Propositional Logic

Definition: A proposition or statement is a sentence which is

either true or false.
Definition:If a proposition is true, then we say its truth value is
true, and if a proposition is false, we say its truth value is false.
Are these propositions?
1. The sun is shining.
2. The sum of two prime numbers is even.
3. 3+4=7
4. It rained in Austin, TX, on October 30, 1999.
5. x+y > 10
6. Is it raining?
7. Come to class!
8. n is a prime number.
9. The moon is made of green cheese.
Definition: A propositional variable represents an arbitrary
proposition. We represent propositional variables with uppercase letters.

What is an Argument?
Definition: An argument consists of a sequence of statements
called premises and a statement called a conclusion. An argument is valid if the conclusion is true whenever the premises are all
true.
Example:
My program wont compile or it produces a division by 0 error.
My program does not produce a division by 0 error.
Therefore my program will not compile.
Now: Rewrite this argument in its general form by defining appropriate propositional variables.
This is one example of an argument form that is called disjunctive
syllogism.

Example: Another disjunctive syllogism example

Ladybugs are purple or green.
Ladybugs are not green.
Therefore ladybugs are purple.

Let P be: Ladybugs are purple.

Let Q be: Ladybugs are green.
Rewritten argument:
P or Q
not Q
Therefore P

This argument is valid, but it isnt very meaningful since P and Q

are not true.

LOGICAL CONNECTIVES
Use logical connectives to build complex propositions from simpler ones.
The First Three Logical Connectives
denotes not. P is the negation of P.
denotes or. P Q is the disjunction of P and Q.
denotes and. P Q is the conjunction of P and Q.

Order of Operations
first
/ second
implication and biconditionals last (more on these later)
parentheses can be used to change the order

Translating English Into Logic

Note: The word but in English is often translated as .
Example: Today is is hot but it is not sunny.
Because the second part of the sentence is a surprise, but is used
instead of and.
Example: Write each sentence in symbols, assigning propositional
variables to statements as follows:
P: It is hot.
Q: It is sunny.
1. It is not hot but it is sunny.
2. It is neither hot nor sunny.
Answers: (in class)

Exercise (on your own) Try out googles advanced search, which
lets you use logical connectives to limit your hits. What options on
the search page correspond to:
ANDing together several terms, e.g., search for pages that contain induction and mathematical.
ORing - search for pages that contain Russell or Barber
plus also paradox.
ANDing and negation - search for pages that contain wheat
but not gluten.

Truth Tables
Truth tables represent the relationship between the truth values of
propositions and compound propositions formed from those propositions.
Examples: Give truth tables for the logical connectives not, and,
or.
Example: P: Today is Friday. What is P ?
Example: P: At least two inches of rain fell in Austin today.
P ?
Example:
P: Today it is raining.
Q: Today is it snowing.
P Q?
P Q?

Inclusive vs. Exclusive Or

Note: The operation represents inclusive or.
P Q is true if either P and Q are true, or if both P and Q are true.

Or has two meanings in English:

1. Inclusive Or: I will take cs 305j or cs 313k this fall. (Possibly I
will take both).
2. Exclusive Or: I will order a steak or enchiladas for dinner tonight.
(But hopefully not both!).
Make sure you are interpreting or correctly when translating English statements into logic!!
Exercise: Write a truth table for exclusive or operation, sometimes denoted or .

Conditional Statements or Implications, and

Bi-conditionals
For propositions P and Q, the implication or conditional statement P Q is false when P is true and Q is false, and is true
otherwise. P is called the premise or hypothesis, and Q is called
the conclusion.
Ways to read P Q:
If P then Q.
P is sufficient for Q.
P implies Q.
Q follows from P.

Implication Example
Example: If you earn 90% of the possible points in cs 313k, then
you will get an A.
Rewritten in logical notation: P Q, where
P is: You earn 90% of the possible points in cs 313k.
Q is: You will get an A in cs 313k.
Interpretation of P Q:
Think of P Q being true as long as I do what I promised:
If P is false, you should not expect an A (though I could give you an
A), so I have honored the commitment (P Q is true).
If P is true, P Q is true only if Q is also true, ie if I give you an
A.
Example: Give the truth table for implication P Q.

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More on the Meaning of Implications

Note: In English, a sentence of the form if A then B can have
different meanings.
1. Typically there is a causal relationship between A and B, which
is not required in logic.
2. We are often implying more than simply that if A holds, then B
holds as well.
Example:
If I finish my work early, then I will pick you up before lunch.
The common-sense interpretation of this sentence is that the inverse
statement is also true: If I do not finish my work early, then I will
not pick you up before lunch. But this is not implied by the logical
implication P Q, where P is I finish my work early and Q is I
will pick you up before lunch. English is not as precise as logic.

Example:
If 2 is prime, then grape juice will pour from the sky today.
Logical implication P Q can be formed using propositions P and
Q that are not related in any way. We would never say this in English.

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Examples: Are these implications true or false?

1. If it rains today, then 2 is a prime number.

2. If 2+2=5, then all dogs are black.
3. If 4*4 = 16, then (-1)*(-1) = 1.
4. If there are 100 students in class today, then we will order pizza.

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Biconditionals
The biconditional of statements P and Q, denoted P Q, is
read P if and only if Q (or P is necessary and sufficient for Q),
and is true if P and Q have the same truth values, and false otherwise.
Example: Write down the truth table of P Q.

