Problem Set 1

Full solutions to these problems are available for free download here:
www.SATPrepGet800.com/PMFBXSG

LEVEL 1
1. Determine whether each of the following sentences is an atomic statement, a compound
statement, or not a statement at all:
(i) I am not going to work today.
(ii) What is the meaning of life?
(iii) Don’t go away mad.
(iv) I watched the television show Parks and Recreation.
(v) If pigs have wings, then they can fly.
(vi) 3 < – 5 or 38 > 37.
(vii) This sentence has five words.
(viii) I cannot swim, but I can run fast.

2. What is the negation of each of the following statements:

(i) The banana is my favorite fruit.
(ii) 7 > – 3.
(iii) You are not alone.
(iv) The function 𝑓 is differentiable everywhere.

LEVEL 2
3. Let 𝑝 represent the statement “9 is a perfect square,” let 𝑞 represent the statement “Orange is a
primary color,” and let 𝑟 represent the statement “A frog is a reptile.” Rewrite each of the
following symbolic statements in words, and state the truth value of each statement:
(i) 𝑝∧𝑞
(ii) ¬𝑟
(iii) 𝑝→𝑟
(iv) 𝑞↔𝑟
(v) ¬𝑝 ∧ 𝑞
(vi) ¬(𝑝 ∧ 𝑞)
(vii) ¬𝑝 ∨ ¬𝑞
(viii) (𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) → 𝑟
 4. Consider the compound sentence “You can have a cookie or ice cream.” In English this would
most likely mean that you can have one or the other but not both. The word “or” used here is
generally called an “exclusive or” because it excludes the possibility of both. The disjunction is
an “inclusive or.” Using the symbol ⊕ for exclusive or, draw the truth table for this connective.

LEVEL 3
5. Let 𝑝, 𝑞, and 𝑟 represent true statements. Compute the truth value of each of the following
compound statements:
(i) (𝑝 ∨ 𝑞) ∨ 𝑟
(ii) (𝑝 ∨ 𝑞) ∧ ¬𝑟
(iii) ¬𝑝 → (𝑞 ∨ 𝑟)
(iv) ¬(𝑝 ↔ ¬𝑞) ∧ 𝑟
(v) ¬[𝑝 ∧ (¬𝑞 → 𝑟)]
(vi) ¬[(¬𝑝 ∨ ¬𝑞) ↔ ¬𝑟]
(vii) 𝑝 → (𝑞 → ¬𝑟)
(viii) ¬[¬𝑝 → (𝑞 → ¬𝑟)]

6. Using only the logical connectives ¬, ∧, and ∨, produce a statement using the propositional
variables 𝑝 and 𝑞 that has the same truth values as 𝑝 ⊕ 𝑞 (this is the “exclusive or” defined in
problem 4 above).

LEVEL 4
7. Let 𝑝 represent a true statement. Decide if this is enough information to determine the truth value
of each of the following statements. If so, state that truth value.

(i) 𝑝∨𝑞
(ii) 𝑝→𝑞
(iii) ¬𝑝 → ¬(𝑞 ∨ ¬𝑟)
(iv) ¬(¬𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) ↔ 𝑝
(v) (𝑝 ↔ 𝑞) ↔ ¬𝑝
(vi) ¬[(¬𝑝 ∧ ¬𝑞) ↔ ¬𝑟]
(vii) [(𝑝 ∧ ¬𝑝) → 𝑝] ∧ (𝑝 ∨ ¬𝑝)
(viii) 𝑟 → [¬𝑞 → (¬𝑝 → ¬𝑟)]
 8. Assume that the given compound statement is true. Determine the truth value of each
propositional variable.
(i) 𝑝∧𝑞
(ii) ¬(𝑝 → 𝑞)
(iii) 𝑝 ↔ [¬(𝑝 ∧ 𝑞)]
(iv) [𝑝 ∧ (𝑞 ∨ 𝑟)] ∧ ¬𝑟

LEVEL 5
9. Show that [𝑝 ∧ (𝑞 ∨ 𝑟)] ↔ [(𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) ∨ (𝑝 ∧ 𝑟)] is always true.

10. Show that [[(𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) → 𝑟] → 𝑠] → [(𝑝 → 𝑟) → 𝑠] is always true.