Truth Tables
Truth table
Every logical statement, simple or compound, is either true or false.
We say that the truth value of a statement is true (represented by the letter T) when the
statement is true, and false (represented by the letter F) when the statement is false.
Example:
If 𝒑: 𝐼 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑜 is false, and
𝒒: 𝐼 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑖𝑐 is true,
then the conjunction
𝒑 ∧ 𝒒: 𝐼 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑖𝑐 is a false statement.
Truth Table for 𝒑 ∧ 𝒒
Conjunction
If 𝑝 is true and 𝑞 is true,
then 𝑝⋀𝑞 is true;
otherwise 𝑝⋀𝑞 is false.
Meaning, the conjunction
of two propositions is true
only if each proposition is
true.
Truth Table for 𝒑 ∨ 𝒒
Disjunction
If 𝑝 is true or 𝑞 is true or if
both 𝑝 and 𝑞 are true, then
𝑝⋁𝑞 is true; otherwise 𝑝⋁𝑞
is false. Meaning, the
disjunction of two
propositions is false only if
each proposition is false.
Truth Table for 𝒑 → 𝒒
Conditional
The conditional proposition
𝑝 → 𝑞 is false only when p is
true and q is false; otherwise
𝑝 → 𝑞 is true. Meaning,
𝑝 → 𝑞 states that a true
proposition cannot imply a
false proposition.
Truth Table for 𝒑 ↔ 𝒒
Biconditional
If 𝑝 and 𝑞 are both
true or both false,
then 𝑝 ↔ 𝑞 is true;
otherwise 𝑝 ↔ 𝑞 it is
false.
Truth Table for 𝒑⨁𝒒
Exclusive-or
If 𝑝 and 𝑞 are both
true or both false,
then 𝑝⨁𝑞 is false; if 𝑝
and 𝑞 have opposite
truth values, then
𝑝⨁𝑞 is true.
Truth Table for ∼ 𝒑
Negation
If p is true, ~𝑝 is false.
Meaning, the truth value of
the negation of a proposition
is always the reverse of the
truth value of the original
proposition.
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
1. ∼ 𝒑 ∨ 𝒒
p q ∼p ∨ q
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
2. 𝒑 ∧ [∼ 𝒑 ∨∼ 𝒒 ]
p q p ∧ [∼ ( p ∨ ∼q ) ]
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
3. 𝒑 ∧∼ 𝒒
p q p ∧ ∼q
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
4. (𝒑 ∧∼ 𝒒) →∼ 𝒑
p q (p ∧ ∼q ) → ∼p
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
5. (∼ 𝒑 → 𝒒) ∨ 𝒑
p q ( ∼p → q) ∨ p
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
6. ∼ 𝒑⨁𝒒 ∨∼ 𝒒
p q ( ∼p ⨁ q) ∨ ∼q
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
7. (𝒑 ∨∼ 𝒒)⨁ ∼ 𝒑
p q (p ∨ ∼q ) ⨁ ∼p
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
8. (∼ 𝒑 ∧∼ 𝒒) ↔ (∼ 𝒑 → 𝒒)
p q ( ∼p ∧ ∼q ) ↔ ( ∼p → q )
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
9. ∼ 𝒑 ⨁ 𝒒 ⋁ (∼ 𝒒 → 𝒓)
p q r (∼p ⨁ q) ⋁ ( ∼q → r)
T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F
Example: Construct a truth table for the ff.
10. 𝒑 ↔∼ 𝒒 ∧ (∼ 𝒓 ∨ 𝒒)
p q r (p ↔ ∼q ) ∧ ( ∼r ∨ q)
T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F
Equivalent Statements
Equivalent Statements
Two statements are equivalent if they both have the same
truth value for all possible truth values of their simple
statements. Equivalent statements have identical truth values
in the final columns of their truth tables.
The notation p q is used to indicate that the statements p
and q are equivalent.
Example: Verify That Two Statements Are Equivalent
1. Show that 𝒑 → 𝒒 and ∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑 are equivalent statements.
p q p → q ∼q → ∼p
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Verify That Two Statements Are Equivalent
2. Show that ∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒 and 𝒑 ∨∼ 𝒒 are equivalent statements.
p q ∼p → ∼q p ∨ ∼q
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Verify That Two Statements Are Equivalent
3. Show that ∼ 𝒑 ∨ 𝒒 and ∼ (𝒑 ∧∼ 𝒒) are equivalent statements.
p q ∼p ∨ q ∼ (p ∧ ∼q )
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example: Verify That Two Statements Are Equivalent
4. Show that 𝒑 ∨ 𝒒 and 𝒑 ∨ (𝒒 ∧∼ 𝒑) are equivalent statements.
p q p ∨ q p ∨ (q ∧ ∼p )
T T
T F
F T
F F
Equivalent Statements
These equivalences are known as De Morgan’s laws for statements.
De Morgan’s laws can be used to restate certain English sentences in an equivalent
form.
Prove that the De Morgan’s Law for statement is an Equivalent statement
Prove that the De Morgan’s Law for statement is an Equivalent statement
Example: State an Equivalent Form
1.) Use one of De Morgan’s laws to restate the following sentence in an
equivalent form.
It is not true that, I graduated or I got a job.
Example: State an Equivalent Form
2. Make use of one of De Morgan’s laws to write the given statement in an
equivalent form.
Wendy will go to the store this afternoon or she will not be able to
prepare her pesto recipe.
Let’s Try This…
Make use of one of De Morgan’s laws to write the given statement in an equivalent
form.
1. Ellen did not go to work this morning and she did not take her
medication.
2.) Use one of De Morgan’s laws to restate the following sentence in an
equivalent form.
It is not true that: today is Wednesday and it is raining.
Make use of one of De Morgan’s laws to write the given statement in an equivalent
form.
3. It is not true that, I bought a new car and I moved to Florida
Make use of one of De Morgan’s laws to write the given statement in an equivalent
form.
4. It is not true that, she received a promotion or that she received a
raise.
Make use of one of De Morgan’s laws to write the given statement in an equivalent
form.
5. It is not the case that, the students cut classes or took part in the
demonstration.
Tautologies, Contradictions
and Contingency
A tautology is a compound statement that is true for all possible
combinations of the truth values of the propositional variables are also
called logically true.
A contradiction is a compound statement that is false for all possible
combinations of the truth values of its propositional variables also
called logically false or absurdity.
A contingency is a compound statement that can either be true or
false, depending on the truth values of the propositional variables
neither a tautology nor a contradiction.
Example:
Use a truth table to determine whether the given
statement is Tautology, Contradiction or Contingency
1.) 𝑝 ∧ (∼ 𝑝)
p p ∧ ( ∼p )
F
Example:
Use a truth table to determine whether the given
statement is Tautology, Contradiction or Contingency
2.) 𝑝 ∨ (∼ 𝑝 ∨ 𝑞)
p q p ∨ ( ∼p ∨ q)
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example:
Use a truth table to determine whether the given
statement is Tautology, Contradiction or Contingency
3.) ~ 𝑝 ∨ 𝑞 ∨ ~𝑝 ∨ 𝑞
p q ~ [(p ∨ q) ∨ ( ~p ∨ q)]
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example:
Use a truth table to determine whether the given
statement is Tautology, Contradiction or Contingency
4.) ∼ [𝑝 ∨ ~𝑝 ∨ 𝑞 ]
p q ∼ [p ∨ ( ~p ∨ q)]
T T
T F
F T
F F
Example:
Use a truth table to determine whether the given
statement is Tautology, Contradiction or Contingency
5.) (𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) → 𝑝
p q (p ∧ q) → p
T T
T F
F T
F F
6.) (𝑝 ⟶∼ 𝑞) ⟷ (𝑞 ∧ ~𝑟)
p q r (p ⟶ ∼q ) ⟷ (q ∧ ~r )
T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F
The Converse, the Inverse,
and the Contrapositive
Every conditional statement has three related statements.
They are called the converse, the inverse, and the
contrapositive.
The above definitions show the following:
The converse of p → q is formed by interchanging the antecedent p
with the consequent q. 𝒒→𝒑
The inverse of p → q is formed by negating the antecedent p and
negating the consequent q. ∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒
The contrapositive of p → q is formed by negating both the
antecedent p and the consequent q and interchanging these negated
statements. ∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑
Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of the given statement.
1. If the sky is blue, then deserts are dry.
Converse (𝒒 → 𝒑): ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Inverse (∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒) : ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Contrapositive (∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑) : _________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Example: Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of the given statement.
2. If you stay, then I leave.
Converse (𝒒 → 𝒑): ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Inverse (∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒) : ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Contrapositive (∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑) : _________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Let’s Try This…
Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of the given statement.
1. If the number is even, then it is divisible by 2.
Converse (𝒒 → 𝒑): ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Inverse (∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒) : ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Contrapositive (∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑) : _________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Example: Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of the given statement.
2. If I get the job, then I will rent the apartment.
Converse (𝒒 → 𝒑): ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Inverse (∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒) : ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Contrapositive (∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑) : _________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of the given statement.
3. If I have money, then I will travel to Europe.
Converse (𝒒 → 𝒑): ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Inverse (∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒) : ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Contrapositive (∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑) : _________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of the given statement.
4. If we don’t receive the invitation, then we will not be able to attend the seminar.
Converse (𝒒 → 𝒑): ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Inverse (∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒) : ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Contrapositive (∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑) : _________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Write the converse, inverse, and contrapositive of the given statement.
5. If Pluto is not a planet, then the sun is the center of the solar system.
Converse (𝒒 → 𝒑): ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Inverse (∼ 𝒑 →∼ 𝒒) : ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Contrapositive (∼ 𝒒 →∼ 𝒑) : _________________________________________
____________________________________________________