Porpositions STAT 135
Porpositions STAT 135
Porpositions STAT 135
Propositional variable
• Def: The truth value of a propositional variable P is true (T) if the proposition
assigned to it is true, and false (F) otherwise.
1
• Logic Operators:
• Truth tables show the truth value of the result after combining propositional
variable(s) with logical operator(s).
∴P is antecedent or hypothesis
Q is consequent or conclusion.
P Q P→Q
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T
2
e.g. iff P ↔ Q ≡ (P→ Q) ∧ (Q→ P)
∴only if both P and Q are T or both are F, the whole statement will be false.
• Def:
A well-formed formula (wff) is defined as follows:
(1) All propositional variables and the constants T & F are wffs.
(2) If α and β are wffs, then α′, β′, α∧β, α∨β, α→β, α↔β are wffs.
Nothing else.
• Priority: Pr(not) > Pr(and) > Pr(or) > Pr(→) > Pr(↔)
P → Q′
P ⊕ Q = ( P′ ∧ Q ) ∨ ( P ∧ Q′ )
= ( P ∨ Q ) ∧ ( P → Q′ )
= P′ ↔ Q
Q ∧ P′
P′ ↔ Q
3
• Translate English statements into wffs:
(1) If you go bankrupt, you either go to jail or you become a slave.
B = you go bankrupt
J = you go to jail
S = you become a slave
B → (J∨S)
(2) If you are not good kids, then I will give you hard exams.
G′ → H
(3) If I miss the train today, then I can arrive only 5 minutes late, assuming that the
next train is on time.
(M ∧ T) → A or M → ( T → A)
(ii) Q ∧ P or ¬( Q ∧ P)
It’s not the case that spiders hate algebra and mathematicians are
generous.
(iii) P→Q
If mathematicians are generous then spiders hate algebra.
(iv) P′ ↔ Q′
Mathematicians are not generous if and only if spiders don’t hate
algebra.
4
• Def: A wff α, whose truth values are always true, is called a tautology.
A wff α, whose truth values are always false, is called a contradiction.
e.g.
P P′ α = P ∨ P′
T F T tautology
F T T
e.g.
P P′ α = P ∧ P′
contradiction
T F F
F T F
e.g. α = (P′ ∨ Q) ↔ (P → Q)
P Q P′ P′ ∨ Q P→Q P′ ∨ Q ↔ P → Q
T T F T T T
T F F F F T
F T T T T T
F F T T T T
∴α is a tautology.
5
• Some tautology equivalences: