Problem Set #1
Name: ____________________________________ Score: ____________
Section: ____________________________ Date: ____________
State whether the following sentences are simple or compound.
1) Mary baked a lasagna and a cake. _____________________
2) Dogs with fleas make poor housepets _____________________
3) John will get cancer or have a heart attack if he doesn’t stop eating fatty
beef? _____________________
4) No one can survive for long on junk food. _____________________
5) Whatever John does is all right with Mary. _____________________
In 6 – 10, identify the major operator in the ff. formulas by encircling the symbol.
6) ((A v B) C)
7) ((A B) v (B C))
8) (A (B v C)
9) [({F G) C} D) v (B C)]
10) ( B C)
In 11 – 15, for each given sentence: a) Write the sentence in symbolic form, using the
symbols shown below. b) Then tell if the sentence is true, false, or open.
Let p represent “A cat is an animal.”
Let q represent “A poodle is a cat.”
Let r represent “His cat is gray.”
11) A poodle is not a cat. _____________________________
12) His cat is gray. _____________________________
13) It is not true that a poodle is a cat. _____________________________
14) It is not the case that a cat is an animal. _____________________________
15) It is not the case that a poodle is not a cat. _____________________________
In 16 - 19, the symbols represent sentences.
p: “Summer follows spring.” r: “Baseball is a summer sport.”
q: “Baseball is a sport.” s: “ He likes baseball.”
For each sentence given in symbolic form: a) Write a complete sentence in words to
show what the symbols represent. b) Tell if the sentence is true, false, or open.
16) ~ p 17) ~ q 18) ~ (~ p) 19) ~ (~ r)
Foundations of Mathematics Course 2013 – 2014
De La Salle University |
16) ____________________________________________________________________
17) ____________________________________________________________________
18) ____________________________________________________________________
19) ____________________________________________________________________
In 20 – 28, give a word, phrase, or a symbol that can be placed in the blank to make the
resulting sentences true.
20) When p is true, then ~ p is __________.
21) A sentence that has a truth value is called a __________.
22) If p is true, or q is true, but not both, then p Λ q is __________.
23) When p Λ ~ q is true, then p is ______ and q is ________.
24) When p is false and q is true, then ~ (p Λ q) is ________.
25) If both p and q are false, then ~ p Λ ~ q is ________.
26) The conditional p → q is false only when p is ________ and q is __________.
27) When the hypothesis p is false, the p → q must be ______________.
28) If the hypothesis p is true and the conditional p → q is true, then the conclusion q
must be ___________.
In 29-30, determine whether each of the following propositional forms is a
tautology, a contradiction or a contingency.
1. (p ⋁ q) ⟷ (q ⟹ r)
2. [(p ⟹ q) ⋀ (p ⋁ r)] ⋀ (¬r ⋀ ¬q)
In 31 – 32, determine if these are logical equivalences. If they are, use the rules of
replacement to show logical equivalences. If not, give an instance to show otherwise.
31. p ⋁ [q ⋀ (p ⋁ ¬q)] ⟺ p ⋁ (p ⋀ q)
32. p ⋀ [(p ⋀ q) ⋁ ¬p)] ⟺ p ⋀ q
Provide a formal proof of validity for the following arguments.
33. I shall either play gold or stay at home and read. Therefore, I shall either play
golf or stay at home.
34. The moon’s not a balloon only if I’m the Queen of Sheba. I’m not the queen of
Sheba. Therefore the balloon’s a moon.
35. If the summer is hot then we won’t go on holiday in August. We’ll either go
on a holiday on August or we’ll buy a new car (perhaps both). Therefore, if
the summer is hot, we’ll buy a new car.
Foundations of Mathematics Course 2013 – 2014
De La Salle University |