BITS-Pilani

1st Semester 2022-23

MATH F213
BITS Pilani (Discrete Mathematics)
Pilani|Dubai|Goa|Hyderabad
 Abbreviated Truth Table

To classify a propositional function as a tautology or a

contradiction or a contingency, it is not always necessary
to work out the whole truth table.
To show a propositional function is a contingency, it is
enough to produce one row each of the truth Table
giving either of the both of the truth values.
To prove a propositional function is a tautology, enough
to consider all the rows which are likely to give truth
value F, and repeat the arguments to ultimately rule out
those possibilities.
Similarly, for contradiction where F is replaced by T.
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 Examples

Prove that [(p  q) → r ]→ [p → (q  r)] is a tautology.

The last connective is implication and truth table of an
implication has only one row giving truth value F.
Thus, if the propositional function takes truth value F,
then p → (q  r) must have truth value F.
This leads to, p is T and q  r is F. The last, in turn gives
q and r are both F.
Concentrating only on row where p is T, q is F and r is F,
the antecedent (p  q) → r is F, as p  q is T and r is F.
As a result, the given propositional function can’t take
the truth value F.
BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956
Ex (P. 43, 2(d))

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 Example of contingency
Show that (p → q) → (q →p) is a contingency.
(p → q) → (q →p) is true if (p → q) is true and (q →p) is true.This
rules out the rows where p and q have different truth values.
Picking the row where both p and q are true gives abbreviated
truth table p q (p → q) (q →p) (p → q) → (q →p)
T T T T T
(p → q) → (q →p) is false if (p → q) is true and (q →p) is false.
The last happens for only one row of the truth table. This gives the
abbreviated truth table
p q (p → q) (q →p) (p → q) → (q →p)
F T T F F
Thus the given propositional function is a contingency.
BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956
 Example of a contradiction

Show that (~pq)(~qp) is a contradiction by abbreviated truth

table.

If this propositional function takes truth value True, then (~qp) is

True. Thus we must have p is True and q is False.
In this case, abbreviated truth table given below is absurd.

p q (~pq) (~qp) (~pq)(~qp)

T F F T F

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 Logical equivalence

We say two propositional functions P, Q are logically

equivalent (or just equivalent) if P, Q have the same
truth table.

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Some trivial equivalences

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 p q p→q
Law of implication T T T
T F F
F T T

p q ~p (~p)q F F T
T T F T

T F F F

F T T T
F F T T

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956