MATHEMATICS IN THE

MODERN WORLD
-MODULE 5-

Prepared by:

JESSICA R. ZALDIVIA
Course Instructor
 LOGIC OPERATORS

Truth Value and Truth Tables

 The truth table of a simple statement is either true (T) of false (F).
 The truth table of a compound statement depends on the truth values of its simple
statements and its connectives.
 A truth table is a table that shows the truth value of a compound statement for all
possible values of its simple statements.

Examples:

 Since a proposition has two possible truth values.

p
T
F
2n = number of rows, where n is the number of propositions.

For propositions p and q, we have the following table:

p q
T T
T F
F T
F F

Suppose p, q and r, are propositions. Then a truth table involving the given proposition
has 23 = 8 rows.

p q r
T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F
NEGATION

The negation of a proposition p is denoted by ∼p: (read as ‘not’ p,) and is defined
through its truth table:

p q
T F
F T
Write the negation of each statement.

p1: 2 is an odd number.

p2: The dog does not need to fed.
p3: The tinikling is the most difficult dance.

Solution:
∼p1: 2 is an even number.
 ∼p2: The dog need to fed.
∼p3: The tinikling is not the most difficult dance.

CONJUNCTION
The conjunction of a proposition p and q is denoted by p ∧q : (read as p and q and is
defined through its truth table:

p q p ∧q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F

Let p and q be the following propositions:

p: Today is Friday
q: It is raining.

Write the following conjunction as English sentences.

a. p ∧q
b. p ∧(∼ q)

Solution:
a. p ∧q : Today is Friday and it is raining.
b. p ∧(∼ q): Today is Friday and it is not raining.

DISJUNCTION
The disjunction of a proposition p and q is denoted by p ∨q : (read as p or q) and is
defined through its truth table:

p q p ∨q
T T T
T F T
F T T
F F F

The truth table above tells that disjunction p ∨q is false only when both disjuncts p and
q are false.

Let p, q and r be the following propositions

p: Victor has a date with Liza.
q: John is sleeping.
r: Lance is eating.

Express the following propositions in English sentences or in symbols, as the case may
be.
a) p ∨q
b) p ∨(∼ r)
c) p ∨(q ∨r )
d) Either Victor has a date with Liza or John is sleeping, or Lance is eating.
e) Either Victor has a date with Liza, or John is sleeping and Lance is eating.
 Solution:
a) Victor has a date with Liza or John is sleeping.
b) Either John is sleeping, or Lance is not eating.
c) Either Victor has a date with Liza, or John is sleeping or Lance is eating.
d) ( p ∨q) ∨r
e) p ∨(q ∧r )

CONDITIONAL

The conditional of a proposition p and q is denoted by p →q : (read as ‘If p, then q’) and
is defined through its truth table:
p q p →q
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T

The conditional p →q may also be read as ‘p implies q’. The proposition p is called the
hypothesis, while the proposition q is called the conclusion.

Suppose that Sachi is a Grade 11 student. Consider the following conditionals.

p1: If Sachi is in Grade 11, then she is a senior high school student.
p2: If Sachi is in Grade 11, then she is working as a lawyer.
p3: If Sachi has a degree in computer science, then she believes in true love.

Analyze the truth values of these conditionals.

Solution:
p q p →q
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T

p1: p1 is true, as the first row of the truth table asserts.

p2: p2 is false, as the second row of the truth table indicates.
p3: According to the last two rows of the truth table, p3 is true regardless of the
truth value of its conclusion.

BICONDITIONAL

The biconditional of a proposition p and q is denoted by p ↔q : (read as ‘p if and only if

q’) and is defined through its truth table:
p q p ↔q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F T
The propositions may also be written as ‘p iff q’. The propositions p and q are the
components of the biconditional.
 Suppose that Sachi is a Grade 11 student. Consider the following conditionals.

p1: If Sachi is in Grade 11, then she is a senior high school student.
p2: If Sachi is in Grade 11, then she is working as a lawyer.
p3: If Sachi has a degree in computer science, then she believes in true love.

Analyze the truth values of these biconditionals.

Solution:
p q p ↔q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F T

p1: both simple components of p1 are true. Hence, the biconditional is true,
according to the first row of the truth table.
p2: the biconditional is false as the second row of the truth table indicates.
p3: the biconditional is false.

TRUTH TABLES FOR CONDITIONAL AND BICONDITIONAL

Example 1: Construct a truth table for P → ∼Q.

Solution:

P Q ∼Q P → ∼Q Note:
T T F F p q p →q
T F T T T T T
F T F T T F F
F F T T F T T
F F T

Example 1: Construct a truth table for ∼P →Q.

Solution:

P Q ∼P ∼P → Q Note:
T T F T p q p →q
T F F T T T T
F T T T T F F
F F T F F T T
F F T
EXAMPLE 3: Construct a truth table for P ∨(Q → ∼P).
Solution:
Note:
P Q ∼P Q →∼ P P ∨(Q → ∼P).
p q p ∨q p q p →q
T T F F T
T F F T T T T T T T T
F T T T T T F T T F F
F F T T T F T T F T T
F F F F F T

EXAMPLE 4: Construct a truth table for (P →Q)↔(∼ P → Q).

Solution:
Note:
P Q ∼ P (P →Q) ∼ P →Q (P →Q)↔( ∼P → Q)
p q p ↔q p q p →q
T T F T T T
T F F F T F T T T T T T
F T T T T T T F F T F F
F F T T F F F T F F T T
F F T F F T

EXAMPLE 5: Construct a truth table for (P ∧Q)↔(P →∼ Q).

Solution:
Note:
P Q ∼Q (P ∧Q) P →∼Q P ∧Q ¿↔(P → ∼ Q).
p q p ↔q p q p →q
T T F T F F
T F T F T F T T T T T T
F T F F T F T F F T F F
F F T F T F F T F F T T
F F T F F T
 LEARNING ACTIVITY 5.1

Student’s Name: ___________________________________ Score: _______________

Year/Section: ______________________________________ Date: _______________

A. Write each symbolic statement as an English sentence. Use p, q, r, s and t as defined

below.
p: Taylor Swift is a singer.
q: Taylor Swift is not a singer.
r: Taylor Swift is an actress.
s: Taylor Swift plays the piano.
t: Taylor Swift does not play the guitar.

1. (p ∨ r) ∧ q
2. ∼s → (p ∧∼ q )
3. t ↔ (∼r ∧∼q )

B. Determine the truth value of the following conditionals and biconditionals.

1. If x is an even integer, then x2 is an even integer.
2. If all frogs can dance, then today is Monday.
3. If 4 < 3, then 8 = 8.
4. x2 = 9 if and only if x = 3.
5. 4 = 7 if and only if 2 = 3.

C. Construct truth table for the following symbolic statements.

1. ∼ P ∨(∼ Q → P)
2. (P →∼Q)↔(∼ P → Q).