DMMM-PROPOSITIONAL CALCULUS

Rules of inference for Propositional calculus

1) Addition P
-------------
 PVQ
2) Conjunction P
Q
------------
 PQ
3) Simplification PQ
-------------
P
4) Modus Pones P
PQ
----------------
Q
5) Modus Tollens Q
PQ
----------------
 P
6) Disjunctive Syllogism P
PVQ
-----------------
 Q
7) Hypothetical Syllogism PQ
Q R
-----------------
 P R
8) Constructive Dilemma (P  Q)  (RS)
PVR
------------------------
Q V S
9) Destructive Dilemma (P  Q)  (RS)
Q V S
-------------------------
P V R
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Example-1
Can we conclude S from the following premises?
(i) P  Q
(ii) P  R
(iii) (Q  R)
(iv) S V P

Solution:
1 PQ Premise (i)
2 PR Premise (ii)
3 (P  Q) ( P  R) Line 1,2 and conjunction
4 (Q  R) Premise (iii)
5 Q V R Line 4 and De-Morgan’s law
6 P V P Line 3,5 and Destructive Dilemma
7 P Idempotent law
8 SVP Premise (iv)
9 S Lines 7,8 and Disjunctive Syllogism
Thus we can conclude S from the given premises.

Example-2
Derive S from the following premises using a valid argument
(i) P  Q
(ii) Q  R
(iii) P V S
(iv) R
Solution:
1 PQ Premise (i)
2 Q  R Premise (ii)
3 P  R Line 1,2 and Hypothetical Syllogism
4 R Premise (iv)
5 (R) Line 4 and double negation
6 P Line 3,5 and Modus Tollens
7 PVS Premise (iii)
8 S Line 6,7 and Disjunctive Syllogism
Thus we can conclude S from the given premises.
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Example-3
Show that R  S can be derived from the premises
(i) P  (Q  S)
(ii) R V P
(iii) Q

Solution:
1 P  (Q  S) Premise (i)
2 R V P Premise (ii)
3 RP Line 2 and implication
4 R  (Q  S) Line 1,3 and Hypothetical Syllogism
5 R  (Q V S) Line 4 and implication
6 R V (Q V S) Line 5 and implication
7 Q Premise (iii)
8 R V S Line 6,7 and Disjunctive Syllogism
9 RS Line 8 and implication
Thus we can derive R  S from the premises

Example-4
Show that the conclusion D follows from the premises
(i) (AB)(AC)
(ii) (B C)
(iii) D V A

Solution:
1 (AB)  (AC) Premise (i)
2 (B C) Premise (ii)
3 B V C Line 2, De-Morgan’s Law
4 A V A Line 1,3 and Destructive Dilemma
5 A Line 4 and idempotent law
6 DVA Premise (iii)
7 D Line 5,6 and Disjunctive Syllogism
Thus we can conclude D from the given premises

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Example-5
Show that the conclusion DC is a valid conclusion for the premises
(i). A (BC)
(i). D V A
(ii). B

Solution:
1 A (BC) Premise (i)
2 D V A Premise (ii)
3 D A Line 2 and implication
4 D (B  C) Line 1,3 and Hypothetical Syllogism
5 D (B V C) Line 4 and implication
6 D V (B V C) Line 5 and implication
7 B Premise (iii)
8 D V C Line 6,7 and Disjunctive Syllogism
9 DC Line 8 and implication
Thus we can derive D  C from the premises

Example-6
Show that the conclusion S V R is a valid conclusion for the premises
(i) P V Q
(ii) P  R
(iii) Q  S

Solution:
1 PVQ Premise (i)
2 P  Q Line 1 and implication
3 QS Premise (iii)
4 P  S Line 2,3 and Hypothetical Syllogism
5 S  P Line 4 and contra-positive
6 PR Premise (ii)
7 S  R Line 5,6 and Hypothetical Syllogism
8 SVR Line 7 and implication
Thus we can conclude S V R from the given premises

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Example-7
Test the validity of the following arguments
If Ram has completed MCA or MBA, then he is assured a good job.
If Ram is assured a good job, he is happy.
Ram is not happy.
So Ram has not completed MBA.

