MATHMW – Mathematics in the Modern World

First Semester A.Y. 2021-2022

MODULE 13 – Truth Table
At the end of this module, the students will be able to:

● Use Mathematical concepts and tools in logic, networks and system;

● Define Logic statement and quantifiers; and

● Construct conditional, biconditional and related statements;

13.1 Truth Tables

We consider methods of constructing truth tables for a statement that involves a
combination of conjunctions, disjunctions, and/or negations. If the given statement
involves only two simple statements, then start with a table with four rows, called the
standard truth table form.
❑ ❑
Example 13.1 Given the statement ( p ⋁❑ q ) ⋁❑ q .
a. Construct a truth table for given statement.
❑ ❑
b. Use the truth table from part a to determine the truth value of ( p ⋁❑ q ) ⋁❑ q , given
that p is true and q is false.
Solution: a) Start with the standard truth table form and then include a p column.

Now use the truth values from the p and q columns to produce the truth values for p
and q , as shown in the rightmost column of the following table.
 ❑
Negate the truth values in the p ⋁❑ q column to produce the following.

❑
As our last step, we form the disjunction of ( p ⋁❑ q ) with q and place the results in the
rightmost column of the table. See the following table.

b) From the above truth table, we can see that when p is true, and q is false, the
❑ ❑
statement ( p ⋁❑ q ) ⋁❑ q is true.

Construction of Truth Tables

1. If the given statement has n simple statements, then start with a standard form
that has 2n rows. Enter the truth values for each simple statement and their
negations.
2. Use the truth values for each simple statement and their negations to enter the
truth values under each connective within a pair of grouping symbols. If some
grouping symbols are nested inside other grouping symbols, then work from the
inside out. In any situation in which grouping symbols have not been used, then
we use the following order of precedence agreement.
First assign truth values to negations from left to right, followed by conjunctions
from left to right, followed by disjunctions from left to right, followed by
conditionals from left to right, and finally by biconditionals from left to right.
3. The truth values that are entered into the column under the connective for which
truth values are assigned last form the truth table for the given statement.
❑ ❑
Example 13.2 Construct a truth table for p ⋁❑ [ (p ⋀❑ q)].
Solution:
Step 1. The statement has two simple statements p and q . Thus start with the standard
form that has 22=4 rows. In each column, enter the truth values for the statements p
and q , as shown in the columns numbered 1, 2, and 3.

Step 2. Use the truth values in columns 2 and 3 to determine the truth values to enter
under the “and” connective. See column 4 in the following truth table. Now negate the
truth values in the column numbered 4 to produce the truth values in the column
numbered 5.

Step 3. Use the truth values in the columns numbered 1 and 5 to determine the truth
values to enter under the “or” connective. See the column numbered 6, which is the
❑ ❑
truth table for p ⋁❑ [ (p ⋀❑ q)].

❑ ❑
Example 13.3 Construct a truth table for p ⋁❑( p ⋀❑ q).
Solution: The given statement has two simple statements. Thus you should use a
standard form that has 22=4 rows.

Step 1. Enter the truth values for each simple statement and their negations. See
columns 1, 2, and 3.
Step 2. Use the truth values in columns 2 and 3 to determine the truth values to enter
under the “and” connective. See column 4.
Step 3. Use the truth values in columns 1 and 4 to determine the truth values to enter
under the “or” connective. See column 5.

❑ ❑
The truth table for p ⋁❑( p ⋀❑ q) is displayed in column 5.

13.2 Equivalent Statements

Two statements are equivalent if they both have the same truth value for all
possible truth values of their simple statements. The notation p ≡q is used to indicate
that the statements p and q are equivalent.
❑ ❑
Example 13.4 Show that ( p ⋁❑ q) and p ⋀❑ q are equivalent statements.
Solution: Construct two truth tables and compare the results.

❑ ❑
The truth tables below show that ( p ⋁❑ q) and p ⋀❑ q have the same truth values for all
possible truth values of their simple statements. Thus, the statements are equivalent.
❑
( p ⋁❑ q) ≡ p ⋀❑
❑q
 ❑ ❑
Example 13.5 Show that p ⋁❑ (p ⋀❑ q) and p are equivalent statements.
Solution:

The above truth table shows that all possible truth values of their simple statements
have the same truth values. Thus, the statements are equivalent.
p ⋁❑ ❑
❑ (p ⋀❑ q) ≡ p

De Morgan’s Laws for Statements

For any statements p and q,

∼( p ∨ q)≡ ∼ p ∧∼ qand∼( p ∧ q)≡ ∼ p ∨∼ q

Example 13.6 Use one of De Morgan’s laws to restate the following sentence in an
equivalent form.
“It is not true that, I graduated or I got a job.”
Solution:
Let p represent the statement “I graduated.” Let q represent the statement “I got a job.”
In symbolic form, the original sentence is ∼( p ∨ q). One of De Morgan’s laws states that
this is equivalent to ∼ p ∧∼ q . Thus a sentence that is equivalent to the original
sentence is
“I did not graduate and I did not get a job.”
Example 13.7 Use one of De Morgan’s laws to restate the following sentence in an
equivalent form.
“It is not true that, I am going to the dance and I am going to the game.”
Solution:
Let p represent “I am going to the dance.” Let q represent “I am going to the game.” The
original sentence in symbolic form is ∼( p ∧ q). Applying one of De Morgan’s laws, we
find that ∼( p ∧ q)≡ ∼ p ∨∼ q. Thus an equivalent form is

“I am not going to the dance or I am not going to the game.”

Tautologies, Self-Contradictions and Contingencies

A tautology is a statement that is always true. A self-contradiction is a statement
that is always false. A contingency is a statement that is neither tautology nor self-
contradiction.

Example 13.8 Show that p ∨(∼ p ∨ q) is a tautology.

Solution: The truth table.

The table shows that p ∨(∼ p ∨ q) is always true. Thus p ∨(∼ p ∨ q) is a tautology.

Example 13.9 Show that p ∧(∼ p ∧ q) is a self-contradiction.

Solution: The truth table.
The table shows that p ∧(∼ p ∧ q) is always false. Thus p ∧(∼ p ∧ q) is a self-
contradiction.
References:

● Aufmann, R. et. al., 2013, Mathematical Excursions, Third Edition,

Cengage Learning
● De Guzman, L. et. al. 2019, Worktext Mathematics in the Modern World,
St. Andrew Publishing House

Exercises
1. Construct a truth table for the given statement.

A. (q ∨ ∼ p)∨(∼ q ⋀ p)

B. ( ∼ p ↔q ) ⋀(∼ q → p)

C. ( p ↔ r ) ⋁ ( p →∼ q)
2. Use the De Morgan’s laws to write the given statement in an equivalent form.
A. It is not true that, Keith went to play computer games and he failed to finish
his household tasks.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
B. Cony needs to comply her course requirements or she will not be able to
march for graduation.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
C. Hellen worked hard to finish his project but she did not make it on time of the
submission.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
D. Jackson did not report to his work this morning and he did not take his
medication.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

3. Use the truth table to determine whether the given statement is a tautology or a
self-contradiction or a contingency.
A. ( p ∧q ) ⋀ ∼ p
B. ( p →∼q ) ⋁( p ⋀ q)

C. ( p →q ) ⋁ p