Task 1

Determine whether these statements are tautologies or contradictions or

contingencies by simplifiing and developing a series of logical equivalences.

  a  b   c   c  a  b 
Solution:

We will use the Distributive law p  (q  r )  ( p  q)  ( p  r ) .

Then

 a  b   c   c  a  b     a  b   c    c  a  b  
  a  b   c  c   a  b   c  a  b

We will use the Negation law p  p  F . Then

 a  b   c  c   a  b   c  a  b 
  a  b   F   a  b   c  a  b

We will use the Domination law p  F  F . Then

 a  b   F    a  b    c  a   b  F    a  b    c  a   b
We will use the Identity law p  F  p . Then

F   a  b   c  a  b   a  b   c  a  b

We will use the De morgan law ( p  q)  p  q . Then

  a  b   c    a  b  
  a  b     a  b   c  F  c  F

Since regardless of the set of variables, the statement evaluates to False, we have a
contradiction.

Answer: Contradiction
Task2

Simplify the next formulas

 a   b  a  c    a  b  a  c 
Solution:

Since a  b  a  b then

 a  b  a  c    a  b  a  c    a  b  a  c    a  b  a  c  
  a  b  a  c      a  b  a   c  
  a  b  a  c    a    b  a   c  
  a  b  a  c    a   b  a   c  
  a  b  a  c    a  b  a  a  c  
  a  b  a  c    a  b  F  c    a   b  a   c    a   b  c 

Since a  b   a  b    b  a  then

 a  b  a  c    a  b  c  
  a  b  a  c  a   b  c    a   b  c  a   b  a   c  
    a  b  a  c    a  b  c       a   b  c    a   b  a   c   
   a  b  a  c     a  b  c    a   b  c     a   b  c  
  a  b  a  c    a  b  a  c    a  b  c    a  b  a  c  
   a   b  a   c     a   b  c   F  F   a   b  c    a   b  a  c  
   a  b  a  c     a  b  c    a   b  c    a   b  a   c  
    a  b     a   c       a   b    c    a   b  c    a   b  a   c  
   a  b    a  c      a  b   c    a   b  c    a   b  a   c  
  a  a  b  a   a  c  b  c     a   c  b   c  
  a  b  a  b  c  a   b  a   b  a   c  c  a   c  
  a  b  a  a  c  b  c    a  c  b   c  
  a  b  c  a  b  a   b   c  F  
 a  a   c  b   a   a   c   a  c   a   c  b  c   a   c 
a  b  c  b  a  b  c  a  c  b  c  b  c  b  c 
  a  b  c  a  b  a  b   c  
 a  c  b   a   c  F  F   a  b   c   a  b   c  F  F 
 a  b  c  a  b  a  b   c 
 a  c  b   a   c   a  b   c   a  b   c 
 a  b  c  a  b  a  b   c 
 a  c  a  b  c  a   b  c  a   b  a   b   c 
 a   c  b  c   a   b  c  b  b   c 

We will use the Absorption law p  p  q  p . Then

a   c  b  c   a   b  c  b  b  c  
 a  c  a   b  b  c   a  c  a  b

Answer: a  c  a  b

Task 3

Simplify the next formulas

 p   q  r    q   p  r 
Solution:

 p   q  r    q   p  r  
  p   q  r     q   p  r   
  p   q  r     q   p  r   
   p   q  r     q   p  r    p  q  r    p  q  r 

Since a  a  T , then

 p   q  r    p   q  r   T
Answer: the formula is a tautology.