Solution:
Let P denotes ‘Ram has completed MCA’
Q denotes ‘Ram has completed MBA’
R denotes ‘Ram is assured a good job’
S denotes ‘Ram is happy’
The given premises are
(i) (P V Q) R
(ii) R  S
(iii) S
Conclusion is Q

1 (P V Q) R Premise (i)
2 RS Premise (ii)
3 (P V Q) S Line 1,2 and Hypothetical Syllogism
4 S Premise (iii)
5 (P V Q) Line 3,4 and Modus Tollens
6 P  Q De-Morgan’s law
7 Q Line 6 and simplification
Hence given statement is valid.

Example-8
Test the validity of the following arguments
If milk is black then every crow is white.
If every crow is white then it has four legs.
If every crow has four legs then every buffalo is white and brisk.
The milk is black. So every buffalo is white.

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Solution:
Let P denotes ‘the milk is black’
Q denotes ‘Every crow is white’
R denotes ‘Every crow has four legs’
S denotes ‘Every buffalo is white’
T denotes ‘Every buffalo is brisk’
The given premises are
(i) P Q
(ii) QR
(iii) R (S  T)
(iv) P
The conclusion is S

1 P Premise (iv)
2 P Q Premise (i)
3 Q Modus Pones
4 QR Premise (ii)
5 R Modus Pones
6 R (S  T) Premise (iii)
7 ST Modus Pones
8 S Simplification
Thus the argument is valid.

Example-9
Prove the following argument without using truth table.
If I try hard and I have talent then I will become a musician.
If I becomes of musician then I will be happy.
Therefore I will not happy then either I didn’t try hard or I do not
have talent

Solution:
Let P denotes ‘I try hard’
Q denotes ‘I have talent’
R denotes ‘I will become musician’
S denotes ‘I will be happy’
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Premises are
(i) (P  Q)  R
(ii) R  S

We have to conclude S  (P V Q)

1 (P  Q)  R
2 RS
3 (P  Q)  S
4 (P  Q) V S
5 S V (P  Q)
6 (S) V (P  Q)
7 (S) V (P V Q)
8 (S)  (P V Q)
Thus the argument proved.
Premise (i)
Premise (ii)
Line 1,2 and Hypothetical Syllogism
Line 3, implication
Line 4, commutative law
Line 5, double negation
Line 6, De-Morgan’s law
Line 7, implication law

Example-10
Translate the symbolic form and test the validity of argument
If I play football, I cannot study.
Either I play football or I pass DMMM
I play football
Therefore, I pass DMMM

Solution:
Let P denotes ‘I play football’
Q denotes ‘ I can study’
R denotes ‘I pass DMMM’

The Premises are

(i) P  Q
(ii) P V R
(iii) P
The conclusion Is R

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1 P  Q Premise (i)
2 P Premise (iii)
3 Q Line 1,2 and Modus Pones
4 PVR Premise (ii)
5 R Line 4, simplification

Example-11
Investigate the validity of following argument
If I go to my class tomorrow then I must get up early, and if I go to
dance tonight I will stay up late.
If I stay up late and get up early, then I will be forced to exist on only
five hours of sleep.
I simply cannot exist on only five hours of sleep.
Therefore I must either miss my class tomorrow or not go to the
dance.

Solution:
Let P denotes ‘I go to my class tomorrow’
Q denotes ‘I must get up early’
R denotes ‘I go to dance tonight’
S denotes ‘I will stay up late’
T denotes ‘I will be forced to exist on only five hours of sleep’

Given premises are

(i) P Q
(ii) R  S
(iii) (S  Q) T
(iv) T
The conclusion is P V R

1 (S  Q) T Premise (iii)
2 T Premise (iv)
3 ( S  Q) Line 1,2 and Modus tollens
4 P Q Premise (i)
5 RS Premise (ii)
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6  (R  S)
( P Q) Line 4,5 and conjunction
7 S V Q Line 3, De-Morgan’s law
8 P V R Line 6,7 and Destructive Dilemma

Thus the argument is validated.

