BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

MMW 101
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

Module 5
Elementary Logic
“Achieving Universal Understanding and
Peace Through the Language of
Mathematics”
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Elementary Logic

Objectives of the Module

At the end of the module, you should be able to:
1. identify propositions,
2. form compound propositions, and
3. express compound propositions in symbolic forms and vice-versa.

Logic is the discipline that deals with the methods of reasoning. It is regarded
as one of the oldest intellectual disciplines in the history of humanity. It was the Greek
philosopher Aristotle who pioneered logical reasoning. Throughout centuries, logic has
immensely influenced other fields such as philosophy, mathematics, science,
engineering, business, and law, to name a few.

Logic is essential in our daily lives. It helps steer us in the direction of the truth
and away from falsehood. Thus, it helps us in expressing our ideas and opinions and
in making decisions.
Propositions, Simple and Compound Statements
The first step to learning logic is to identify propositions. A proposition,
sometimes called a statement, is a declarative sentence that is either true or false, but
not both. To represent propositions, the lower case letters like p,q,r,s,… are used.
These are called propositional variables.

The table shows examples of propositions and sentences that are not
propositions.

Propositions Not Propositions

1. Tarlac is a province in Region III.
(True)
2. Elephants have wings. (False)
3. 15 – 2x = 8, if x = 5. (False)
4. Twenty is less than fifty. (True)
5. 52 + 1 is a prime number. (False)
1. Where is your teacher? (a
question)
2. Open the door. (a command)
3. Ouch! (an exclamation)
4. This food is delicious.
(subjective)
5. 5x + 2y = 7 (There are no
assigned values to x and y.)

Propositions can either be a simple statement or a compound statement.

A simple statement is a single statement that does not have other statements
as parts.
A compound statement contains two or more statements joined by logical
connectives.
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Examples:
Two is a rational number. (simple statement)
Two is a rational number and four is an even number. (compound statement)

Try this!
Which of the following are propositions?
a. I am a freshman student.
b. Answer the exercises.
c. −9 + 15 = −6

Logical Connectives and Symbols

The table that follows shows the kinds of propositional logic, their corresponding
connectives, and symbols.
Propositional Symbolic
Connective Symbol/Term Read as
Logic Form
~ curl or tilde ~p
Negation not not p
¬ dash with a tail ¬p
Conjunction and/but ∧ caret mark p∧q p and q
Disjunction or ∨ wedge or vee p∨q p or q
if p, then q
if p, q
p implies q
Conditional/ p only if q
if..., then → right arrow p→q
Implication q if p
q whenever p
q is necessary
for p
p if and only if q
↔ double-headed
Biconditional if and only if p↔q p implies q, and
arrow
q implies p

The following examples show how these logical connectives are used to form
compound statements.
Note: The negation does not form a compound statement when used but it is
considered a connective since it alters the original statement.
A. Negation:

Proposition Negation
p: The traffic in EDSA is heavy. ~p: The traffic in EDSA is not heavy.
q: Today is Friday ~q: Today is not Friday.
r: I do not like milk tea. ~r: I like milk tea.
s: The students did not attend the ~s: The students attended the
webinar webinar.
t: 23 + 34  57 ~t: 23 + 34 = 57
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B. Conjunction:

Let p, q, r, and s be the following propositions:

p: Russel is not happy.
q: Russel is going to a party.
r: It is a holiday.
s: Jack is not invited.

Compound Propositions Symbolic Form

1. Russel is not happy but it is a holiday. p ∧r
2. It is not a holiday and Russel is happy. ¬r ∧¬p
3. Russel is going to a party but Jack is not invited. q∧s

C. Disjunction:

Let p, q, and r be the following propositions:

p: Jerald is a producer.
q: Jerald is a composer.
r: 2 > 5
s: 5 < 7

Compound Propositions Symbolic Form

1. Jerald is a producer or he is a composer. p∨q
2. Jerald is not a composer or he is a producer. ¬q ∨ p
3. 2 > 5 or 5 < 7 𝑟 ∨s

D. Conditional:

In "if p, then q", p is called the antecedent (hypothesis or premise), and

q is called the consequent (or the conclusion).

