GENERAL MATHEMATICS LOGIC

LESSON 10
(LOGICAL OPERATORS)
Target:

At the end of the lesson, you

should be able to:
Compute the truth table of (F ∨ G) ∧ ¬ (F ∧ G).
performs the different types
of operations on propositions; Solution:
determines the truth values
of propositions. F G F∨G F∧G ¬(F ∧ G) (F ∨ G) ∧ ¬(F ∧ G)
T T T T F F
T F T F T T
F T T F T T
F F F F T F

☞ The formula models an exclusive or!

1. Introduce how to construct a truth table.

Given a proposition, its truth table shows all its possible truth values.

EXAMPLE 1. Since a proposition has two possible truth values, a

proposition p would have the following truth table.
p
T
F
The truth table is useful because we can use it to display all the
possible truth value combinations of two or more propositions. For
example, suppose p and q are propositions. We can construct a truth
table displaying the relationship between the possible truth values of
p and the truth values of q. The rows of the table will correspond to
each of the possible truth value combination of p and q, and so there
will 22 = 4 be rows, Thus, for propositions p and q, we have the
following table.
p q
T T
T F
F T
F F
 Similarly, suppose p, q, and r are propositions, Then a truth table
involving the given propositions has 23 = 8 rows as shown below.
p q r
T T T
Scan the QR code to T T F
view the video or go T F T
to T F F
http://www.youtube. F T T
com/watch? F T F
v=rBD2bnsgFrc F F T
F F F

In general, a truth table involving n propositions has 2n rows.

As mentioned previously, we will use truth tables to define the logical
operators. If a given proposition is a compound proposition, the truth
table is used to exhibit the relationship between the truth values of its
simple components and the truth values of the given compound
proposition.
2. Define negation.
‘The simplest logical operator is the negation operator, which is
denoted by ~.

Definition.
The negation of a proposition p is denoted by
~ p: (read as ‘not? p,)
and is defined through its truth table:
p
p
T F
The truth table tells us that when p is true, its negation
F ~ pTis false. On
the other hand, when p is false, the negation ~ p is true.
EXAMPLE 2. State the negation of the following propositions.
x−1
n1: p(x) = is a polynomial function.
x+ 2
n2: 2 is an odd number.
n3: The tinikling is the most difficult dance.
n4: Everyone in Visayas speaks Cebuano,

Solution. The negation of the given propositions are given below.

 x−1 x−1
~ n1: ‘Tt is not true that p(x) = is a polynomial function’, or, more simply, ‘p(x) = is
x+ 2 x+ 2
not a polynomial function’.
~ n2: ‘It is not true that 2 is an odd Number’, or ‘2 is an even number.’
~ n3: ‘The tinikling is not the most difficult dance.’
~ n4: ‘Not everyone in Visayas speaks Cebuano.’

3. Define conjunction.
The next logical operator allows us to state an expression for two propositions to be true. It is
called the conjunction operator and is denoted by ∧.
Definition.
The conjunction of propositions p and q is denoted by
p ∧ q : ( p and q, )
and is defined through its truth table:
p q p∧
q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F
The propositions p and q are called conjuncts.

The conjunction p ∧ q is true only when both conjuncts p and q are true as shown in its truth
table.

EXAMPLE 3. Let p and q be the following propositions.

p: Angels exist.
q: π ¿ 3

Express the following conjunctions as English sentences or in symbols, as the case may be.
(a) p ∧ q
(b) p ∧ ( q)
(c) ‘Angels do not exist and π ≤ 3.’
(d) ‘While angels do not exist, π ¿ 3.’
Solution. The corresponding English sentences are given below.
(a) p ∧ q: ‘Angels exist and π > 3.’
(b) p ∧ (~ q): ‘Angels exist and π ≤ 3’, or ‘Angels exist, yet π ≤ 3.’
(c) In symbols, we have (~ p) ∧ (~ q)
(d) In logic, the statement is a conjunction and so, in symbols, (~ p) ∧ q

In the example above, since proposition q is true, the conjunction p ∧ q is true when p is
proven to be true. On the other hand, both conjunctions p ∧ (~ q) and (~ p) ∧ (~ q) are false
because one of the conjuncts, namely ~ q, is false.
 Proposition Simple Components
p1. r: √ 2 is a rational number.
f: Logic is fun .
p2. i: Logic is interesting.
b: Logic is boring.
p3. h: You study hard
g: You get good grades
p4. d: You can drive.
l: You have a driver’s license.

Then the compound proposition may be expressed as follows:

p1: not r.
p2: f and i, or b.
p3: if h, then g.
p4: (if d, then l) and (if l, then d)

Remark the compound propositions will be revisited more closely in the next meeting.

Activity 2. For each proposition in activity 1, identify whether it is a simple or compound

proposition. If it is a compound proposition, identify its primitive components.

Group work.
In the explore activity, each of you was asked to provide an argument for or against a
statement of their choice. Each of you will determine whether each sentence in your
argument is a proposition. You should also identify whether it is simple or compound, if it is
a compound proposition, you should also identify its simple components.
Formalize the following arguments and verify whether they are correct:

• “If Carlo won the competition, then either Mario came second or Sergio came third.
Sergio didn’t come third. Thus, if Mario didn’t come second, then Carlo didn’t win the
competition.”

• “If Carlo won the competition, then either Mario came second or Sergio came third.
Mario didn’t come second. Thus, if Carlo won the competition, then Sergio didn’t
come third.”

• “If Carlo won the competition, then Mario came second and Sergio came third.
Mario didn’t come second. Thus Carlo didn’t win the competition.”

• “If Carlo won the competition, then, if Mario came second then Sergio came third.
Mario didn’t come second. Thus, either Carlo won or Sergio arrived third”

• “If you play and you study you’ll pass the exams, while if you play and don’t study
you won’t pass. Thus, if you play, either you study and you’ll pass the exams, or you
don’t study and you won’t pass.”