CSC/MAT A67 Tutorial 2 — Propositional Logic Continued

1 arguments and truth tables (to be submitted)

Recall the two arguments from last week’s tutorial.
1. Either John or Bill is telling the truth. Either Sam or Bill is lying. Therefore, either John is
telling the truth or Sam is lying.
2. Jane and Pete won’t both win the math prize. Pete will win either the math prize or the
chemistry prize. Jane will win the math prize. Therefore, Pete will win the chemistry prize.
Demonstrate (properly this time!) whether these arguments are valid or not.

Solutions: An argument is valid if whenever the premises are true, the conclusion is also true.
We begin by analysing the logical form of the argument. Then we construct a corresponding truth
table and examine it. If in every row of the table that has value true for each premise, the value
for the conclusion is also true, we know that the argument is valid.
1. Let J stand for “John is telling the truth”, B stand for “Bill is telling the truth”, and S stand
for “Sam is telling the truth”. Then:
J ∨B premise 1
¬S ∨ ¬B premise 2
Therefore, J ∨ ¬S conclusion

J B S J∨B ¬S∨¬B J∨¬S

T T T TTT FTFFT TTFT
T T F TTT TFTFT TTTF
T F T TTF FTTTF TTFT
T F F TTF TFTTF TTTF
F T T FTT FTFFT FFFT
F T F FTT TFTFT FTTF
F F T FFF FTTTF FFFT
F F F FFF TFTTF FTTF
We conclude that the argument is valid.
Notice the format of our truth table. The firth variable has value T in the first half of the rows
and F in the second half. The second variable has value T in the first quarter of the rows, F
in the second quarter, T in the third quarter, and F in the fourth quarter of the rows. The
third variable has value T in the first eighth of the rows, etc. We remind you that in this class,
we require that all truth tables you submit for grading have this format. Imagine,
how incredibly difficult grading would be, if people used different formats!
2. Let JM stand for “Jane will win the math prize”, P M stand for “Pete will win the math
prize”, JC stand for “Jane will win the chemistry prize”, P C stand for “Pete will win the
chemistry prize”. Then:
¬(JM ∧ P M ) premise 1
PM ∨ PC premise 2
JM premise 3
Therefore, P C conclusion

1
 JM PM JC PC ¬( JM ∧ PM) PM ∨ PC JM PC
T T T T F T T T TTT T T
T T T F F T T T TTF T F
T T F T F T T T TTT T T
T T F F F T T T TTF T F
T F T T T T F F FTT T T
T F T F T T F F FFF T F
T F F T T T F F FTT T T
T F F F T T F F FFF T F
F T T T T F F T TTT F T
F T T F T F F T TTF F F
F T F T T F F T TTT F T
F T F F T F F T TTF F F
F F T T T F F F FTT F T
F F T F T F F F FFF F F
F F F T T F F F FTT F T
F F F F T F F F FFF F F
We conclude that the argument is valid.

Note: A solution that does not use the variable JC is also correct, since it is not used in the
premises or the conclusion.
JM PM PC ¬( JM ∧ PM) PM ∨ PC JM PC
T T T F T T T TTT T T
T T F F T T T TTF T F
T F T T T F F FTT T T
T F F T T F F FFF T F
F T T T F F T TTT F T
F T F T F F T TTF F F
F F T T F F F FTT F T
F F F T F F F FFF F F

2 logical equivalences (to be submitted)

For each pair of expressions, either prove that the two are equivalent or prove that they are not.
1. (a ∧ b) ∨ (b ∧ c) ∨ d and (a ∧ b ∧ c) ∨ d
Notice that since (a ∧ b) ∧ c eqv a ∧ (b ∧ c), we omit parentheses and write a ∧ b ∧ c. This is
simply a shorthand.
Solutions: Let a = b = true and c = d = f alse. Then (a∧b)∨(b∧c)∨d = (T ∧T )∨(T ∧F )∨F =
T ∨ F ∨ F = T , but (a ∧ b ∧ c) ∨ d = (T ∧ T ∧ F ) ∨ F = F ∨ F = F . The two expressions are
not equivalent.
2. ¬(a ∨ b) ∧ ¬c and ¬(a ∨ b ∨ c)
Solutions:

¬(a ∨ b) ∧ ¬c de Morgan’s
eqv ¬((a ∨ b) ∨ c) shorthand
eqv ¬(a ∨ b ∨ c)

The two expressions are equivalent.

