Predicate Logic Defined

What is a Predicate Logic?

• It is also known as the propositional function or open sentence
• It is a proposition whose TRUTH VALUE depends on the VALUE of the SUBJECT of a statement
• It is expressed as P(x)
Examples:
1. Let P(x) denote the statement “x – 3 > 5”. What are the truth values?
a) P(2) b) P(8) c) P(9)
2. Let a ternary predicate Q(x, y, z) denote the statement “x + y = z”. What are the truth values?
a) Q(2, 3, 5) b) Q(0, 1, 2) c) Q(9, -9, 0)
Practice Exercise:
• Let Q(x) denote the statement “x is an integer”. What are the truth values?
a) Q(-1) d) Q(√−4)
b) Q(0) e) Q(√4)
c) Q(8/2)

What is a Domain/Universe of Discourse?

• It is the set from which the value of the subject x may be chosen for a given P(x)
Universal and Existential Quantifier
What is a Quantification?
• It expresses the extent to which a predicate P is TRUE (or FALSE) for ALL possible values in the universe of discourse
or for SOME value(s) in the universe of discourse
• Two (2) Types of Quantification
o Universal Quantification
▪ It is represented by , which means “FOR ALL”
▪  x P(x)  P(n1)  P(n2)  …  P(nk)
▪ Example:
• Let P(x) denote the sentence x + 1 > x. What is the truth value of x P(x), where the
universe of discourse for x is {2, 3, 4, 5}?
o Existential Quantification (x P(x))
▪ It is represented by , which means “THERE EXISTS”
▪  x P(x)  P(n1)  P(n2)  …  P(nk)
▪ Example:
−𝑏±√𝑏2−4𝑎𝑐
• Let P(x) denote the sentence 𝑥 = . What is the truth value of x P(x), where the
2𝑎𝑐
universe of discourse for x is the set of all real numbers? Note: a, b, c are fixed constants.
Practice Exercise:
• Determine the truth value of each of these statements if the domain consists of all integers
a) n(n + 1 > n) c) n(2n = 3n)
b) n(n = −n) d) n(3n ≤ 4n)
Counterexample of xP(x)
• It is an element/object for which P(x) is FALSE

Rules of Quantification Denial (QD)

• It states that when a universe of discourse is defined for the variable x, then for any propositional function P(x):
o (x P(x)) ≡ x (P(x))
o (x P(x)) ≡ x (P(x))
Nested Quantifier
Nested Quantifier

• It is a quantifier that appears within the scope of another quantifier

Quantifications of Two (2) Variables

When is it true? Truth Value When is it false?

Statements
xyP(x,y)
P(x, y) is true for every pair x, y There is a pair x, y for which P(x, y) is false
yxP(x,y)
Example
• Let P (x,y) be the statement “x + y = 1”, where the domain for x is {2} and {3} for y. Express the quantification xy
P(x,y) in English sentence and determine its truth value

When is it true? Truth Value When is it false?

Statements
xyP(x,y)
There is a pair x, y for which P(x, y) is true P(x, y) is false for every pair x, y
yxP(x,y)
Example
• Let P (x,y) be the statement “xy = 6” , where the domain of x and y is the set of all integers. Express the
quantification the quantification xy P(x,y) in English sentence

Truth Value
Statements
When is it true? When is it false?
xyP(x,y) For every x, there is a y for which P(x,y) is true There is an x for which P(x,y) is false for every y
Example
• Let P (x,y) be the statement “x + y = 10”, where the domain of all variables consists of all real numbers. Express the
quantification xy P(x,y) in English sentence and determine its truth value

When is it true? Truth Value When is it false?

Statements
There is an x for which P(x,y) is
xyP(x,y) For every x there is a y for which P(x,y) is false
true for every y
Example
• Let P (x,y) be the statement “x + y = 10”, where the domain of all variables consists of all real numbers. Express the
quantification xyP(x,y) in English sentence and determine its truth value

Practice Exercises
• Let P (x,y) be the statement “Student x has taken class y”, where the domain for x consists of all students and y
consists of all computer engineering courses at your school
o Express each of the quantification in English sentences
▪ xyP(x,y)
▪ xyP(x,y)
▪ xyP(x,y)
▪ xyP(x,y)
• Use quantifiers to express the statement below
o Let P(x,y) be the statement “x loves y” where D for both x and y is the set of all people in the world.
Denote the following propositions:
▪ Everyone loves everyone.
▪ For everyone, everyone loves them.
▪ Everyone loves someone.
▪ There is someone who is loved by everyone.
▪ There is someone who loves everyone.
▪ For everyone, there is someone who loves them.
▪ There is someone who loves someone.
▪ There is someone who is loved by someone.

References:
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https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Discrete_Mathematics/Logic/Page_2
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