Propositional Logic

Logic and Problem solving

MA4001
Lecture 1

Introduction and Overview of Module

Introduction to Propositional Logic

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 Agenda
• Module Introduction
Your Module Leader
Module Objective
Module Assessments and Syllabus Summary
Recommended booklist
• Week 1 Lecture Coverage
– Introduction to logic
– Proposition and compound Proposition
– Truth table
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Module Leader

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Your Tutor

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Introduction to the Module
• Overview of Module
– What can you expect?
• Learning Objectives
– How will you benefit?
• Learning Strategy
– How you will learn?
• Assessment Overview
– How you will be tested?

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Overview of Module
• Logic and Problem solving
Aim:
This module seeks to consolidate and improve
students’ mathematical knowledge, skills and concepts
through practical, analytical, problem Solving
applications and through integration with other
modules. This module introduces, and in some cases
reviews, the mathematical foundations of Computer
science.

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Overview of Module
Syllabus :
Propositional logic

Sets ,Relations and Functions

Puzzles: developing logical reasoning ,introducing systematic approach to

solving puzzles, developing appropriate strategies to solve puzzles
Algorithms : Understanding how problems can be solved systematically ,plan
their solutions and write them in the form of algorithms.
Permutation ,combination and Probability

Linear Programming ,Math of finance and Break even analysis using excel as tool

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Learning
Objectives

Computer
Hardware

Programming
Databases
Design Computer graphics
Logic and Problem solving
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Learning Strategy
Logic and Problem solving
• Taught over 2 semester (30 weeks )
• Each week consists of 1 Lecture (1.5 Hours) and 2
tutorials (1.5 Hours and 1 hour each)
– Lecture: Learn how to acquire different
mathematical skills
– Tutorial: Review and practice mathematical
problems through in-class assignments to actually
acquire them

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 Module Assessment Summary
Assessments:
Two Class tests: (50% of total module marks)
Week 8(25%) and Week 22(25%)
1.15 hours closed book class test.

Workbooks(Group Coursework):(50% of total module marks)

Group work sheet consisting of selected exercises.(week 28-29)

MUST “PASS” ALL THREE ASSESSMENTS TO PASS THE MODULE

AND ACHIEVE AT LEAST 40% OF MARKS IN AGGREGATE.
AGGREGATE
Text books
1. Maureen Sprankle(2008), Problem Solving and
Programming Concepts ,Prentice Hall.

2. Rod Haggarty(2006), Discrete Mathematics for

computing, Addison Wesley .
Supplementary Text books
1. P. Grossman, Discrete Mathematics for
Computing (2nd edition), Macmillan, 2002.

2. A. Simpson, Discrete Mathematics by

Examples, McGraw Hill, 2002.
Learning Strategy

Attendance for all classes is

important!
• Mathematics cannot be learnt by memorizing. It is
learnt through constant practice.
• We want to provide you the environment to practice
and improve quickly.

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Assessment Details
• Module Grading Standards in the UK
Range of
Grade Remarks
Marks
Excellent: outstanding performance with only minor
70 - 100 A
errors
Very Good: above the average standard but with
60 - 69 B
some errors
Good: generally sound work with a number of
50 - 59 C
notable errors
43 - 49 D Satisfactory: fair but with significant shortcomings
40 - 42 E Sufficient: performance meets the minimum criteria
Fail: performance does not meet the minimum
0 - 39 F
criteria and considerable further work is required
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Any Questions?

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Let’s get started with Lecture 1

An Introduction to Propositional logic

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 But First… Lets see some
examples of why Mathematics is
Important!

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Why Mathematics is Important ???
• Play Videos
– Why mathematics is important ?
– When not knowing math can cost you $15,000

What can we learn from these 2

videos?
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Why Mathematics is Important ?
When not knowing math can cost you $15000
Agenda
Week 1 lecture coverage
• Logic and proposition
• Logical Connectives
• Truth tables
Week 2 lecture coverage
• Tautology and contradiction
• Logical equivalence
• Logical consequences
• Argument and its validity
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Logic:
- Study of principles of reasoning.
Example:
Jack is a human.
All humans have brain.
Therefore, Jack has a brain.
Hence, logical reasoning concludes based on certain
statements.
The fundamental objects in logic are propositions
Proposition:
Proposition is a statement that is either true or false.
It is a building block of logic.
For example:
1. Kathmandu is a city.(True)
2. Java is a programming language.(True)
3. Paper is made of glass.(False)
A proposition is either true or false but not both
True(T) or False(F) is called the truth value of the
proposition
Proposition (Contd.):
Sentences that are “Questions”, “Commands” and
“Opinions” are not valid propositions because they
will/may not have a true or false value.
Examples:
1. How old are you?
2. Go to School.
3. He is tall.
Proposition (Contd.):
Some examples of valid propositions:
1.Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal.
2.There are 7 days in a week.
3.Isaac Newton was born in 1642.
4.6 is greater than 8.
Proposition Notation:
Proposition is represented by lower case letters for
example: p, q, r, ……, to denote propositional variables.

Example:
p = Java is an object-oriented language.
Meaning,
p represents the proposition “Java is an object-oriented
language”
Primitive and Compound Propositions:
p: Kathmandu is in either Nepal or UK.
This proposition is made up of two simpler propositions.
q: Kathmandu is in Nepal.
r: Kathmandu is in UK.
Joined together by the word “or”
Primitive and Compound Propositions:

Propositions q and r cannot themselves be broken
down into simpler ones. Such propositions are called
primitive.

