Module Code MA4001: Logic and Problem Solving Tutorial: Week 1
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Ashish GhishingModule Code MA4001: Logic and Problem Solving Tutorial: Week 1
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Ashish GhishingCommon questions
Powered by AIThe compound proposition (p → ¬p) is always true unless p is true, given that the implication p → ¬p is equivalent to saying 'if p then not p,' which is a contradiction when p is true. However, if p is false, the implication holds vacuously as false implications are considered true by definition .
Using De Morgan's Laws, ¬(p ∧ q) is equivalent to ¬p ∨ ¬q. The proposition ¬(p ∧ q) ∙ (¬p ∨ ¬q) simplifies to (¬p ∨ ¬q) ∙ (¬p ∨ ¬q), which is logically equivalent to just ¬p ∨ ¬q, reinforcing that if not both p and q are true, then at least one must be false .
The compound proposition p ∨ ¬q is a disjunction, true if at least one of p or ¬q is true, whereas p ∧ q is a conjunction, true only if both p and q are true. Thus, they represent different logical operations and cannot be logically equivalent. This means they will evaluate differently based on the truth values of p and q, with the disjunction being more inclusive in what it considers true .
'x + 2 = 11' is not considered a proposition because it is an open sentence dependent on the variable x, which means it can neither be assigned a truth value of true nor false without a specific value for x. Thus, propositions must be closed sentences with definite truth values .
The negation of a proposition involves changing its truth value to the opposite. For the proposition '2 + 1 = 3', which is true, its negation would be '2 + 1 ≠ 3', making the statement false .
'Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal' is a declarative sentence and qualifies as a proposition because it asserts a statement that can be either true or false. In this case, it is true because Kathmandu is indeed the capital of Nepal .
The logical expression for 'If it is below freezing then it is also snowing' is p → q. When p is true and q is false, the implication p → q is false because it implies a scenario where the antecedent is true, but the consequent fails to hold, breaking the condition required for a true implication .
'What time is it?' cannot be considered a valid proposition because propositions must be declarative statements that are either true or false. This is a question rather than a statement, lacking a truth value, and thus, not qualifying as a proposition .
The logical connective 'and' (∧) yields a true compound proposition only when both individual propositions are true. For 'p: It is below freezing' and 'q: It is snowing', the compound proposition 'p ∧ q' would only be true if both it is below freezing and it is snowing simultaneously. If either p or q is false, as when p is true and q is false, 'p ∧ q' evaluates to false .
A conjunction requires both propositions connected by 'and' to be true. '4 is even' is true, but '5 is even' is false since 5 is an odd number. Thus, the conjunction '4 is even and 5 is even' is false because one of the propositions is false .