Predicates and Quantified

Statements Ⅰ
Predicates and Quantified Statements Ⅰ

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Example 3.1.1 – Finding Truth Values of a Predicate

Let P(x) be the predicate with domain the set R of

all real numbers. Write and indicate
which of these statements are true and which are false.

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Example 3.1.1 – Solution

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Predicates and Quantified Statements Ⅰ

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Example 3.1.2 – Finding the Truth Set of a Predicate

Let Q(n) be the predicate “n is a factor of 8.” Find the truth

set of Q(n) if

a. the domain of n is the set of all positive integers

b. the domain of n is Z, the set of all integers.

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Example 3.1.2 – Solution
a. The truth set is {1, 2, 4, 8} because these are exactly the
positive integers that divide 8 evenly.

b. The truth set is {1, 2, 4, 8, −1, −2, −4, −8} because the
negative integers −1, −2, −4, and −8 also divide into 8
without leaving a remainder.

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The Universal Quantifier: ∀

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The Universal Quantifier: ∀
One sure way to change predicates into statements is to
assign specific values to all their variables.
For example, if x represents the number 35, the sentence
“x is (evenly) divisible by 5” is a true statement since
35 = 5 · 7. Another way to obtain statements from
predicates is to add quantifiers.
Quantifiers are words that refer to quantities such as
“some” or “all” and tell for how many elements a given
predicate is true.

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The Universal Quantifier: ∀
The symbol ∀ is called the universal quantifier.
Depending on the context, it is read as “for every,” “for
each,” “for any,” “given any,” or “for all.”
For example, another way to express the sentence “Every
human being is mortal” or “All human beings are mortal” is
to write
∀ human beings x, x is mortal,
which you would read as “For every human being x, x is
mortal.”

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The Universal Quantifier: ∀
If you let H be the set of all human beings, then you can
symbolize the statement more formally by writing

∀x ∈ H, x is mortal.

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Example 3.1.3 – Truth and Falsity of Universal Statements

a. Let D = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, and consider the statement

Write one way to read this statement out loud, and show
that it is true.
b. Consider the statement

Find a counterexample to show that this statement is

false.

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Example 3.1.3 – Solution
a. “For every x in the set D, is greater than or equal to
x.” The inequalities below show that is true for each
individual x in D.

Hence

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Example 3.1.3 – Solution continued

b. Counterexample: The statement claims that for

every real number x. But when for example,

Hence

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The Existential Quantifier: ∃

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The Existential Quantifier: ∃
The symbol ∃ denotes “there exists” and is called the
existential quantifier. For example, the sentence “There is
a student in Math 140” can be written as
∃ a person p such that p is a student in Math 140,
or, more formally,
∃ p ∈ P such that p is a student in Math 140,
where P is the set of all people.

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The Existential Quantifier: ∃
The domain of the predicate variable is generally indicated
either between the ∃ symbol and the variable name or
immediately following the variable name, and the words
such that are inserted just before the predicate.

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Example 3.1.4 – Truth and Falsity of Existential Statements

a. Consider the statement

Write one way to read this statement out loud, and show
that it is true.

b. Let E = {5, 6, 7, 8} and consider the statement

Show that this statement is false.

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Example 3.1.4 – Solution
a. “There is at least one positive integer m such that
Observe that Thus
is true for a positive integer m, and so
such that is true.
b. Note that is not true for any integers m from 5
through 8:

Thus “∃m ∈ E such that is false.

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Formal vs. Informal Language

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Formal vs. Informal Language
It is important to be able to translate from formal to informal
language when trying to make sense of mathematical
concepts that are new to you. It is equally important to be
able to translate from informal to formal language when
thinking out a complicated problem.

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Example 3.1.5 – Translating from Formal to Informal Language

Rewrite the following formal statements in a variety of

equivalent but more informal ways. Do not use the symbol
∀ or ∃.

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Example 3.1.5 – Solution
a. Every real number has a nonnegative square.
Or: All real numbers have nonnegative squares.
Or: Any real number has a nonnegative square.
Or: The square of each real number is nonnegative.

b. All real numbers have squares that do not equal −1.

Or: No real numbers have squares equal to −1.
(The words none are or no … are are equivalent to the
words all are not.)

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Example 3.1.5 – Solution continued

c. There is a positive integer whose square is equal to

itself.
Or: We can find at least one positive integer equal to its
own square.
Or: Some positive integer equals its own square.
Or: Some positive integers equal their own squares.

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Example 3.1.6 – Trailing Quantifiers
Rewrite the following statements so that the quantifier trails
the rest of the sentence.

a. For any integer n, 2n is even.

b. There exists at least one real number x such that

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Example 3.1.6 – Solution
a. 2n is even for any integer n.

b. for some real number x.

Or: for at least one real number x.

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Example 3.1.7 – Translating from Informal to Formal Language

Rewrite each of the following statements formally. Use

quantifiers and variables.

a. All triangles have three sides.

b. No dogs have wings.

c. Some programs are structured.

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Example 3.1.7 – Solution
a. ∀ triangle t, t has three sides.
Or: ∀t ∈ T, t has three sides (where T is the set of all
triangles).
b. ∀ dog d, d does not have wings.
Or: ∀d ∈ D, d does not have wings (where D is the set
of all dogs).
c. ∃ a program p such that p is structured.
Or: ∃p ∈ P such that p is structured (where P is the set
of all programs).

