Introduction to Logic (CS) 2021-2022

Homework Assignment 1

Submission deadline: Mon 20 Sep 2021, 13:00

Questions
1. (10 points) Is the following argument valid? Is it sound? Briefly explain your answer. (Note: You
are not asked to provide a translation into FOL.)
All birds can fly.
All hawks can fly.
All hawks are birds.

Solution: The argument is not valid, since the conclusion is not a logical consequence of the
premises. A counterexample is given by the situation where “hawks” are interpreted to include
certain aircraft or helicopters (that can fly). Here, all premises would be true, but the conclusion
would be false.
Since the argument is not valid, it is also not sound.

2. (30 points) Translate the following sentences into propositional logic, where atomic sentences are
represented by uppercase letters. Also provide the translation key.
(a) Although it is not a holiday, the French bakery is closed.

Solution: ¬P ∧ Q
P: It is a holiday.
Q: The French bakery is closed.

(b) Neither the earthquake nor the tsunami did any damage to the house.

Solution: ¬(P ∨ Q), but we also accept ¬P ∧ ¬Q

P: The earthquake damaged the house.
Q: The tsunami damaged the house.

(c) My plant will die, unless I water it and I don’t leave it in the dark.

Solution: P ∨ (Q ∧ ¬R)
P: My plant will die.
Q: I water my plant.
R: I leave my plant in the dark.

3. (30 points) Translate the following sentences into first-order logic. Also provide the translation key.

1
 (a) Air France flies to Istanbul and Izmir, but KLM flies to Istanbul only.

Solution: F lies2Istanbul(a) ∧ F lies2Izmir(a) ∧ F lies2Istanbul(k) ∧ ¬F lies2Izmir(k)

where:
constant a: Air France
constant k : KLM
unary predicate Flies2Istanbul(x): x flies to Istanbul
unary predicate Flies2Izmir(x): x flies to Izmir

Alternatively:
F lies(a, i) ∧ F lies(a, j) ∧ F lies(k, i) ∧ ¬F lies(k, j)
where:
constant a: Air France
constant k : KLM
constant i : Istanbul
constant j : Izmir
binary predicate Flies(x,y): x flies to y

But with this vocabulary you can form sentences that say non-sensical things like F lies(i, j)
(“Izmir flies to Istanbul”), so we prefer the first solution.

(b) In the World Cup, the Netherlands will play against Denmark or Russia, but not both teams.

Solution: (P lay(n, d) ∨ P lay(n, r)) ∧ ¬(P lay(n, r) ∧ P lay(n, d))

or
(P lay(n, d) ∧ ¬P lay(n, r)) ∨ (P lay(n, r) ∧ ¬P lay(n, d))
where:
constant n: Netherlands
constant d : Denmark
constant r : Russia
binary predicate Play(x,y): In the World Cup, x will play against y.
Alternatively:
(P layN L(d) ∧ ¬P layN L(r)) ∨ (P layN L(r) ∧ ¬P layN L(d))
where:
constant d : Denmark
constant r : Russia
unary predicate PlayNL(x): In the World Cup, the Netherlands will play against x.

(c) Ann is Claire’s mother and she studied CS with Bill’s mother, but Ann was in a higher year.

Solution: a = mother(c) ∧ StudiedCSwith(a, mother(b)) ∧ HigherY ear(a, mother(b)))

where:
constant a: Ann
constant c: Claire
constant b: Bill
unary function symbol mother(x): the mother of x
binary predicate StudiedCSWith(x,y): x studied CS with y
binary predicate HigherYear(x,y): x was in a higher year than y

4. (30 points) Give formal proofs, including justifications, for the following inferences. You may only
use the Reiteration rule and the Introduction and Elimination rules for identity and the Boolean
connectives.
(a) P ∨⊥
P ∧ ¬⊥

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 Solution: 1. P ∨ ⊥
2. P
3. ⊥
4. ⊥ Reit: 3 or ⊥ Elim: 3
5. ¬⊥ ¬ Intro: 3-4
6. P ∧ ¬⊥ ∧ Intro: 2,5
7. ⊥
8. P ∧ ¬⊥ ⊥ Elim: 7
9. P ∧ ¬⊥ ∨ Elim: 1, 2-6, 7-8

(b) P (a)
(a = b) ∨ (a = c)
P (b) ∨ P (c)

Solution: 1. P (a)
2. (a = b) ∨ (a = c)
3. a = b
4. P (b) = Elim: 1,3
5. P (b) ∨ P (c) ∨ Intro: 4
6. a = c
7. P (c) = Elim: 1,6
8. P (b) ∨ P (c) ∨ Intro: 7
9. P (b) ∨ P (c) ∨ Elim: 2, 3-5, 6-8

(c) (a = b) ∧ (c = a)
¬R(a, b)
¬R(b, c)

Solution:
1. (a = b) ∧ (c = a)
2. ¬R(a, b)
3. a=b ∧ Elim: 1
4. c=a ∧ Elim: 1
5. c=b = Elim: 4,3
6. c=c = Intro
7. b=c = Elim: 6,3
8. ¬R(b, b) = Elim: 2,3
9. ¬R(b, c) = Elim: 8,7
Another solution:
1. (a = b)∧(c = a)
2. ¬R(a, b)
3. a=b ∧ Elim: 1
4. c=a ∧ Elim: 1
5. c=b = Elim: 4,3
6. a=a = Intro
7. b=a = Elim: 6,3
8. R(b, c)
9. R(a, c) = Elim: 8,7
10. R(a, b) = Elim: 9,5
11. ⊥ ⊥ Intro: 10,2
12. ¬R(b, c) ¬ Intro: 8-11

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5. (10 points) (Bonus question) Give a formal proof, including justifications, for the following inference.
You can only use the Reiteration rule and the Introduction and Elimination rules from system F.
a=b
P (a) ∨ ¬P (b)

Solution:
1. a = b
2. ¬(P (a) ∨ ¬P (a))
3. P (a)
4. P (a) ∨ ¬P (a) ∨ Intro: 3
5. ⊥ ⊥ Intro: 4,2
6. ¬P (a) ¬ Intro: 3–5
7. P (a) ∨ ¬P (a) ∨ Intro: 6
8. ⊥ ⊥ Intro: 7,2
9. ¬¬(P (a) ∨ ¬P (a)) ¬ Intro: 2–8
10. P (a) ∨ ¬P (a) ¬ Elim: 9
11. P (a) ∨ ¬P (b) = Elim: 10,1

Another solution:
1. a = b
2. ¬(P (a) ∨ ¬P (b))
3. P (b)
4. a=a = Intro
5. b=a = Elim: 4,1
6. P (a) = Elim: 3,5
7. P (a) ∨ ¬P (b) ∨ Intro: 6
8. ⊥ ⊥ Intro: 7,2
9. ¬P (b) ¬ Intro: 3-8
10. P (a) ∨ ¬P (b) ∨ Intro: 9
11. ⊥ ⊥ Intro: 10,2
12. ¬¬(P (a) ∨ ¬P (b)) ¬ Intro: 2-11
13. P (a) ∨ ¬P (b) ¬ Elim: 12

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