Nested Quantifiers -Introduction

• So far we have seen the existential and universal quantifiers

• We have seen how they can be used to represent mathematical
statements.
• We also explained how they can be used to translate English
sentences into logical expressions.
However, in these Sections we haven’t nested quantifiers, where one
quantifier is within the scope of another, such as
∀x ∃y (x + y = 0)
Remark: Note that everything within the scope of a quantifier can be
thought of as a propositional function

Now we see an example for Remark

 Nested Quantifiers –Introduction
• For example,
∀x ∃y (x + y = 0) is the same thing as ∀x Q(x), where Q(x) is ∃y P (x, y),
where P (x, y) is x + y = 0
• Nested quantifiers commonly occur in mathematics and computer
science.
• Although nested quantifiers can sometimes be difficult to understand,
the rules we have already studied in previous Sections can help us use
them.
• In this section we will gain experience working with nested quantifiers.
• We will see how to use nested quantifiers to express mathematical
statements such as
“The sum of two positive integers is always positive.”
 Nested Quantifiers – Examples - 1
• EXAMPLE: Assume that the domain for the variables x and y consists
of all real numbers.
The statement ∀x ∀y (x + y = y + x) says that
x + y = y + x for all real numbers x and y.
This is the commutative law for addition of real numbers.
• EXAMPLE: The statement ∀x ∃y (x + y = 0)
says that for every real number x there is a real number y such that x +
y = 0.
This states that every real number has an additive inverse.
• Similarly, the statement ∀x ∀y ∀z (x + (y + z) = (x + y) + z)
is the associative law for addition of real numbers
 Nested Quantifiers – Examples - 2
• EXAMPLE: Translate the compound propositions into English
statement
∀x∀y( (x > 0) ∧ (y < 0) → (xy < 0) ),
where the domain for both variables consists of all real numbers.

Solution: This statement says that for every real number x and for every
real number y,
if x > 0 and y < 0, then xy < 0.
That is, this statement says that for real numbers x and y,
if x is positive and y is negative, then xy is negative.
This can be stated more succinctly as
“The product of a positive real number and a negative real number is
always a negative real number.”
 THINKING OF QUANTIFICATION AS LOOPS ∀x ∀y
• In working with quantifications of more than one variable, it is
sometimes helpful to think in terms of nested loops.
• Remark: If there are infinitely many elements in the domain of some
variable, we cannot actually loop through all values.
• For example, to see whether ∀x ∀y P(x, y) is true,
we loop through the values for x, and for each x we loop through the
values for y.
If we find that P (x, y) is true for all values for x and y,
We have determined that ∀x ∀y P (x, y) is true.
If we ever hit a value x for which we hit a value y for which P (x, y) is
false,
we have shown that ∀x ∀y P (x, y) is false.
 THINKING OF QUANTIFICATION AS LOOPS ∀x∃y
• To determine whether ∀x ∃y P(x, y) is true,

we loop through the values for x.

For each x we loop through the values for y until we find a y for
which P (x, y) is true.

If for every x we hit such a y, then ∀x ∃y P(x, y) is true;

if for some x we never hit such a y, then ∀x ∃y P(x, y) is false.

THINKING OF QUANTIFICATION AS LOOPS ∃x∀y
• To see whether ∃x ∀y P(x, y) is true,
we loop through the values for x until we find an x for
which P (x, y) is always true when we loop through all values
for y.
Once we find such an x, we know that ∃x ∀y P(x, y) is true.
If we never hit such an x, then we know that
∃x ∀y P(x, y) is false.
THINKING OF QUANTIFICATION AS LOOPS ∃x∀y

