Mathematics Language and Symbols

Shiela May M. Ledesma, MAS

Mathematics and Statistics Department
CSM,WMSU

Mathematics Language and Symbols

Logic

Topic Outline
1 Statement or proposition
2 Simple Statements and Compound Statements
3 Truth Value and Truth Tables
4 Writing Compound Statements in Symbolic Form
5 Translate Symbolic Statements

Mathematics Language and Symbols

Logic

Logic
Allows us to determine the validity of arguments in and out of
mathematics
Illustrates the importance of precision and conciseness of the
language of mathematics
Every language contains different types of sentences, such as state-
ments, questions, and commands.
Statement or Propositions
Must express a complete thought.
A declarative sentence that is either true or false but not both.

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Exercises 1.
Determine whether each sentence is a statement(proposition).
1 Zamboanga del Sur is a province in the Philippines.
2 92 + 2 is a prime number.
3 x +1=5
4 All multiples of 5 are odd numbers.
5 xis a real number.
6 Open the door.
7 7055 is a large number

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Simple Statements and Compound Statements

A simple statement is a statement that conveys a single idea. A
compound statement is a statement that conveys two or more
ideas.

Connectives
and
or
if ... then
if and only

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Statement Connective Symbolic form Type of statemen

not p not p negation
p and q and p∧q conjunction
p or q or p∨q disjunction
If p, then q If . . . then p⇒q conditional
p if and only if q if and only if p⇔q biconditional

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Truth Value and Truth Tables

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

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Negation of the statement

Statement: Today is Friday.
Negation: Today is not Friday.

Truth Table for ¬p or (∼ p)

p ¬p
T F
F T

Exercise 2: Write the negation of each statement.

1 Bill Gates has a yacht.
2 Avatar was not selected as best picture at the 82nd Academy
Awards ceremony.
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Exercise 3: Write Compound Statements in Symbolic Form

Consider the following simple statements.
p : Today is Friday.
q It is raining.
r : I am going to a movie.
s: I am not going to the basketball game.
1 Today is friday and it is raining.
2 It is not raining and I am going to a movie.
3 If it is raining, then I am not going to the basketball game.
4 I am going to the basketball game and I am not going to a
movie.
5 I am going to the movie if and only if it is raining.

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Exercise 4: Translate Symbolic Statements

Consider the following statements:
p: The game will be played in Atlanta.
q: The game will be shown on CBS.
r : The game will not be shown on ESPN.
s: The Dodgers are favored to win.
1 q∧p
2 s ⇔ ¬p
3 ¬r ∧ s

Mathematics Language and Symbols

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Compound Statements and Grouping Symbols

If a compound statement is written in sybolic form, the parentheses
are used to indicate which simple statements are grouped together.
Statements on the same side of a comma are grouped together.
Symbolic Form English Sentence
p ∧ (q ∨ ¬r ) p, and q or not r.
(p ∧ q) ∨ r p and q, or r .
(p ∧ ¬q) ⇒ (r ∨ s) If p and not q, then r or s.

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Exercise 5: Translate Compound Statements

Let p, q, and r represent the following.
p: You get a promotion.
q: You complete the training.
r : You will receive a bonus.
1 Write (p ∧ q) ⇒ r as an English sentence.
2 Write ”If you do not complete the training, then you will not
get a promotion and you will not receive a bonus.” in
symbolic form.

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Combining Statements
Truth Value of a Conjunction
The conjunction p ∧ q is true if and only if both p and q are true.

Truth Value of a Disjunction

The disjunction p ∨ q is true if and only if p is true, q is true, or
both p and q are true.
Exercise 6: Determine whether each statement is true or false.

1 5 is a whole number and 5 is an even number.

2 8≥5
3 2 is a prime number and 2 is an even number.

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Conditional Statements
Conditional statements can be written in if p, then q form or in if
p, q form.
Arrow Notation: p ⇒ q. read as ”if p, then q” or as ”p implies q.
Suppose your teacher makes the promise that ”if you pass the exam,
then you will pass the course”. Under what circumstances did he/she
break his/her promise?
Antecedent Consequent p⇒q
p q You pass the exam ⇒
You pass the exam You pass the course You pass the course
T T ?
T F ?
F T ?
F F ?

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Truth Value of the Conditional p ⇒ q

The conditional p ⇒ q is false if p is true and q is false. It is true
in all other cases.
Exercise 7: If 4 ≥ 3, then 2 + 5 = 6.
Other grammatical constructions for ”If p then q”.
q if p
q whenever p
q, provided that p.
Whenever p, then also q.
p is a sufficient condition for q.
For q, it is sufficient that p.
p only if q.

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Biconditional Statements
The statement (p ⇒ q) ∧ (q ⇒ p) is called a biconditional and is
denoted by p ⇔ q, which is read as ” p if and only if q”.
Exercise 8: Determine whether each biconditional statement below
is true or false.
1 x + 4 = 7 if and only if x = 3.
2 x 2 = 36 if and only if x = 6.
Other Grammatical constructions for ”P if and only if Q”.
P is a necessary and sufficient condition for Q.
For P it is necessary and sufficient that Q.
If P, then Q and conversely.

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Two statements are equivalent if they both have the same value for
all possible truth values of their simple statements.
Equivalent Forms of the Conditional
Given: P ⇒ Q
Converse: Q ⇒ P
Inverse: ¬P ⇒ ¬Q
Contrapositive: ¬Q ⇒ ¬P The statement P ⇒ Q is equivalent to
¬Q ⇒ ¬P.

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Exercise 9:
1 Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of ”If I get
the job, then I will rent the apartment.”
2 Determine whether Related Statements are Equivalent
1 If a number ends with a 5, then the numbers is divisible by 5.
If a number is divisible by 5, then the number ends with a 5.
2 If two lines in a plane do not intersect, then the lines are
parallel.
If two lines in a plane are parallel, then the lines intersect.

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Truth Table
1 Construct a truth table for ¬(¬p ∨ q) ∨ q
2 Use the truth table from part 1 to determine the truth value
of ¬(¬p ∨ q) ∨ q, given that p is true and q is false.
3 Construct a truth table for (p ∧ ¬q) ∨ (¬p ∨ q).
4 Use the truth table that you constructed in part 3 to
determine the truth value of (p ∧ ¬q) ∨ (¬p ∨ q), given that p
is true and q is false.

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Quantifiers
Existential quantifiers are used as prefixes to assert the existence
of something.
some
there exists
at least one
Symbol: ∃
Example: ”There exists an object x in the universe”, which is
expressed as
∃x, x > 1

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Quantifiers
The universal quantifiers none and no deny the existence of
something, whereas the universal quantifiers all and every are used
to assert that every element of a given satistfies some condition.
”For all” or ”For every”
Symbol: ∀
Example: For every object x in the universe, x > 1, which expressed
as
∀x, x > 1
. Exercise 10: Express the following in symbolic form.
1 All students are smart.
2 There exist a student.
3 There exists a smart student
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Quantified Statements and their Negations

Statement Negation
All X are Y Some X are not Y .
No X are Y Some X are Y .

Write the negation of each of the following statements.

1 Some airports are open.
2 All movies are worth the price of admission.
3 No odd numbers are divisible by 2.

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References:
Aufmann, Lockwood, Nation, Clegg (”Mathematical Excursions”)
Batazar, Ragasa, Evangelista (”Mathemtics in the Modern World”)

Mathematics Language and Symbols