03/31/2022 19:46 | Category: discrete math

Tags: mathcompound_statements

logic of compound statements

Logic is precise rather than ambiguous like natural languages. These are clear-cut statements that are unambiguous.

Logic provides formal, structured language for writing proof strategies and statements.

Propositional logic

Various types of logic exist in math and other disciplines. * First-order logic, modal logic, temporal logic, etc.

Propositional logic is composed of:

  • Atomic statements
  • Compound statements

Statements/propositions

Statements and propositions are interchangeable, these are declarative sentences that can be either TRUE or FALSE. * Can't be both TRUe and FALSE

Examples:

  • "1 + 1 = 3"
  • "Tom is a human"
  • "1 + 1" - not a statement (not making a statement for an outcome)
  • "x^2 = 4" - not a statement, we don't know about "x" and the TRUE value is dependent upon it

Shorthand

Letters are typically used to denote statements:

  • p, q, r, s
  • T: True
  • F: False

Example:

  • Let p denote the statement "1 + 1 = 2"
  • Let q denote the statement "1 + 1 = 3"

Now we know: p is T q is F

Compound statements

Given a set of atomic statements, we can compose new statements with logical operations.

Negation (not)

Let p be a statement. The negation of p is ~p

The ~p is pronounced "not p" and is a new statement

The truth value of ~p is the opposite of p

Example: Let p be "Tom is a human"

If p is True then ~p is "Tom is not a human"

Conjunction (and)

The conjunction of p and q is p^q (pronounced "p and q")

p^q is true if and only if p and q are both true

Example: Let p be "Tom is a human", q be "Tom is tall"

p^q is "Tom is human and Tom is tall"

Disjunction (or)

The disjunction of p and q is p v q (pronounced "p or q")

p v q is true if and only if p is true or q is true`

Example: Let p be "Tom is a human", q be "Tom is tall"

p v q is "Tom is human or Tom is tall"

Statement forms

A statement form is an expression made of statement variables and local operators

Examples: Let p be "Bob is a CS student", q be "Bob is taking DS class"

~p ^ q "Bob is not a CS student and Bob is taking DS class"

p v (~p ^ q) "Either Bob is a CS student or Bob is not a CS student and Bob is taking DS class"

~p ^ ~q "Bob is not a CS student and Bob is not taking DS class"

Note: Truth tables show determinations of truths in statement forms

Compound statements - truth tables

We can evaluate truth values of any complex statement form.

  • Label columns accordingly, then fill in with steps
    • Add component variables
    • Add expressions in parentheses
      • Any non-nested parentheses are considered left->right
    • Add expressions with logical operators
      • Negation
      • Conjunction/disjunction
p ~p
T F
F T
p q p^q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F
p q pvq
T T T
T F T
F T T
F F F

Example: Construct the truth table for the statement form (p v q) ^ ~(p ^ q)

Exclusive OR

Exclusive OR is denoted as (p v q) ^ ~(p ^ q).

This is often abbreviated as (p XOR q).

The statement p XOR q means p or q and not both p and q.

p q pvq p^q ~(p^q) (pvq) ^ ~(p^q)
T T T T F F
T F T F T T
F T T F T T
F F F F T F