• To see whether ∃x ∃y P(x, y) is true,

we loop through the values for x,
where for each x we loop through the values for y until we hit an
x for which we hit a y for which P(x, y) is true.
The statement ∃x ∃y P(x, y) is false only if we never hit an x for
which we hit a y such that P(x, y) is true.
 The Order of Quantifiers – Examples - 1
• EXAMPLE: Let P(x, y) be the statement “x + y = y + x.” What are the truth
values of the quantifications ∀x ∀y P(x, y) and ∀y ∀x P(x, y) where the
domain for all variables consists of all real numbers?
Solution: The quantification ∀x ∀y P(x, y) denotes the proposition
“For all real numbers x, for all real numbers y, x + y = y + x”.
Because P(x, y) is true for all real numbers x and y (it is the commutative law
for addition), the proposition ∀x ∀y P(x, y) is true.
Note that the statement ∀y ∀x P(x, y) says “For all real numbers y, for all real
numbers x, x + y = y + x.”
This has the same meaning as the statement “For all real numbers x, for all real
numbers y, x + y = y + x.” That is, ∀x ∀y P(x, y) and ∀y ∀x P(x, y) have the same
meaning, and both are true.
Note: This illustrates the principle that the order of nested universal
quantifiers in a statement without other quantifiers can be changed without
changing the meaning of the quantified statement.
 The Order of Quantifiers – Examples -2
• Example: Let Q(x, y) denote “x + y = 0.” What are the truth values of
the quantifications ∃y ∀x Q(x, y) and ∀x ∃y Q(x, y), where the domain
for all variables consists of all real numbers?
Solution: The quantification ∃y ∀x Q(x, y) denotes the proposition
“There is a real number y such that for every real number x, Q(x, y).”
No matter what value of y is chosen, there is only one value of x for
which x + y = 0.
Because there is no real number y such that x + y = 0 for all real numbers
x, the statement ∃y ∀x Q(x, y) is false.
The quantification ∀x ∃y Q(x, y) denotes the proposition
“For every real number x there is a real number y such that Q(x, y).”
Given a real number x, there is a real number y such that x + y = 0;
namely, y = -x. Hence the statement ∀x ∃y Q(x, y) is true
 The Order of Quantifiers - Summary
• Note: Previous Example illustrates that the order in which quantifiers
appear makes a difference. The statements ∃y ∀x P(x, y) and ∀x ∃y
P(x, y) are not logically equivalent.
• The statement ∃y ∀x P(x, y) is true if and only if there is a y that
makes P(x, y) true for every x.
• The statement ∃y ∀x P(x, y) to be true, there must be a particular
value of y for which P(x, y) is true regardless of the choice of x.
• On the other hand, ∀x ∃y P(x, y) is true if and only if for every value
of x there is a value of y for which P(x, y) is true.
• Also, it follows that if ∃y ∀x P(x, y) is true, then ∀x ∃y P(x, y) must
also be true. However, if ∀x ∃y P(x, y) is true, it is not necessary for
∃y ∀x P(x, y) to be true
 The Order of Quantifiers - Examples -3
Example: Let Q(x, y, z) be the statement “x + y = z.” What are the truth
values of the statements ∀x ∀y ∃z Q(x, y, z) and ∃z ∀x ∀y Q(x, y, z), where
the domain of all variables consists of all real numbers?
Solution: Suppose that x and y are assigned values. Then, there exists a real
number z such that x + y = z.
Consequently, the quantification ∀x ∀y ∃z Q(x, y, z), which is the statement
“For all real numbers x and for all real numbers y there is a real number z such that
x + y = z, is true.
The order of the quantification here is important, as the quantification
∃z ∀x ∀y Q(x, y, z), which is the statement
“There is a real number z such that for all real numbers x and for all real numbers y
it is true that x + y = z,” is false, because there is no value of z that satisfies the
equation x + y = z for all values of x and y.
 The Order of Quantifiers – Table with Two Variables
Table Quantifications of Two Variables
Statement When True? When False?
∀x ∀y P(x, y) P (x, y) is true for every There is a pair x, y for which
∀y ∀x P(x, y) pair x, y. P(x, y) is false
For every x there is a y There is an x such that P(x, y)
∀x ∃y P(x, y)
for which P(x, y) is true is false for every y
There is an x for which
For every x there is a y for y for
∃x ∀y P(x, y) P (x, y) is true for every
which P(x, y) is false
y
∃x ∃y P(x, y) There is a pair x, y for P (x, y) is false for every
∃y ∃x P(x, y) which P(x, y) is true pair x, y.
 Translating Mathematical Statements into Statements
Involving Nested Quantifiers
• EXAMPLE: Translate the statement “The sum of two positive integers
is always positive” into a logical expression.
Solution: To translate this statement into a logical expression, we first
rewrite it so that the implied quantifiers and a domain are shown:
“For every two integers, if these integers are both positive, then the sum
of these integers is positive.”
Now, we introduce the variables x and y to obtain
“For all positive integers x and y, x + y is positive.”
Consequently, we can express this statement as
∀x ∀y ( (x > 0) ∧ (y > 0) → (x + y > 0) ),
 Translating Mathematical Statements into Statements
Involving Nested Quantifiers - 2
Note: We can also translate this using the positive integers as the
domain
The statement
“The sum of two positive integers is always positive”
becomes
“For every two positive integers, the sum of these integers is positive”.
We can express this as
∀x ∀y (x + y > 0)
where the domain for both variables x, y consists of all positive integers,
 Translating Mathematical Statements into Statements Involving
Nested Quantifiers - 3
EXAMPLE: Translate the statement “Every real number except zero has
a multiplicative inverse.” (A multiplicative inverse of a real number x is a
real number y such that xy = 1.)