Predicate Logic
Predicate: Predicate is a statement containing one or more variables.

Proposition: If values are assigned to all the variables in a predicate,

the resulting statement is a proposition.

e.g. x < 5 is a predicate and 3 < 5 is a proposition.

There exists an x such that x < 5 is a proposition
For all x, x < 5 or x  5 is a predicate which is also a proposition.

Quantifiers: The expressions ‘for all’ and ‘there exists’ are called
quantifiers.
The process of applying quantifier to a variable is called
quantification of the variables.

Bound variable: A variable that has been quantified is said to be

bound.
e.g. there exists x such that x < 5. The variable x is bound by the
quantifier there exists.

The predicate P that contains a variable x can be written as P(x). A

predicate can contain more than one variable.

Write in symbols
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Sr no Question Solution

1 There exist an x such that x < 3 Let P(x) be x<3

x P(x)

2 For every number x there is Let P(x,y) denotes y=x+1

number y such that y=x +1 x y P(x,y)

3 There is a number y, such that for Let P(x,y) denotes y=x+1

every number x , y= x+1 y x P(x,y)

4 Every rational number is a real Let r(x) denotes rational

number number and R(x) denotes
real number
x (r(x) R(x))

5 All men are mortal Let M(x) denotes x is men

and m(x) denote x is mortal
x (M(x) m(x))

6 Some women are beautiful Let W(x) denote x is women

and B(x) denote x is
beautiful
x (W(x)  B(x))

7 No man is handsome as well as Let M(x) denotes x is man,

intelligent H(x) denotes x is handsome
and I(x) denotes x is
intelligent
x (M(x) (H(x)  I(x)))

Universal and existential quantifiers:

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The quantifier ‘for all’ is called a universal quantifier.

The quantifier ‘there exists’ is called existential quantifier.
e.g. (a) x P(x)
All x satisfy the property P(x)
(b) x P(x)
Some x satisfy the property P(x)

Example-1
Write the following expressions in symbols
1) Every rational number is a real number.
2) No rational number is a real number.
3) Some rational numbers are not real numbers.
4) Some real numbers are prime numbers.

Solution:
Let r(x) denotes ‘ x is rational number’
R(x) denotes ‘x is real number’
P(x) denotes ‘ x is prime number’
1) x (r(x) R(x))
2) x (r(x)  R(x))
3) x (r(x)  R(x))
4) x (R(x)  P(x))

Example-2
Write the following expressions in symbols and also the negation
1) Every student in this class has studied Probability.
2) No Professors are ignorant

Solution:
1) Let S(x) denotes ‘ x is student’
P(x) denotes ‘ x has studied probability’
x (S(x)  P(x))
Negation: There is a student who has not studied probability
x (S(x)  P(x))

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2) Let P(x) denotes ‘x is professor’

I(x) denote ‘x is ignorant’
x (P(x)  I(x) )
Negation: There is a professor who is ignorant.
x (P(x)  I(x) )

Example-3
Write the following expressions in symbols.
A, B and C belong to the Himalayan club. Every member in the club is
either a mountain climber or a skier or both. A likes whatever B
dislikes and dislikes whatever B likes. A likes rain and snow. No
mountain climber likes rain. Every skier likes snow.
Is there a member who is a mountain climber and not a skier?

Solution:
Let member(x) denotes ‘x is a member of club’
C(x) denote ‘x is mountain climber’
SK(x) denotes ‘x is a skier’
Like(x, rain) denotes ‘x likes rain’
Like (x, snow) denotes ‘x likes snow’

1 member(A)
2. member(B)
3. member(C)
4. ∀ x[member(x) → (C(x) ∨ SK(x))]
5. ∀ x[C(x) → ~Like(x,rain)]
6. ∀ x[SK(x) → Like(x, snow)]
7. ∀ x[Like(B, x) → ~Like(A, x)]
8. ∀ x[~Like(B, x) → Like(A, x)]
9. Like(A, rain)
10. Like(A, snow)

Question: ∃ x[member(x) ∧ C(x) ∧ ~SK(x)]



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