MODULE 3 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS

I. Find a model for the following cat-and-mouse axiomatic system:

Undefined terms: cat, mouse, catch

Axiom 1: All cats catch mice.

Axiom 2: Some mice do not catch cats.
Axiom 3: There are at least two cats.

II. Consider the following giraffe axiomatic system.

Undefined terms: giraffe, taller

Axiom 1: If p and q are distinct giraffes, then either p is taller than q or q is taller
than p.
Axiom 2: Given any giraffe, there is a taller giraffe.
Axiom 3: There is a giraffe that is not taller than any giraffe.

Find a model for this axiomatic system.

III. A model of an axiomatic system can be in the form of a diagram. Consider the
following ant-and-path axiomatic system:

Undefined terms: ant, path, has

Axiom 1. Every ant has at least two paths.

Axiom 2. Every path has at least two ants.
Axiom 3. There exists at least one ant.

IV. Prove that the following point-and-line axiomatic system is inconsistent:

Undefined terms: point, line, on

 Axiom 1: Any two points are on exactly one line.
Axiom 2: There are exactly four points.
Axiom 3: Every line in on exactly two points.
Axiom 4: There are exactly five lines.

V. Consider the following box-and-crate axiomatic system:

Undefined terms: box, crate, in

Axiom 1: There are exactly four boxes.

Axiom 2: There is at least one crate.
Axiom 3: Every box is in at least two crates.
Axiom 4: Not all boxes are in the same crate.

1. Prove that the system is consistent.

2. Prove that three of the four axioms are independent.

VI. Consider the following axiom system:

Undefined terms: letter, envelope, contain

Axioms:
(a) There are at least two envelopes.
(b) Each envelope contains exactly three letters.
(c) No letter is contained in all the envelopes.

1. Prove that the system is consistent.

2. Prove that Axiom (b) is independent.

 3. Which of the following assertions are logically equivalent to Axiom (c)?
(a) There is a letter contained in two different envelopes.
(b) There is an envelope that does not contain any letter.
(c) There is an envelope that does not contain all the letters.
(d) If l is a letter, then it is not contained in every envelope.
(e) If l is a letter, then it is contained in some envelopes, but not in all
envelopes.
(f) If l is a letter, then there is some envelope that does not contain l.

VII. Consider again the following ant-and-path axiomatic system.

Axiom 1. Every ant has at least two paths.

Axiom 2. Every path has at least two ants.
Axiom 3. There exists at least one ant.

a. What are the undefined terms in the axiom set?

b. Prove the following theorems.

Theorem 1. There exists at least one path.

Theorem 2. There are exactly two paths.

VIII. Let us examine another example with the following axioms, where the
undefined terms are road, town, and stop sign.

Axiom 1. There is at least one road in the town.

Axiom 2. Every stop sign is on exactly two roads.
 Axiom 3. Every road has exactly two stop signs on it.

We wish to prove that there is at least one stop sign in the town.

IX. Although ant, path, road, town, and stop sign were used as undefined terms in
Examples 10 and 11, other words could be substituted to give an equally
meaningful interpretation of the structure. For example, ant, town, and stop sign
could be substituted for point; road and path for line. So axioms would now read
as follows.

Axiom 1. There exist exactly three distinct points.

Axiom 2. Each two distinct points are on exactly one line.
Axiom 3. Not all the points are on the same line.
Axiom 4. Each two distinct lines are on at least one point.

In Axiom 4, two lines with a common point are called intersecting lines.

a. What kinds of models could be used to represent the given

axiomatic system?

b. Prove the following theorems.

Theorem 3. Each two distinct lines are on exactly one point.

Theorem 4. There are exactly three lines.

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MODULE 4 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS

I. Let us consider the sets given in Example 1.3 with their Venn diagram:

U = {1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}
A = {2, 4, 6, 8}
B = {3, 6, 9}
Find
1. A∪B
2. A∩B
3. A\B
4. B\A
5. AC
6. (A ∪ B)C
7. AxB
8. BxA

II. U = {1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}, A = {2, 4, 6, 8}, B = {3, 6, 9}. Note that n(A) = 4,
n(B) = 3, and n(A ∩ B) = 1

1. n(A ∪ B) =
2. n(Ac) =
3. n(A \ B) =
4. n(A x B) =

III. Consider the sets V = {a, e, i o, u} and E = { 2, 4, 6, ….}.

1. Let L = {x | x is a vowel in the word “abstemious”}.
 2. Let M = {x | x is a letter in the word “abstemious”}.

IV. In a community of 200 residents, 135 persons have been exposed to chemical
X, 85 to chemical Y, and 40 to both chemicals X and Y, find the number of
persons exposed to:
a) chemical X only (that is, chemical X but not chemical Y);

b) chemical Y only;

c) chemical X or chemical Y;

d) neither chemical.