional logic, their corresponding
connectives, and symbols.
Propositional Symbolic
Connective Symbol/Term Read as
Logic Form
~curl or tilde ~p
Negation not not p
¬ dash with a tail ¬p
Conjunction and/but ∧caret mark p∧q p and q
Disjunction or ∨wedge or vee p∨q p or q
if p, then q
p implies q
p only if q
Conditional/
if..., then →right arrow p→q q if p
Implication
q whenever p
q is necessary
for p
p if and only if
q
↔double-headed
Biconditional if and only if p↔q p implies q,
arrow
and q implies
p

The following examples show how to write compound propositions in statements


and their symbolic forms. Let us start first with negation though it is a simple statement
but can be a part of a compound proposition.

A. Negation:

Proposition Negation
p: The traffic in EDSA is heavy. ~p: The traffic in EDSA is not
heavy.
q: Today is Friday ~q: Today is not Friday.
r: I do not like milk tea. ~r: I like milk tea.
s: The students did not attend ~s: The students attended the
the webinar webinar.
t: 23 + 34  57 ~t: 23 + 34 = 57
2
B. Conjunction:

Let p, q, r, and s be the propositions:


p: Russel is not happy.
q: Russel is going to a party.
r: It is a holiday.
s: Jack is not invited.

Compound Propositions Symbolic Form


1. Russel is not happy but it is a holiday. p ∧¬r
2. It is not a holiday and Russel is happy. ¬r ∧¬p
3. Russel is going to a party but Jack is not invited. q∧s

C. Disjunction:

Let p, q, and r be the propositions:


p: Jerald is a producer.
q: Jerald is a composer.
r: Jerald is a model.

Compound Propositions Symbolic Form


1. Jerald is a producer or Jerald is a composer. p∨q
2. Jerald is a model or Jerald is not a composer. r ∨¬q
3. Jerald is not a producer or Jerald is not a model. ¬p ∨¬r

D. Conditional:

In "if p, then q", p is called the antecedent (hypothesis or premise), and


q is called the consequent (or the conclusion).

Let p, q, and r be the propositions:


p: It is going to rain.
q: I will not go out.
r: Cherry is going to visit a friend.
Compound Propositions Symbolic Form
1. If it is going to rain, then I will not go out. p→q
( in the if p then q form)
2. I will not go out if it is going to rain. p→q
(in the q if p form)
3. I will not go out whenever it is going to rain. p→q
(in the q whenever p form)
4. If it is not going to rain, then Cherry is going to ~p → r
visit a friend.
5. If it is not going to rain, then I will go out. ~p → ~q
3
E. Biconditional:
Let p, q, and r be the propositions:
p: Lewis is a singer.
q: Lewis is a vocalist.
r: Lewis is a recording artist.

Compound Propositions Symbolic Form


1. Lewis is a vocalist if and only if Lewis is a singer. q↔p
2. Lewis is a recording artist if and only if Lewis is a r↔p
singer.
3. Lewis is not a recording artist if and only if Lewis ~r ↔ ~p
is not a singer.

Now let us translate the following logic symbols into words. Consider the following
statements:

m: Cathy is good at science.


n: Cathy is good at math.
s: Cathy is a scholar.
t: Cathy is an athlete.

1. t ∧ s Cathy is an athlete and Cathy is a scholar.


Cathy is an athlete but Cathy is a scholar.
2. ~m ∨~n Cathy is not good at Science or Cathy is not good at
Math.
3. (m ∧ n) → s If Cathy is good at Science and Cathy is good at Math,
then Cathy is a scholar.
4. s ↔ (m ∧ n) Cathy is a scholar if and only if Cathy is good at Science
or Cathy is good at Math.
5. (~m ∧~n) ∧t Cathy is not good at Science and Cathy is not good at
Math, but Cathy is an athlete.
6. (t ∧ s) → n If Cathy is an athlete and Cathy is a scholar, then Cathy is
good at Math.

Try this!

Translate (~s ∧ ~t) ∧ (m ∧ n) into words.

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