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Universal Conditional Statements

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Universal Conditional Statements
A reasonable argument can be made that the most
important form of statement in mathematics is the
universal conditional statement:

∀x, if P(x) then Q(x).

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Example 3.1.8 – Writing Universal Conditional Statements Informally

Rewrite the following statement informally, without

quantifiers or variables.

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Example 3.1.8 – Solution
If a real number is greater than 2, then its square is greater
than 4.
Or: Whenever a real number is greater than 2, its square is
greater than 4.
Or: The square of any real number greater than 2 is greater
than 4.
Or: The squares of all real numbers greater than 2 are
greater than 4.

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Example 3.1.9 – Writing Universal Conditional Statements Formally

Rewrite each of the following statements in the form

a. If a real number is an integer, then it is a rational number.

b. All bytes have eight bits.

c. No fire trucks are green.

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Example 3.1.9 – Solution
a. ∀ real number x, if x is an integer, then x is a rational
number.
Or: ∀x ∈ R, if x ∈ Z then x ∈ Q.
b. ∀x, if x is a byte, then x has eight bits.
c. ∀x, if x is a fire truck, then x is not green.
It is common, as in (b) and (c) above, to omit explicit
identification of the domain of predicate variables in
universal conditional statements.

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Equivalent Forms of Universal and
Existential Statements

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Equivalent Forms of Universal and Existential Statements

Observe that the two statements “∀ real number x, if x is an

integer then x is rational” and “∀ integer x, x is rational”
mean the same thing because the set of integers is a
subset of the set of real numbers.
Both have informal translations “All integers are rational.” In
fact, a statement of the form ∀x ∈ U, if P(x) then Q(x)
can always be rewritten in the form ∀x ∈ D, Q(x)
by narrowing U to be the subset D consisting of all values
of the variable x that make P(x) true.

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Equivalent Forms of Universal and Existential Statements

Conversely, a statement of the form

∀x ∈ D, Q(x)

can be rewritten as

∀x, if x is in D then Q(x).

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Example 3.1.10 – Equivalent Forms for Universal Statements

Rewrite the following statement in the two forms

All squares are rectangles.

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Example 3.1.10 – Solution
∀x, if x is a square then x is a rectangle.

∀ square x, x is a rectangle.

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Example 3.1.11 – Equivalent Forms for Existential Statements

A prime number is an integer greater than 1 whose only

positive integer factors are itself and 1.
Consider the statement “There is an integer that is both
prime and even.”
Let Prime(n) be “n is prime” and Even(n) be “n is even.”
Use the notation Prime(n) and Even(n) to rewrite this
statement in the following two forms:

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Example 3.1.11 – Solution
a. ∃n such that Prime(n) ∧ Even(n).

b. Two answers: ∃ a prime number n such that Even(n).

∃ an even number n such that Prime(n).

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Bound Variables and Scope

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Bound Variables and Scope
For example, consider the following statements:

(1) For every integer x,

(2) There exists a real number x such that

Statements (1) and (2) both call the variable x, but the x in
Statement (1) serves a different function from the x in
Statement (2).

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Bound Variables and Scope
We say that the variable x is bound by the quantifier that
controls it and that its scope begins when the quantifier
introduces it and ends at the end of the quantified
statement.

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Implicit Quantification

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Implicit Quantification
Consider the statement

If a number is an integer, then it is a rational number.

As shown earlier, this statement is equivalent to a universal

statement. However, it does not contain the telltale word all
or every or any or each.

The only clue to indicate its universal quantification comes

from the presence of the indefinite article a. This is an
example of implicit universal quantification.

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Implicit Quantification
Existential quantification can also be implicit. For instance,
the statement “The number 24 can be written as a sum of
two even integers” can be expressed formally as “∃ even
integers m and n such that 24 = m + n.”

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Example 3.1.12 – Using ⇒ and ⇔
Let

Q(n) be “n is a factor of 8,”

R(n) be “n is a factor of 4,”
S(n) be “n < 5 and n ≠ 3,”

and suppose the domain of n is the set of positive

integers.

Use the ⇒ and ⇔ symbols to indicate true relationships

among Q(n), R(n), and S(n).

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Example 3.1.12 – Solution
1. As noted in Example 3.1.2, the truth set of Q(n) is
{1, 2, 4, 8} when the domain of n is By similar
reasoning the truth set of R(n) is {1, 2, 4}.

Thus it is true that every element in the truth set of R(n)

is in the truth set of Q(n), or, equivalently, ∀n in
R(n) → Q(n). So R(n) ⇒ Q(n), or, equivalently

n is a factor of 4 ⇒ n is a factor of 8.

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Example 3.1.12 – Solution continued

2. The truth set of S(n) is {1, 2, 4}, which is identical to the

truth set of R(n), or, equivalently, ∀n in R(n) ↔ S(n).

So R(n) ⇔ S(n), or, equivalently,

n is a factor of 4 ⇔ n < 5 and n ≠ 3.

Moreover, since every element in the truth set of S(n) is

in the truth set of Q(n), or, equivalently, ∀n in

S(n) → Q(n), then S(n) ⇒ Q(n), or, equivalently,

n < 5 and n ≠ 3 ⇒ n is a factor of 8.

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