Solution: We first rewrite this as

“For every real number x except zero, x has a multiplicative inverse.”
We can rewrite this as
“For every real number x, if x ≠0, then there exists a real number y such that
xy = 1.”
This can be rewritten as ∀x( (x ≠ 0) → ∃y (xy = 1) ).
 Translating Mathematical Statements into Statements
Involving Nested Quantifiers - 3
EXAMPLE: (Requires calculus) Use quantifiers to express the definition of the
“limit of a real-valued function f(x) of a real variable x at a point a in its domain”.
Solution: Recall that the definition of the statement is: lim 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝐿
𝑥→𝑎
For every real number ∈ > 0 there exists a real number δ > 0 such that
|𝑓 𝑥 - 𝐿 | < ∈ whenever 0 < |x - a| < δ.
The definition of a limit can be phrased in terms of quantifiers by
∀ ∈ ∃δ ∀x (0 < |x - a| < δ → | 𝑓 𝑥 - L| < ∈), where the domain for the
variables δ and. ∈ consists of all positive real numbers and for x consists of all
real numbers. This definition can also be expressed as
∀ ∈ > 0 ∃δ > 0 ∀x( 0 < |x - a| < δ → | 𝑓 𝑥 - L| < ∈ )
when the domain for the variables ∈ and δ consists of all real numbers, rather
than just the positive real numbers.
Recall that ∀x> 0 P(x) means that for all x with x> 0, P(x) is true.
Translating from Nested Quantifiers into English
EXAMPLE: Translate the statement ∀x ( C(x) ∨ ∃ y( C(y) ∧ F(x, y) ) ) into
English, where C(x) is “x has a computer,” F (x, y) is “x and y are friends,” and
the domain for both x and y consists of all students in your school.
Solution: The statement says that for every student x in your school, x has a
computer or there is a student y such that y has a computer and x and y are
friends.
In other words, every student in your school has a computer or has a friend
who has a computer
EXAMPLE: Translate the statement
∃x ∀y ∀z ( (F (x, y) ∧ F (x, z) ∧ (y ≠ z) ) → ¬F (y,z) )
into English, where F(a,b) means a and b are friends and the domain for x, y,
and z consists of all students in your school.
There is a student x such that for all students y and all students z other
than y, if x and y are friends and x and z are friends, then y and z are not
friends
 Translating English Sentences into Logical
Expressions -1
• EXAMPLE: Express the statement “If a person is female and is a parent, then
this person is someone’s mother” as a logical expression involving predicates,
quantifiers with a domain consisting of all people, and logical connectives.
Solution: The statement “If a person is female and is a parent, then this person is
someone’s mother” can be expressed as “For every person x, if person x is female and
person x is a parent, then there exists a person y such that person x is the mother of
person y.”
We introduce the propositional functions F(x) to represent “x is female,” P(x) to
represent “x is a parent,” and M(x, y) to represent “x is the mother of y.” The
original statement can be represented as

∀x((F (x) ∧ P (x)) → ∃yM(x, y)).

Remark: Since y does not appear in F(x) ∧ P(x), we can get the logically equivalent
expression ∀x∃y((F (x) ∧ P (x)) → M(x, y)).
 Translating English Sentences into Logical
Expressions -2
• Exercise:
Express the statement “Everyone has exactly one best friend” as a logical
expression involving predicates, quantifiers with a domain consisting of all
people, and logical connectives.
Hints: “For every person x, person x has exactly one best friend.”
To say that x has exactly one best friend means that there is a person y who
is the best friend of x,
and furthermore, that for every person z, if person z is not person y, then z
is not the best friend of x.
∃y(B(x, y) ∧ ∀z((z ≠ y) → ¬B(x, z)))
Consequently, our original statement can be expressed as
∀x∃y(B(x, y) ∧ ∀z((z ≠ y) → ¬B(x, z))).
Note that we can write this statement as ∀x∃!yB(x, y),
Translating English Sentences into Logical Expressions -2

• EXAMPLE: Use quantifiers to express the statement

“There is a woman who has taken a flight on every airline in the world.”
Solution: Let P(w, f) be “w has taken f ” and Q(f, a) be “f is a flight on a.”
We can express the statement as
∃w ∀a ∃f (P (w, f ) ∧ Q(f, a)),
where the domains of discourse for w, f , and a consist of all the
women in the world, all airplane flights, and all airlines, respectively.
The statement could also be expressed as ∃w ∀a ∃f R(w, f, a),
where R(w, f, a) is “w has taken f on a.”
Although this is more compact, it somewhat obscures the
relationships among the variables. Consequently, the first solution is
usually preferable.
 Negating Nested Quantifiers -1
EXAMPLE: Express the negation of the statement ∀x ∃y ( xy = 1) so
that no negation precedes a quantifier

