RULES OF INFERENCE AND LOGIC PROOFS 9. 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒋𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 10.

𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
𝒑 𝒑∨𝒒 ≡ 𝒒∨𝒑
A proof is an argument from hypotheses 𝒒 𝒑∧𝒒 ≡ 𝒒∧𝒑
(assumptions) to a conclusion. Each step of the
argument follows the laws of logic. ∴𝒑∧𝒒
In mathematics, a statement is not accepted as
valid or correct unless it is accompanied by a proof. This 11. 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 12. 𝑫𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏′𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒎
insistence on proof is one of the things that sets 𝒑 ∨ (𝒒 ∨ 𝒓) ≡ (𝒑 ∨ 𝒒) ∨ 𝒓 𝒑∧𝒒≡𝒑∨𝒒
mathematics apart from other subjects. 𝒑 ∧ (𝒒 ∧ 𝒓) ≡ (𝒑 ∧ 𝒒) ∧ 𝒓 𝒑∨𝒒≡𝒑∧𝒒

Writing proofs is difficult; there are no 13. 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

procedures which you can follow which will guarantee 𝒑 ∧ (𝒒 ∨ 𝒓) ≡ (𝒑 ∧ 𝒒) ∨ (𝒑 ∧ 𝒓)
success. The patterns which proofs follow are 𝒑 ∨ (𝒒 ∧ 𝒓) ≡ (𝒑 ∧ 𝒒) ∨ (𝒑 ∧ 𝒓)
complicated, and there are a lot of them. You can't
expect to do proofs by following rules, memorizing 14. 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆
formulas, or looking at a few examples in a book. (𝒑 ≡ 𝒒) ≡ [(𝒑 → 𝒒) ∧ (𝒒 → 𝒑)]
(𝒑 ≡ 𝒒) ≡ [(𝒑 ∧ 𝒒) ∨ (𝒑 ∧ 𝒒)]
Logic proofs are more highly patterned than
most proofs, they are a good place to start. They'll be 15. 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 16. 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
written in column format, with each step justified by a 𝒑→𝒒≡𝒒→𝒑 𝒑→ 𝒒≡𝒑∨𝒒
rule of inference. Most of the rules of inference will
come from tautologies. Since a tautology is a statement 17. 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 18. 𝑻𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚
which is "always true", it makes sense to use them in [(𝒑 ∧ 𝒒) → 𝒓 ≡ [𝒑 → (𝒒 → 𝒓)] 𝒑 ≡ 𝒑 ∨ 𝒑
drawing conclusions. 𝒑≡𝒑∧𝒑

Like most proofs, logic proofs usually begin with 19. 𝑫𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
premises --- statements that you're allowed to assume. ̿
𝒑≡𝒑
The conclusion is the statement that you need to prove.
PROOFS OF VALIDITY
The idea is to operate on the premises using rules of
inference until you arrive at the conclusion.
a.)
Reasons
1. 𝑴𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒔 𝑷𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒔 2. 𝑴𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒔 𝑻𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒔
𝒑→𝒒 𝒑→𝒒
𝒑 𝒒 1. (𝑀 → 𝑷) ∧ (𝑨 → 𝑪)
2. 𝐴/∴ 𝑃 ∨ 𝐶
∴𝒒 ∴𝒑
3. 𝐴 ∨ 𝑀
3. 𝑯𝒚𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒚𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒎 4. 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒋𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑺𝒚𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒎 4. 𝑀 ∨ 𝐴
𝒑→𝒒 𝒑∨𝒒
5. 𝑃 ∨ 𝐶
𝒒→𝒓 𝒑

∴𝒑→𝒓 ∴𝒒
Reasons
5. 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑫𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂 6. 𝑨𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
1. (𝑀 → 𝑃) ∧ (𝐴 → 𝐶)
(𝒑 → 𝒒) ∧ (𝒓 → 𝒔) 𝒑→𝒒
𝒑∨𝒓 2. 𝐴/∴ 𝑃 ∨ 𝐶
3. (𝐴 → 𝐶) ∧ (𝑀 → 𝑃)
∴𝒒∨𝒔 ∴ 𝒑 → (𝒑 ∧ 𝒒)
4. 𝐴 → 𝐶
7. 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 8. 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
5. 𝐶
𝒑∧𝒒 𝒑
6. 𝐶 ∨ 𝑃
∴𝒑 ∴𝒑∨𝒒
7. 𝑃 ∨ 𝐶

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b.) Prove the following:

Reasons a.)
1. (𝐴 ∨ 𝑊) → (𝐶 ∧ 𝑃)
Reasons
2. 𝐶 → 𝐺
3. 𝐺/ ∴ 𝐴 1. 𝑃 ∧ 𝑄
4. 𝐶 2. 𝑃 ∨ 𝑆

5. 𝐶 ∨ 𝑃 3. 𝑆 → 𝑇 /∴ 𝑇 ∧ 𝑄

6. 𝐶 ∧ 𝑃
7. 𝐴 ∨ 𝑊
8. 𝐴 ∧ 𝑊
9. 𝐴

c.)
b.)
Reasons
Reasons
1. (𝑃 ∧ 𝑄) ∨ (𝑃 ∨ 𝑄)/∴ 𝑃 → 𝑄
1. 𝑃 → 𝑄
2. 𝑃 ≡ 𝑄
2. 𝑅 → 𝑆
3. (𝑃 → 𝑄) ∧ (𝑄 → 𝑃)
3. 𝑇 ∧ 𝑈
4. (𝑄 → 𝑃) ∧ (𝑃 → 𝑄)
4. 𝑇 → (𝑃 ∨ 𝑅)/ ∴ 𝑄 ∨ 𝑆
5. 𝑄 → 𝑃
6. 𝑃 → 𝑄

d.)

Reasons c.)

1. 𝑁 → 𝑂 Reasons
2. (𝑁 ∧ 𝑂) → 𝑃
1. 𝑃 → 𝑄
3. 𝑁 ∧ 𝑃 ∴ 𝑁
2. 𝑄 → 𝑅
4. 𝑁 → (𝑁 ∧ 𝑂)
3. 𝑆 → 𝑅
5. 𝑁 → 𝑃
4. 𝑃/ ∴ 𝑆
6. 𝑁

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