Math 214 – Set Theory

Advisory Exam

I – True or False (3 points each)

1. If an argument is valid and has a false conclusion, then all the premises are false.
2. If a valid argument has a true conclusion then at least one of the premises is true.
3. If a valid argument has a false conclusion then it has at least one false premise.
4. If the conclusion of an argument is also one of the premises then the argument is invalid.
5. If one of the premises is removed from a valid argument, the resulting argument is invalid.
6. “ x  10 ” is a proposition.
7. “Let x be a prime number” is proposition.
8. “I can go on no longer. Nothing goes right for me, ever. The sun is in my eyes and I am tired. I am
going to quit. I am losing anyway so I might as well” is an argument.

II – Identify the premises and conclusion of the following argument and tell whether it is deductive or
inductive. (15 points)

“When students experience the usefulness of mathematics in their day-to-day life, mathematical learning
becomes more meaningful to them. They become responsible for their learning and accountable for their
mistakes. They acquire the mathematical competence that they need for any economically and socially
productive enterprise. The constructivist inspired goals of mathematics education help a society address
the challenges of the new millennium.”

III– Translate the following statement into symbols. Prove the invalidity of the argument (15 points)

Math 2 students will pass the math 214 exam if and only if they think neither math 214 is hard nor they will
fail the exam. If they think math 214 is hard then they will not have answers in the exam or if they think
they will fail then they did not study. They have answers in the exam and they studied, so Math 2 students
will pass the math 214 exam.

IV – Write a formal proof of validity for the given argument using direct proof (20 points)

1.q  (r  s )
2.(r  s )  t
3.( s  u )  t
4. ~ v  (r  ~ w)
5. ~ t  ~ (r  ~ w) / ~ q  ~ ( s  q)

V – Translate the following statement into symbols. Prove the validity of the argument using indirect proof
(20 points)

If I enroll in this course and study hard then I make good grades. If I make good grades then I am happy. I
am not happy. Therefore, either I did not enroll in this course or I did not study hard.