Discrete Structures Week 04
Discrete Structures Week 04
Week 04 Instructor:
Bushra Zahra
Tautology and Contradiction
A compound proposition that is always true, no matter what the truth values of the
propositional variables that occur in it, is called a tautology.
A compound proposition that is always false is called a contradiction.
p ∨ ¬ p is tautology.
p ¬p p ∨ ¬p p ∧ ¬p
T F T F
F T T F
Logical equivalence means that two logical statements (propositions) always have the
same truth value in every possible situation. In other words, they are logically the
same, even if they look different.
Logical equivalence can be verified using a truth table. If two expressions have the
same truth value for all combinations of inputs, they are equivalent.
Why is Logical Equivalence
Important?
p q p→q p q ¬p q ∨ ¬p
T T T T T F T
T F F T F F F
F T T F T T T
F F T F F T T
Logical Equivalence
Converse
The proposition q → p is converse of p → q.
Contrapositive
The contrapositive of p → q is the proposition ¬ q → ¬ p.
Inverse
The proposition ¬ p → ¬ q is called the inverse of p → q.
Logical Equivalence
Converse
The proposition q → p is converse of p → q.
Contrapositive
The contrapositive of p → q is the proposition ¬ q → ¬ p.
Inverse
The proposition ¬ p → ¬ q is called the inverse of p → q.
Logical Equivalence
Equivalence Name
p∧T≡p Identity laws
p∨F≡p
(p ∨ q) ∨ r ≡ p ∨ (q ∨ r) Associative laws
(p ∧ q) ∧ r ≡ p ∧ (q ∧ r)
p ∨ (q ∧ r) ≡ (p ∨ q) ∧ (p ∨ r) Distribution Laws
p ∧ (q ∨ r) ≡ (p ∧ q) ∨ (p ∧ r)
Logical Equivalence
Equivalence Name
¬ (p ∧ q) ≡ ¬ p ∨ ¬ q De Morgan’s laws
¬ (p ∨ q) ≡ ¬ p ∧ ¬ q
p ∨ (p ∧ q) ≡ p Absorption laws
p ∧ (p ∨ q) ≡ p
3+2=5 Yes
X+2=5 No
X + 2 = 5 for any choice of X in {1, 2, 3} Yes
Computer X is under attack by an intruder No