Solution: By applying De Morgan’s laws for quantifiers, we can move the

negation in
¬∀x ∃y(xy = 1) inside all the quantifiers.
We find that ¬∀x ∃y (xy = 1) is equivalent to ∃x ¬∃y (xy = 1), which is
equivalent to ∃x ∀y ¬(xy = 1).
Because ¬(xy = 1) can be expressed more simply as xy ≠ 1,
we conclude that our negated statement can be expressed as
∃xc∀y (xy ≠ 1).
 Negating Nested Quantifiers - 2
Exercise: Use quantifiers to express the statement that “There does not exist a
woman who has taken a flight on every airline in the world”.
Hint:
¬∃w ∀a ∃ f ( P(w, f ) ∧ Q(f, a)),
Example: (Requires calculus) Use quantifiers and predicates to express the
fact that 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑥→𝑎 = 𝑓 𝑥 does not exist where f(x) is a real-valued function
of a real variable x and a belongs to the domain of f.
Solution: To say that 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑥→𝑎 f(x) does not exist means that for all real
numbers L,
𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑥→𝑎 f(x) = L. By the definition of limit (nested quantifiers) the
statement 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑥→𝑎 f(x) = L

¬∀ > 0 ∃δ >0 ∀x(0 < |x - a| < δ → |f(x) - L| < ) Cont…

 Negating Nested Quantifiers - 3
Successively applying the rules for negating quantified expressions, we
construct this sequence
of equivalent statements
¬∀ ∈ > 0 ∃ δ > 0 ∀x( 0<|x - a|<δ → |f(x) - L|< ∈ )
≡ ∃ ∈ > 0 ¬∃ δ > 0 ∀x( 0<|x - a|<δ → |f(x) - L|< ∈)
≡ ∃ ∈ > 0 ∀ δ > 0 ¬∀x( 0<|x - a|<δ → |f(x) - L|< ∈)
≡ ∃ ∈ > 0 ∀ δ > 0 ∃x ¬( 0<|x - a|<δ → |f(x) - L|< ∈)
≡ ∃ ∈ > 0 ∀ δ > 0 ∃x( 0<|x - a|<δ ∧ |f(x) - L| ≥ ∈).

• Note : ¬(p → q) ≡ p ∧ ¬q Cont…

 Negating Nested Quantifiers - 4

• Because the statement “𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑥→𝑎 f(x) does not exist” means for all real
numbers L, 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑥→𝑎 f(x) ≠ L, this can be expressed as
∀L∃ ∈ > 0 ∀ δ > 0 ∃ x(0 < |x - a| < δ ∧ |f(x) - L| ≥ ∈ ).
This last statement says that for every real number L there is a real
number ∈ > 0 such that for every real number δ > 0, there exists a
real number x such that 0 < |x - a| < δ and |f(x) - L| ≥ ∈ .
 Exercise Problems -1
• Determine the truth value of each of these statements if the domain of
each variable consists of all real numbers.
a) ∀x ∃y (𝑥 2 = y) b) ∀x ∃y (x = 𝑦 2 )
c) ∃x ∀y (xy = 0) d) ∃x ∃y (x + y = y + x)
e) ∀x (x = 0 → ∃y (xy = 1) ) f ) ∃x ∀y (y = 0 → xy = 1)
g) ∀x ∃y (x + y = 1) h) ∃x ∃y (x + 2y = 2 ∧ 2x + 4y = 5)
i) ∀x ∃y (x + y = 2 ∧ 2x - y = 1) j) ∀x ∀y ∃z (z = (x + y)/2)

• Suppose the domain of the propositional function P (x, y) consists of

pairs x and y, where x is 1, 2, or 3 and y is 1, 2, or 3. Write out these
propositions using disjunctions and conjunctions.

