QUESTION BANK FOR DM
Q. Use a proof by contradiction to show that there is no rational number r for which r3 + r + 1 =
0.
Q. Prove that if n is a positive integer, then n is even if and only if 7n + 4 is even
Q. Prove that if m and n are integers and mn is even, then m is even or n is even.
Q. Prove that there are infinitely many solutions in positive integers x, y, and z to the equation
x2 + y2 = z2.
Q. What are the truth values of these statements?
a) ∃!xP(x) → ∃xP(x)
b) ∀xP(x) → ∃!xP(x)
c) ∃!x¬P(x) → ¬∀xP(x)
Q. Let Q(x) be the statement “x + 1 > 2x.” If the domain consists of all integers, what are these
truth values?
a) Q(0)
b) Q(−1)
c) Q(1)
d) ∃xQ(x)
e) ∀xQ(x)
f ) ∃x¬Q(x)
g) ∀x¬Q(x)
Q. Express each of these statements using logical operators, predicates, and quantifiers.
a) Some propositions are tautologies.
b) The negation of a contradiction is a tautology.
c) The disjunction of two contingencies can be a tautology.
d) The conjunction of two tautologies is a tautology.
Q. Express each of these statements using quantifiers. Then form the negation of the statement
so that no negation is to the left of a quantifier. Next, express the negation in simple English. (Do not
simply use the phrase “It is not the case that.”)
a) All dogs have fleas.
b) There is a horse that can add.
c) Every koala can climb.
d) No monkey can speak French.
e) There exists a pig that can swim and catch fish.
Q. Show that a subset of a countable set is also countable.
Q. Show that if x is a real number, then⌈x⌉−⌊x⌋=1 if x is not an integer and ⌈x⌉−⌊x⌋ = 0 if x is an integer.
Q. Prove that if n is an integer, then ⌊n ∕ 2⌋ = n ∕ 2 if n is even and (n−1) ∕ 2 if n is odd.
Q. Explain why A × B × C and (A × B) × C are not the same.
Q. Explain why (A × B) × (C × D) and A × (B × C) × D are not the same.
Q. How many different elements does A × B × C have if A has m elements, B has n elements, and C has p
elements?
Q. How many different elements does A × B have if A has m elements and B has n elements?
Q. In how many different ways can five elements be selected in order from a set with three elements
when repetition is allowed?
Q. In how many different ways can five elements be selected in order from a set with five elements
when repetition is allowed?
Q. A coin is flipped 10 times where each flip comes up either heads or tails. How many possible
outcomes
a) are there in total?
b) contain exactly two heads?
c) contain at most three tails?
d) contain the same number of heads and tails?
Q. How many permutations of the letters ABCDEFG contain
a) the string BCD?
b) the string CFGA?
c) the strings BA and GF?
d) the strings ABC and DE?
e) the strings ABC and CDE?
f) the strings CBA and BED?
Q. How many permutations of the letters ABCDEFGH contain
a) the string ED?
b) the string CDE?
c) the strings BA and FGH?
d) the strings AB, DE, and GH?
e) the strings CAB and BED?
f) the strings BCA and ABF?
Q. How many bit strings of length 12 contain a) exactly three 1s? b) at most three 1s? c) at least three
1s? d) an equal number of 0s and 1s?
Q. Thirteen people on a softball team show up for a game.
a) How many ways are there to choose10 players to take the field?
b) How many ways are there to assign the 10 positions by selecting players from the 13 people who
show up?
c) Of the 13 people who show up, three are women. How many ways are there to choose 10 players to
take the field if at least one of these players must be a woman?
Q. A club has 25 members.
a) How many ways are there to choose four members of the club to serve on an executive committee?
b) How many ways are there to choose a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer of the club,
where no person can hold more than one office?
Q. Suppose that a department contains 10 men and 15 women. How many ways are there to form a
committee with six members if it must have the same number of men and women?
Q. Suppose that a department contains 10 men and 15 women. How many ways are there to form a
committee with six members if it must have more women than men?
Q. How many bit strings of length 10 contain at least three 1s and at least three 0s?
Q. Suppose that every student in a discrete mathematics class of 25 students is a freshman, a
sophomore, or a junior.
a) Show that there are at least nine freshmen, at least nine sophomores, or at least nine juniors in the
class.
b) Show that there are either at least three freshmen, at least 19 sophomores, or at least five juniors in
the class.