In the above example “p” is combination of two
propositions called compound proposition.


In the above example, compound proposition is
connected by “or” which is called connective.
Compound Propositions:
A compound proposition is an expression P(p, q, r, ...),
which consists of propositional variables p, q, r, ... joined
together by the logical connectives ∧, V and ¬.

The propositional variables p, q, ... are sometimes called

the arguments of P.
Any Questions?

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Operations on Propositions:
Main operations on propositions are:
1)Conjunction/ AND
2)Disjunction/ OR and
3)Negation/ NOT/ Complement
4)Conditional
5)Bi-conditional
Conjunction:(AND)
Conjunction of two propositions:
Let p and q be given propositions.
The proposition “p and q” is called the conjunction of the
given propositions. It is written p ∧ q and read as “p and
q”.
p ∧ q is true if both propositions p and q are true,
otherwise p ∧ q is false.
Conjunction (Contd.):
Example.
p: Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal.
q: Delhi is the capital of India.
(p and q) : Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and
Delhi is the capital of India.

p ∧ q is called the conjunction of two propositions.

The word “and” which links the two propositions is called
a logical connective.
Disjunction: (OR)
Disjunction of two Propositions
Let p and q be given propositions.
The proposition “p or q” is called the disjunction of the
given propositions. It is written p ∨ q and read “p or q”.

p ∨ q is true if either p is true or q is true or both p and

q are true, otherwise p ∨ q is false.
Disjunction (Contd.):
Example:
p: Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal.
q: Delhi is the capital of China.
p or q: Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal or Delhi is
the capital of China.
p ∨ q is called the disjunction of the two propositions
p and q.
Negation: (NOT)
Let p be any proposition.
The proposition “not p” or “it is not true that p” is called
the negation of p.
It is written ¬ p and read “not p”.
Example:
p: Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal.
¬ p: Kathmandu is not the capital of Nepal.
Here p is true but ¬ p is false
Examples:
Consider the propositions; p, q ,r and s
p is F, q is T, r is T and s is F. Using the definitions of ∧, ∨
and ¬. Find the truth value for the following:
1. p ∧ ¬q is ?
2. q V ¬r is ?
3. ¬s V q is ?
Answers:
1.F
2.T
3.T
Use of Brackets:
When there are more than one logical connectives, their
operation can be determined by using braces.
For example:
(p ∨ q) ∧ r means first evaluate w = (p ∨ q) and then
evaluate w ∧ r.
Use of Brackets Example:
Let ,
p: Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal. T
q: Delhi is the capital of China. F
r: Tokyo is the capital of Pakistan. F

Then (p ∨ q) ∧ r is false but p ∨ (q ∧ r) is true.

Use of Brackets Rules:
To minimize the number of brackets in expressions we
will adopt the following order of precedence in which
connectives are applied.
1. Apply connectives within brackets first.
2. The ¬ connective next.
3. “and” and “or”.
Using this convention ¬ p ∧ q will mean (¬ p) ∧ q rather
than ¬ (p ∧ q)
Any Questions?

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Truth Tables:

Truth Tables represents the truth or falsity of logical
statements.
Example:

The above is the truth table for negation.

Truth Tables (Contd.):
From the above example, it is noted that,
- all the possible values of p are listed in the left-hand
column, and the results are displayed in the right
column.
Truth Tables (Contd.):
Similarly,
Truth table for conjunction:(p ∧ q)
Truth Tables (Contd.):
Similarly,
Truth table for disjunction: (p  q)
Truth Tables (Contd.):
Note:
1.Truth table provides an equivalent definition for the
propositions ¬ p, p ∧ q, and p ∨ q.
2.The truth table for a proposition with n atomic
propositions will have 2n rows.
Example :
If we have two propositions, p and q, then there are 22=4
number of rows
Truth Tables (Contd.):
Example: Draw the truth table for p ∧ (q ∨ r)

p q r q∨r p ∧ (q ∨ r)
T T T T T
T T F T T
T F T T T
T F F F F
F T T T F
F T F T F
F F T T F
F F F F F
Any Questions?

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Exercises:
1. Which of the following are propositions?
a. How tall are you?
b. 2+8=11
c. X+3=4
d. Come here.
e. Mercury is the closest planet to earth.
f. x2 – 16 = 0 has two solutions.
Exercises:
2. Assume that p represents the statement “ Hari is
happy” and q represents the statement “Ram is in
pain”. Write natural language statements (English
sentences) for each of the following propositions:
a. ¬ p b. p ∧ q c. p ∨ ¬ q
d. p ∨ q e. q ∨ ¬ p
Exercises:
3. Write down the truth table for
a. p ∧ (¬q)
b. (¬p) ∧ (¬q)
c. ¬ (p ∧ q)
d. p ∧ (q ∨ r)
e. (p ∧ q) ∨ r
f. ¬ p ∧ q
g. p ∧ (false ∧ q)
Any Questions?

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Summary: Week 1 Lecture
• Logic and proposition
• Logical Connectives
• Truth tables

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What to Expect: Week 1 Tutorials

• Review and practice Logic problems through in-class

assignments to actually acquire them.
• Practice problems to know how Propositional logic can
be useful in solving various mathematical problems.

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Thank you