a) ∀x ∀y P(x, y) b) ∃x ∃y P(x, y)
c) ∃x ∀y P(x, y) d) ∀y ∃x P(x, y)
 Exercise Problems -2
Let T (x, y) mean that student x likes cuisine y, where the domain for x
consists of all students at your school and the domain for y consists of
all cuisines. Express each of these statements by a simple English
sentence.
a) ¬T (Abdallah Hussein, Japanese)
b) ∃x T(x, Korean) ∧ ∀x T(x, Mexican)
c) ∃y (T (Monique Arsenault, y) ∨ T (Jay Johnson, y))
d) ∀x ∀z ∃y ( (x = z) → ¬(T (x, y) ∧ T (z, y) ) )
e) ∃x ∃z ∀y (T (x, y) ↔ T (z, y))
f ) ∀x ∀z ∃y (T (x, y) ↔ T (z, y))
 Exercise Problems -3
• Translate these statements into English, where the domain for each
variable consists of all real numbers.
a) ∀x ∃y (x < y)
b) ∀x ∀y ( ( (x ≥ 0) ∧ (y ≥ 0) ) → (xy ≥ 0) )
c) ∀x ∀y ∃z (xy = z)
• Let Q(x, y) be the statement “x has sent an e-mail message to y,” where the
domain for both x and y consists of all students in your class.
Express each of these quantifications in English.
a) ∃x ∃y Q(x, y) b) ∃x∀y Q(x, y)
c) ∀x ∃y Q(x, y) d) ∃y∀x Q(x, y)
e) ∀y ∃x Q(x, y) f ) ∀x ∀y Q(x, y)
 Exercise Problems -4
• Let W (x, y) mean that student x has visited website y, where the domain for x
consists of all students in your school and the domain for y consists of all
websites. Express each of these statements by a simple English sentence.

a) W (Sarah Smith, www.att.com)

b) ∃x W(x, www.imdb.org)
c) ∃y W(José Orez, y)
d) ∃y ( W (Ashok Puri, y) ∧ W (Cindy Yoon, y))
e) ∃y ∀z (y = (David Belcher) ∧ (W(David Belcher, z) → W(y,z) ) )
f ) ∃x ∃y ∀z ( (x = y) ∧ (W (x, z) ↔ W (y, z)))
 Exercise Problems -5
• Express the negations of each of these statements so that
all negation symbols immediately precede predicates.
a) ∀x ∃y ∀z T (x, y, z)
b) ∀x ∃y P (x, y) ∨ ∀x ∃y Q(x, y)
c) ∀x ∃y (P (x, y) ∧ ∃z R(x, y, z))
d) ∀x ∃y (P (x, y) → Q(x, y))
• Rewrite each of these statements so that negations appear only within
predicates (that is, so that no negation is outside a quantifier or an
expression involving logical connectives).
a) ¬∀x ∀y P (x, y) b) ¬∀y ∃x P (x, y)
c) ¬∀y ∀x (P (x, y) ∨ Q(x, y))
d) ¬(∃x ∃y ¬P (x, y) ∧ ∀x ∀y Q(x, y))
e) ¬∀x (∃y ∀z P (x, y, z) ∧ ∃z ∀y P (x, y, z))
 Exercise Problems -6
• Let F (x, y) be the statement “x can fool y,” where the domain consists of all
people in the world. Use quantifiers to express each of these statements.
a) Everybody can fool Fred.
b) Evelyn can fool everybody.
c) Everybody can fool somebody.
d) There is no one who can fool everybody.
e) Everyone can be fooled by somebody.
f ) No one can fool both Fred and Jerry.
g) Nancy can fool exactly two people.
h) There is exactly one person whom everybody can fool.
i) No one can fool himself or herself.
j) There is someone who can fool exactly one person
besides himself or herself.
 Exercise Problems -7
Use quantifiers and predicates with more than one variable to express
these statements.
a) There is a student in this class who can speak Hindi.
b) Every student in this class plays some sport.
c) Some student in this class has visited Alaska but has
not visited Hawaii.
d) All students in this class have learned at least one programming
language.
e) There is a student in this class who has taken every course offered by
one of the departments in this
school.
f ) Some student in this class grew up in the same town
as exactly one other student in this class.
g) Every student in this class has chatted with at least
one other student in at least one chat group
 Exercise Problems -8
• Find a counterexample, if possible, to these universally quantified
statements, where the domain for all variables consists of all integers.
a) ∀x ∀y (𝑥 2 = 𝑦 2 → x = y)
b) ∀x ∃y (𝑦 2 = x)
c) ∀x ∀y (xy ≥ x)
• Use quantifiers and logical connectives to express the fact that a quadratic
polynomial with real number coefficients has at most two real roots.
• Express the quantification ∃!xP (x), introduced in Section 1.4, using
universal quantifications, existential quantifications, and logical operators.
• Find a counterexample, if possible, to these universally
quantified statements, where the domain for all variables
consists of all integers.
a) ∀x ∃y(x = 1/y) b) ∀x ∃y(𝑦 2 - x < 100) c) ∀x ∀y(𝑥 2 = 𝑦 3 )