PREVIEW

• 1.7: Introduction to Proofs

– Terminology
– How to read a Theorem
– Direct proof
– Contrapositive proof
– Proof by contradiction
– Disproving by counterexample
– Definitions: odd, even integers; rationals

HONOUR HOMEWORK: To be done before next week’s tutorials.

7th edition:
• Section 1.7 : #5, 9, 11, 27, 35, 39.
8th edition:
• Section 1.7 : #5, 9, 11, 29, 37, 41.
CSCI2110/MATH2080 F19 Propositional Logic 1 Section 1.7 Page 2 of 7
1. LOGIC AND PROOFS
1.7. Introduction to Proofs. (Page 75 in Text.)

TERMINOLOGY
• THEOREM
– a statement which can be shown to be true
– in Math, must be of some importance
– other terminology: proposition, fact, result (if all terms used, rank in
importance is usually theorem>proposition>fact, result)

• AXIOM/POSTULATE
– statement assumed to be true

• PROOF
– a valid argument that establishes the truth of a theorem
– may use axioms, the premise of the theorem, previously proved theo-
rems, rules of inference

• LEMMA
– a minor theorem used in the proof of a theorem; streamlines the proof
of the “larger” theorem

• COROLLARY
– a theorem that can be established directly from another theorem

• CONJECTURE
– a statement proposed to be true, but not yet proven so (nor proven
false)
– if a conjecture is proven to be true, then it becomes a theorem
CSCI2110/MATH2080 F19 Propositional Logic 1 Section 1.7 Page 3 of 7
Many of our examples will deal with even/odd integer or rational numbers; we
formally define them here:
Definition 1.1. An integer n is even if there exists an integer k such that n = 2k
and n is odd if there exists an integer k such that n = 2k + 1.
Definition 1.2. A real number r is rational if there exists p and q integers with
q , 0 such that r = p/q.
UNDERSTANDING HOW THEOREMS ARE STATED, GENERAL APPROACH TO PROOFS
• identify hypotheses and conclusion; most theorems implicitly take the
form P −→ Q, where P is a stand-in for the premise(s) and Q is a stand-in
for the conclusion(s).
Example 1.

• an INSTANCE of a theorem is an assignment of variables or data consis-

tent with (all) the hypotheses (premises) of the theorem; the conclusion
of the theorem can be inferred (since the premises of the theorem are
satisfied)
Example 2.
Instantiation of above Theorem:
CSCI2110/MATH2080 F19 Propositional Logic 1 Section 1.7 Page 4 of 7
• if the conclusion itself is an implication, p −→ q, then we append p to the
premises of the theorem and deduce q

• if the conclusion is a disjunction p∨q, then we append ¬p to the premises

of the theorem and deduce q (alternatively, we append ¬q to the premises
and deduce p)

• if the conclusion is a conjunction p ∧ q, then we prove p and we prove q

(i.e. independently)

• if the conclusion is a biconditional p ←→ q then we usually prove (p −→

q) ∧ (q −→ p)
CSCI2110/MATH2080 F19 Propositional Logic 1 Section 1.7 Page 5 of 7
METHODS OF PROVING THEOREMS

• Direct proof p −→ q;

Example 3. Prove that the product of any two rational numbers is a ratio-
nal number.

• PROOF BY CONTRAPOSITION relies on tautology p −→ q ≡ ¬q −→ ¬p

Example 4. Prove that if m, n are any integers such that m + n is even,

then m and n are either both even, or both odd.
CSCI2110/MATH2080 F19 Propositional Logic 1 Section 1.7 Page 6 of 7
• PROOF BY CONTRADICTION; we assume that the conclusion of the theo-
rem is False, pursue that argument and arrive at a contradiction

√
Example 5. Prove that 2 is irrational (not rational)

Proof by contradiction:

√
3
√
Above proof can easily by adjusted to show 2 or 3 is irrational; with
√ a
bit more work, one can show that if n is not a perfect square, then n is
irrational.
CSCI2110/MATH2080 F19 Propositional Logic 1 Section 1.7 Page 7 of 7
• PROOF OF EQUIVALENCES
Example 6. Show that n 2 + 3 is odd if and only if n is even
Must show:

• COUNTEREXAMPLES - used to disprove conjectures

Example 7. Conjecture: If n is a natural number greater than 1, then 2n −1
is a prime number.

READ VACUOUS AND TRIVIAL PROOFS ON PAGE 84 (78) OF TEXT.

READ MISTAKES IN PROOFS ON PAGE 89 (83) IN TEXT.