3.

3 The Conditional and

the Biconditional
At the end of the lesson, the students are
expected to:
1. identify the truth value of a conditional and
biconditional statement;
2. Construct truth tables for compound statements
involving
Conditional Statements
Conditional statements can be written in if p, then q
form or in if p, q form. For instance, all the following are
conditional statements.
1. If we order pizza, then we can have it delivered.
2. If you go to the movie, you will not be able to
meet us for dinner.
3. If n is a prime number greater than 2, then n is an
odd number
In any conditional statement represented by
“If p, then q” or by “If p, q,” the p statement is
called the antecedent and the q statement is
called the consequent.
Example 3.3.1 Identify the antecedent and consequent
in the following statements.
a. If I have plenty of money, I will watch BTS concert in
South Korea.
b. If you love me, obey my commands.
c. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful
than you can possibly imagine
Solution.
a. Antecedent: I have plenty of money
Consequent: I will watch BTS concert in South Korea
b. Antecedent: You love me
Consequent: Obey my commands
c. Antecedent: You strike me down
Consequent: I shall become more powerful than you
can possibly imagine
The Truth Table for the
Conditional p  q
To determine the truth table for , consider the
advertising slogan for a web authoring software product
that states, “If you can use a word processor, you can
create a webpage.”
This slogan is a conditional statement.
The antecedent is p, “you can use a word processor,” and
the consequent is q, “you can create a webpage.”
Now consider the truth value of p  q for each of the
following four possibilities.

Table 3.3.1
The Truth Table for the Conditional
Row 1: Antecedent T, Consequent T
You can use a word processor, and you can create a webpage. In
this case the truth value of the advertisement is true. To complete
Table 3.3.1, we place a T in place of the question mark in row 1.

Row 2: Antecedent T, Consequent F

You can use a word processor, but you cannot create a webpage. In
this case the advertisement is false. We put an F in place of the
question mark in row 2 of Table 3.3.1.
The Truth Table for the Conditional →
Row 3: Antecedent F, Consequent T
You cannot use a word processor, but you can create a
webpage. Because the advertisement does not make any
statement about what you might or might not be able to
do if you cannot use a word processor, we cannot state
that the advertisement is false, and we are compelled to
place a T in place of the question mark in row 3 of Table
3.3.1.
The Truth Table for the Conditional →
Row 4: Antecedent F, Consequent F
You cannot use a word processor, and you cannot create
a webpage. Once again, we must consider the truth value
in this case to be true because the advertisement does
not make any statement about what you might or might
not be able to do if you cannot use a word processor. We
place a T in place of the question mark in row 4 of Table
3.3.1.
The truth table for the conditional p q is given
in Table 3.3.2.

Table 3.3.2 Truth Table for p → q

 Example – Construct a Truth Table for a
Statement Involving a Conditional
Example 3.3.2 Construct a truth table for
Solution.

T T F T T F
T F F F F T
F T T T F T
F F T T F T
An Equivalent Form of the
Conditional
The truth table for is shown in Table 3.3.3.
The truth values in this table are identical to the truth
values in Table 3.3.2.

Truth Table for p  q

Truth Table for ~𝑝⋁𝑞
Table 3.3.3 Table 3.3.2
Hence, the conditional p q is equivalent to
the disjunction ~ . That is, ~ ≡ p q.
Example 3.3.3 Write each of the following in its equivalent
disjunctive form.

a. If I could play the guitar, I would join the band.

b. If Thirdy Ravena cannot play, then his team will

lose.
Solution.

In each case we write the disjunction of the negation of the

antecedent and the consequent.

a. I cannot play the guitar or I would join the band.

b. Thirdy Ravena can play or his team will lose.

The Negation of the Conditional
Because , an equivalent form of
is given by , which by one of
De Morgan’s laws, can be expressed as the
conjunction .
Hence, ) .
Example 3.3.4 Write the negation of each
conditional statement.

a. If I get high grades, my parents will buy me

an Ipad.
b. If the lines are parallel, then they do not
intersect.
Solution.
In each case, we write the conjunction of the
antecedent and the negation of the consequent.

a. I get high grades and my parents will not buy

me an Ipad.
b. The lines are parallel and they intersect.
The Biconditional
The Biconditional
The Biconditional

Truth Table for 𝑝 ↔ 𝑞

Example 3.3.5 State whether each biconditional
is true or false.
a. x + 4 = 7 if and only if x = 3.
b. = 36 if and only if x = 6.
Solution.
a. Both equations are true when x = 3, and both are
false when x 3. Both equations have the same truth
value for any value of x, so this is a true statement.

b. If x = – 6, the first equation is true and the second

equation is false. Thus, this is a false statement.