3. ¬(a ∧ b) ∨ c and ¬a ∨ ¬(b ∧ ¬c)

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 Solutions:

¬(a ∧ b) ∨ c de Morgan’s
eqv (¬a ∨ ¬b) ∨ c associative
eqv ¬a ∨ (¬b ∨ c) double negation
eqv ¬a ∨ (¬b ∨ ¬¬c) de Morgan’s
eqv ¬a ∨ ¬(b ∧ ¬c)

The two expressions are equivalent.

4. ¬(P ∨ Q) ∨ ¬Q and ¬Q
Solutions:

¬(P ∨ Q) ∨ ¬Q de Morgan’s
eqv (¬P ∧ ¬Q) ∨ ¬Q commutative
eqv ¬Q ∨ (¬P ∧ ¬Q) commutative
eqv ¬Q ∨ (¬Q ∧ ¬P ) absorption
eqv ¬Q

The two expressions are equivalent.

5. ¬A ∧ ¬(B ∧ C) and ¬(A ∨ B) ∨ ¬(A ∨ C)
Solutions:

¬A ∧ ¬(B ∧ C) de Morgan’s
eqv ¬A ∧ (¬B ∨ ¬C) distributive
eqv (¬A ∧ ¬B) ∨ (¬A ∧ ¬C) de Morgan’s twice
eqv ¬(A ∨ B) ∨ ¬(A ∨ C)

The two expressions are equivalent.

Show that the following pairs of expressions are not equivalent:

1. a → b and a ∧ b
Solutions:
Let a = b = f alse. Then a → b = F → F = T but a ∧ b = F ∧ F = F . The two expressions
are not equivalent.

2. a → b and ¬a → ¬b
Solutions:
Let a = true and b = f alse. Then a → b = T → F = F but ¬a → ¬b = ¬T → ¬F = F →
T = T . The two expressions are not equivalent.
3. (a → b) ∧ (b → c) and (a ∧ b) → c
Solutions: Let a = true and b = c = f alse. Then (a ∧ b) → c = (T ∧ F ) → F = F → F = T
but (a → b) ∧ (b → c) = (T → F ) ∧ (F → F ) = F ∧ T = F . The two expressions are not
equivalent.

3 conditional statements (do not submit)

A few ways of expressing P → Q in mathematics:
• P implies Q.
• if P then Q.

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• Q, if P .
• P is a sufficient condition for Q.
• Q is a necessary condition for P .
Solutions: Notice the direction of implication with:
• “A, if B”: A ← B
• “A only if B”: A → B
• “A if and only if B”: A ↔ B equivalently (A ← B) ∧ (A → B)
Analyse the logical forms of each of the following English statements.
1. Mary will sell her house only if she can get a good price and find a nice apartment.
Solutions: Let S stand for “Mary will sell her house”, P stand for “Mary can get a good price”,
and A stand for “Mary can find a nice apartment”. Then

S → (P ∧ A)

2. Having both a good credit history and an adequate down payment is a necessary condition for
getting a mortgage.
Solutions: Let H stand for “one has good credit history”, D stand for “one has adequate down
payment”, and M stand for “one gets a mortgage”. Then

M → (H ∧ D)

3. John will drop out of school, unless someone stops him.

Solutions: Let D stand for “John drops out” and S stand for “someone stops John”. Then

(S → ¬D) ∧ (¬S → D) or S ↔ ¬D

In some literature, you may also see the following interpretation of “unless”:

¬D → S or D∨S

4. Being enrolled full time and demonstrating financial need is a sufficient condition for applying
for assistance.
Solutions: Let E stand for “one is enrolled full time”, N stand for “one demonstrates financial
need”, and A stand for “one can apply for financial assistance”. Then

E∧N →A