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RYS DSGT Lect3

The document discusses predicates and quantifiers in predicate logic, explaining how predicates can express relationships and properties of variables within a specific domain. It introduces universal and existential quantifiers, detailing their meanings and providing examples of their use in logical expressions. Additionally, it covers well-formed formulas and the uniqueness quantifier, illustrating how to translate natural language statements into predicate logic.

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16 views14 pages

RYS DSGT Lect3

The document discusses predicates and quantifiers in predicate logic, explaining how predicates can express relationships and properties of variables within a specific domain. It introduces universal and existential quantifiers, detailing their meanings and providing examples of their use in logical expressions. Additionally, it covers well-formed formulas and the uniqueness quantifier, illustrating how to translate natural language statements into predicate logic.

Uploaded by

dhyeykhakhar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Predicates & Quantifiers

Universal and Existential


Predicate Logic
• A predicate is an expression of one or more variables
defined on some specific domain. A predicate with
variables can be made a proposition by either assigning a
value to the variable or by quantifying the variable.
• The following are some examples of predicates −
• Let E(x, y) denote "x = y"
• Let X(a, b, c) denote "a + b + c = 0"
• Let M(x, y) denote "x is married to y“
• Let P(x) denote “x is greater than 3”
• In last statement first part variable x ,is the subject of the statement, the
second part is predicate “is greater than 3”, P(x) is a propositional
function P at x.
Example

• Let P(x) is x>3 what are the truth values for P(2) and
P(4)? Unary
• Let Q(x,y) denote “x=y+3” what are the truth values
for Q(1,2) and Q(3,0)? Binary
• Let R(x,y,x) denote “x+y=z” what are the truth values
for R(1,2,3) & R(0,0,1)?
• Similarly for P(x1,x2,…xn) can be a value for n
tuple, and P is also known as Predicate. N-ary
predicate
Example

• Let P(x; y; z) denote that x + y = z and U (Universe


of Discourse) be the integers for all three variables.
• P(-4; 6; 2) is true.
• P(5; 2; 10) is false.
• P(5; x; 7) is not a proposition.
Quantifiers
• We need quantifiers to formally express the meaning of the words
“all” and “some”.
• The two most important quantifiers are:
• Universal quantifier, “For all”. Symbol: 8
• Existential quantifier, “There exists”. Symbol: 9
• x P(x) asserts that P(x) is true for every x in the domain.
• x P(x) asserts that P(x) is true for some x in the domain.
• The quantifiers are said to bind the variable x in these expressions.
• Variables in the scope of some quantifier are called bound variables.
All other variables in the expression are called free variables.
• A propositional function that does not contain any free variables is a
proposition and has a truth value.
Quantifiers

• The variable of predicates is quantified by quantifiers.


There are two types of quantifier in predicate logic −
• Universal Quantifier and
• Existential Quantifier.
Universal Quantifier

• Universal quantifier states that the statements within


its scope are true for every value of the specific
variable. It is denoted by the symbol ∀
• ∀xP(x) is read as for every value of x, P(x) is true.
• Example −
• "Man is mortal" can be transformed into the propositional
form ∀xP(x)
• where P(x) is the predicate which denotes x is mortal and
the universe of discourse is all men.
Existential Quantifier

• Existential quantifier states that the statements within


its scope are true for some values of the specific
variable. It is denoted by the symbol ∃
• ∃xP(x) is read as for some values of x, P(x) is true.
• Example − "Some people are dishonest" can be
transformed into the propositional form ∃xP(x)
• where P(x) is the predicate which denotes x is dishonest
and the universe of discourse is some people.
Well Formed Formula

• Well Formed Formula (wff) is a predicate holding any


of the following −
• All propositional constants and propositional variables are
wffs
• If x is a variable and Y is a wff, ∀xY
• and ∃xY are also wff
• Truth value and false values are wffs
• Each atomic formula is a wff
• All connectives connecting wffs are wffs
Uniqueness Quantifier

• ! x P(x) means that there exists one and only one x in the
domain such that P(x) is true.
• ! x P(x) is an alternative notation for !x P(x).
• This is read as
There is one and only one x such that P(x).
There exists a unique x such that P(x).
• Example: Let P(x) denote x + 1 = 0 and U are the integers.
• Then !x P(x) is true.
• Example: Let P(x) denote x > 0 and U are the integers.
• Then !x P(x) is false.
• The uniqueness quantifier can be expressed by standard
operations. !x P(x) is equivalent to
•
Example

• Translate the following sentence into predicate logic:


“Every student in this class has taken a course in Java.”
• Solution:
• First decide on the domain U (Universe of discourse).
• Solution 1: If U is all students in this class, define a
propositional function J(x) denoting “x has taken a course in
Java” and translate as x J(x).
• Solution 2: But if U is all people, also define a propositional
function S(x) denoting “x is a student in this class” and translate
as
• Note: x (S(x) ^ J(x)) is not correct. What does it mean?
• Some student in this class has visited Mexico
• means that
• “There is a student in this class with the property that the student
has visited Mexico.”
• We can introduce a variable x, so that our statement becomes
• “There is a student x in this class having the property that x has
visited Mexico.”
• M(x), which is the statement “x has visited Mexico
• If the domain for x consists
• of the students in this class, we can translate this first statement
as ∃xM(x).
• if we are interested in people other than those in this class,
• “There is a person x having the properties that x is a student in
this class and x has visited Mexico.”
• S(x) to represent “x is a student in this class.”
• Solution: ∃x(S(x) ∧ M(x))
• “Every student in this class has visited either Canada
or Mexico”
• C(x) be “x has visited Canada.”
• domain for x consists of
• the students in this class, this second statement can be
expressed as ∀x(C(x) ∨ M(x)).
• if the domain for x consists of all people
• “For every person x, if x is a student in this class, then x has
visited Mexico or x has visited Canada.”
• ∀x(S(x) → (C(x) ∨M(x))).

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