Example: True or false? 2+2 = 5 if and only if 2 is prime.

Example: true or false? 2+2 = 5 if and only if 10 is prime.
Note: If P Q is true, then P Q and Q P are true.
Conversely if both P Q and Q P are true, then P Q is
true. Prove this claim using a truth table.

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Translating English into Logic

Example:
You can use the microlab only if you are a cs major or not a freshman.
P: You can use the microlab.
Q: You are a cs major.
R: You are a freshman.
Rewrite the statement using logical connectives.
Example:
If it snows or rains today, I will not go for a walk.
Rewrite this proposition using logical connectives and propositional
variables.

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Rearrangements of an Implication
Definition: For conditional statement P Q, the converse
statement is Q P , the contrapositive statement is Q P ,
and the inverse statement is P Q.
Note: As we saw in a previous example, we can use a truth table to
determine if two compound propositions are logically equivalent,
ie if they always have the same truth values. If two propositions R
and S are logically equivalent, we write R S.
Example: Use a truth table to determine whether or not the converse, contrapositive and inverse statements are logically equivalent
to P Q.
Definition: If a compound proposition is always true, it is a tautology. Note that if R S is a tautology, then R S.
Note: is not a logical connective and R S is not a compound proposition. R S just means that R S is a tautology.
Alternate notation: R S.

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Using Truth Tables to Prove Identities

Example: Are (P Q) and P Q logically equivalent? Prove
your answer with a truth table.
Exercise: Show that P Q and P Q are logically equivalent.
This is called an implication law.
Exercise: Show P (Q R) and (P Q) (P R) are logically
equivalent. This is one of the distributive laws.

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LOGICAL IDENTITIES
P P P
P P P
P QQP
P QQP
(P Q) R P (Q R)
(P Q) R P (Q R)
(P Q) P Q
(P Q) P Q
P (Q R) (P Q) (P R)
P (Q R) (P Q) (P R)
P T T
P F F
P T P
P F P
P P T
P P F
(P ) P
P (P Q) P
P (P Q) P
P Q P Q
P Q Q P
P Q [(P Q) (Q P )]
[(P Q) R] [P (Q R)]

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idempotence of
idempotence of
commutativity of
commutativity of
associativity of
associativity of
DeMorgans Laws
distributivity of over
distributivity of over
domination laws
identity laws
negation laws
double negation law
absorption laws
implication
contrapositive
equivalence
exportation

Examples with Identities

1. P P P - idempotence of
Anna is wretched is equivalent to Anna is wretched and Anna is
wretched.
2. P P P - idempotence of
Anna is wretched is equivalent to Anna is wretched or wretched.
3. P Q Q P - commutativity
Sam is rich or happy is equivalent to Sam is happy or rich.

3. P Q QP
Sam is rich and Sam is happy is equivalent to Sam is happy and
Sam is rich.
4. (P Q) P Q - DeMorgans law
It is not the case that Sam is rich or happy is equivalent to Sam
is not rich and he is not happy.

4 . (P Q) P Q
It is not true that Abby is quick and strong is equivalent to Abby
is not quick or Abby is not strong.
5. P (Q R) (P Q) (P R) - distributivity
Abby is strong, and Abby is happy or nervous is equivalent to
Abby is strong and happy, or Abby is strong and nervous.

5 . P (Q R) (P Q) (P R)
Sam is tired, or Sam is happy and rested is equivalent to Sam is
tired or happy, and Sam is tired or rested.
6. P P T - negation law
Ted is healthy or Ted is not healthy is true.

6 . P P F
Kate won the lottery and Kate didnt win the lottery is false.
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7. (P ) P - double negation
It is not the case that Tom is not rich is equivalent to Tom is
rich.
8. P (P Q) P - absorption
Kate is happy, or Kate is happy and healthy is true if and only if
Kate is happy is true.

8 . P (P Q) P
Kate is sick, and Kate is sick or angry is true if and only if Kate
is sick is true.
9. P Q P Q - implication
If I win tne lottery, then I will give you half the money is true
exactly when I either dont win the lottery, or I give you half the
money.
10. P Q Q P - contrapositive
If Anna is healthy, then she is happy is equivalent to If Anna is
not happy, then she is not healthy.
11. P Q (P Q) (Q P ) equivalence
Anna is healthy if and only if she is happy is equivalent to If
Anna is healthy, then she is happy, and if Anna is happy, then she is
healthy.
12. (P Q) R P (Q R) - exportation
Anna is famous implies that if she is rich, then she is happy is
equivalent to If Anna is famous and rich, then she is happy.

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More on Propositional Equivalence

Recall: A compound proposition that is always true is a tautology. Example: P P
Definition: A compound proposition that is always false is a contradiction. Example: P P .
Definition: A compound proposition that is not a tautology or a
contradiction is a contingency.
Homework: Look at the table of logical equivalences and become
familiar with the laws and their names.
Example:
P: Ann will go to the movie.
Q: Scott will go to the movie.
Using DeMorgans law, (P Q) P Q, write down (P Q).

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Equivalence Proofs using the Logical Identities

Example - our first step by step equivalence proof
Show P Q (P Q). Hint: You will need to use the fact
that P Q P Q (we just proved this).
Example: Show that (P Q) P is a tautology.
Note: We can also use a truth table to prove a compound proposition is a tautology, but this is only practical if the number of propositional variables is small.
Exercise: Show P (P Q) is a tautology, first using a truth
table and then with an equivalence proof.

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