Let p, q, and r be the following propositions:

p: It is going to rain.
q: I will not go out.
r: Cherry is going to visit a friend.
s: All even numbers are integers.
t: Zero is an integer.
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Compound Propositions Symbolic Form

1. If it is going to rain, then I will not go out. p→q
(in the if p then q form)
2. I will not go out if it is going to rain. p→q
(in the q if p form)
3. I will not go out whenever it is going to rain. p→q
(in the q whenever p form)
4. If it is not going to rain, then Cherry is going to ~p → r
visit a friend.
5. If it is not going to rain, then I will go out. ~p → ~q
6. If all even numbers are integers, then zero is an s→t
integer.

E. Biconditional:
Let p, q, and r be the following propositions:
p: Lewis is a singer.
q: Lewis is a vocalist.
r: Lewis is a recording artist.
s: Seven is a whole number.
t: 9 + 13=25

Compound Propositions Symbolic Form

1. Lewis is a vocalist if and only if he is a singer. q↔p
2. Lewis is a recording artist if and only if he is a r↔p
singer.
3. Lewis is not a recording artist if and only if he is ~r ↔ ~p
not a singer.
4. Seven is not a whole number if and only if ~s ↔ t
9+13=25.

Compound Statements and Grouping Symbols

When a compound statement is to be written in symbolic form, there are
instances when simple statements need to be grouped together. This is done by
using the parentheses.
The table below shows examples of compound statements with grouping
symbols.
Symbolic Form The parentheses indicate that:
𝑝 ⋀ (𝑞 ⋁ 𝑟) 𝑞 and 𝑟 are grouped together
(𝑝 ⋀ ~𝑞)⋁~ 𝑟 𝑝 and ~𝑞 are grouped together
𝑝 and 𝑞 are grouped together.
(𝑝 ⋀ 𝑞) → (~𝑟 ⋀ ~𝑠)
~𝑟 and ~𝑠 are grouped together.
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When a compound statement is to be written as an English sentence, the

statements inside the parentheses must be written on the same side of the comma.

Examples:
p: Cathy is good in Chemistry.
q: Cathy is good in Statistics.
r: Cathy is a scholar.
s: Cathy is an athlete.

English Sentence Symbolic Form

Cathy is not an athlete, but she is good in
~𝑠 ⋀ (𝑝 ⋀ 𝑟)
Chemistry and she is a scholar.
If Cathy is good in Chemistry and she is good in
(𝑝 ⋀ 𝑞) → 𝑟
Statistics, then she is a scholar.
Cathy is not good in Chemistry and she is not
good in Statistics, but she is a scholar and an (~𝑝 ⋀ ~𝑞)⋀ (𝑟 ⋀ 𝑠)
athlete.
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References

Aufmann, R.N., et. Al. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World (14th ed.). Sampaloc,
Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Baltazar, E., Ragasa, C., & Evangelista, J. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World.
Quezon City: C&E Publishing, Inc.

Earnheart, R. and Adina, E. (2018). Math in the Modern World. Quezon City : C &E
Publishing, Inc.

Malang, P., Malang, B., & Tiongson, I. (2011). Discrete Structure. San Rafael, Bulacan
: HFM Publishing.

Rosen, K.H. (1988). Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications. New York : The
Random House.

Simpson, A. (2002). Discrete Mathematics by Example. McGraw-Hill Education:

United Kingdom.

Online References

Introduction to Propositional Logic. Geeks for Geeks. Retrieved last July 9, 2022 from:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/proposition-logic/.
Uma, A.V. (2022) Logical Connectives and Quantifiers: Definition, Symbols, Usage,
Examples. Embibe. Retrieved last July 9, 2022 from
https://www.embibe.com/exams/logical-connectives-and-quantifiers/.