Inductive vs.

Deductive
Reasoning
 Deductive vs. Inductive Reasoning

• The difference:
inductive reasoning uses patterns to arrive
at a conclusion (conjecture)
deductive reasoning uses facts, rules,
definitions or properties to arrive at a
conclusion.
• Inductive reasoning - Think of it like a
We start with specifics and move to
generalities
• Deductive reasoning – think of it like a
We start with generalities and move to
specifics.
Inductive Reasoning, involves going from a
series of specific cases to a general
statement. The conclusion in an inductive
argument is never guaranteed.
Example: What is the next number in the
sequence 6, 13, 20, 27,…
There is more than one correct answer.
• Here’s the sequence again 6, 13, 20, 27,…
• Look at the difference of each term.
• 13 – 6 = 7, 20 – 13 = 7, 27 – 20 = 7
• Thus the next term is 34, because 34 – 27 = 7.
• However what if the sequence represents the dates.
Then the next number could be 3 (31 days in a
month).
• The next number could be 4 (30 day month)
• Or it could be 5 (29 day month – Feb. Leap year)
• Or even 6 (28 day month – Feb.)
 Examples of Inductive Reasoning
Some examples

1) Every quiz has been easy. Therefore, the

test will be easy.
2) The teacher used PowerPoint in the last
few classes. Therefore, the teacher will
use PowerPoint tomorrow.
3) Every fall there have been hurricanes in
the tropics. Therefore, there will be
hurricanes in the tropics this coming fall.
 Deductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning – A type of logic in
which one goes from a general statement
to a specific instance.
• The classic example
All men are mortal. (major premise)
Socrates is a man. (minor premise)
Therefore, Socrates is mortal. (conclusion)
The above is an example of a syllogism.
• Syllogism: An argument composed of two
statements or premises (the major and
minor premises), followed by a conclusion.
• For any given set of premises, if the
conclusion is guaranteed, the arguments is
said to be valid.
• If the conclusion is not guaranteed (at
least one instance in which the conclusion
does not follow), the argument is said to
be invalid.
• BE CARFEUL, DO NOT CONFUSE
TRUTH WITH VALIDITY!
Examples:
1. All students eat pizza.
Claire is a student at ASU.
Therefore, Claire eats pizza.
2. All athletes work out in the gym.
Barry Bonds is an athlete.
Therefore, Barry Bonds works out
in the gym.
3. All math teachers are over 7 feet tall.
Mr. D. is a math teacher.
Therefore, Mr. D is over 7 feet tall.
• The argument is valid, but is certainly not true.
• The above examples are of the form
If p, then q. (major premise)
x is p. (minor premise)
Therefore, x is q. (conclusion)
 Deductive Reasoning
An Example:

The catalog states that all entering

freshmen must take a mathematics
placement test.
You are an entering
freshman.
Conclusion: You will have to take a
mathematics placement test.
 Inductive or Deductive Reasoning?
Geometry example…

What is the measure of angle x?

x

Triangle sum property -

60◦ the sum of the angles of
any triangle is always
180 degrees. Therefore,
angle x = 30°
 Inductive or Deductive Reasoning?
Geometry example…

What is the next shape in the sequence?

90% of humans are right
handed. Joe is human,
therefore Joe is right
handed.

DEDUCTIVE
You are a good student.
You get all A’s
Therefore your friends
must get all A’s too

INDUCTIVE
All oranges are fruits.
All fruits
grow on trees
Therefore, all oranges
grow on trees

DEDUCTIVE
Mikhail hails from Russia
and Russians are tall,
therefore Mikhail is tall
INDUCTIVE
 No triangle is a square
because all triangles have
three sides and squares
have four sides.
 Since more than half of
all automobile accidents
involve drivers under
twenty-five, it follows that
drivers under twenty-five
are probably a greater
driving risk than those
older than twenty-five.
Smith missed work today.
He must be ill because in
the past he’s only missed
work when he’s been ill.
 The chances of rolling a
five with a die are one in
six.
The presidential
candidate that Maine
selects usually indicates
the one who’ll be elected.
So, it’s safe to say, “As
Maine goes, so goes the
nation.”
Every class I’ve taken so
far has had an even male-
female distribution in it.
It’s obvious, then, that the
student population of this
college is evenly divided
between males and
females.
If the president stands for
re-election, he’ll surely be
elected. Anyone who thinks
the president won’t run
again just doesn’t
understand politics or
political ambition. So, it’s
clear who the next
president will be: the
present incumbent.
Sandy was either present or
she knew someone who was
present. If she was present,
then she knows more than
she’s admitting. If she knew
someone who was present,
then she knows more than
she’s admitting. Either way,
Sandy knows more than she’s
admitting.
The chances that there
are atmospheric
conditions similar to
earth’s elsewhere in the
universe are very high.
So, extraterrestrial life
probably exists.
This argument is valid
because its premises
logically entail its
conclusion, and any
argument whose
premises logically entail
its conclusion is valid.
1) Every quiz has been easy. Therefore, the
test will be easy.
2) The teacher used PowerPoint in the last
few classes. Therefore, the teacher will
use PowerPoint tomorrow.
3) Every fall there have been hurricanes in
the tropics. Therefore, there will be
hurricanes in the tropics this coming fall.
What is the next number in the sequence 6,
13, 20, 27,…There is more than one
correct answer.
• However what if the sequence represents the dates.
Then the next number could be 3 (31 days in a
month).
• The next number could be 4 (30 day month)
• Or it could be 5 (29 day month – Feb. Leap year)
• Or even 6 (28 day month – Feb.)
Mathematical Systems
The four parts of a mathematical
system are:
1. “Undefined” terms
Terms such as point, line, and
plane are classified as undefined
because they do not fit into any
set or category that has been
previously determined.
Definitions ( defined terms
) The four characteristics
of a good definition are:
a. It names the term being
defined;
b. It places the term into a
set or category;
c. It distinguishes itself from
other terms in that category (
without providing
unnecessary facts)
d. It is reversible.
If a triangle is isosceles, then
it has two congruent sides. If
a triangle has two congruent
sides, then it is isosceles.
DEFINITIONS:
Principles
3. Postulates ( axioms,
conjectures ) Postulate – a
statement that is assumed to be
true.
4. Theorems Theorem – a
statement that follows logically
from previous definitions and
principles; a statement that can
be proved to be true.
Corollary – a theorem that
follows from another theorem
as a “by-product”; a theorem
that is easily proved as the
consequence of another
theorem. Lemma – a
theorem that is introduced
and proved so that a later
theorem can be proved
(“helping theorem”).
 Postulate 1: Through any two
points, there is exactly one line.
Postulate 2: The measure of
any line segment is a unique
positive number. The measure
(or length) of AB is a positive
number, AB.
 Postulate 3: If X is a point of AB
and A-X-B (X is between A and B),
then AX + XB = AB

Postulate 4: If two lines intersect,

then they intersect in exactly one
point
 Postulate 5: Through any three
noncollinear points, there is
exactly one plane.
Postulate 6: If two planes
intersect, then their intersection
is a line.+
 Postulate 7: If two points lie in
a plane, then the line joining
them lies in that plane.

Theorem 1.1: The midpoint of

a line segment is unique.
Example 1: State the postulate or
theorem you would use to justify the
statement made about each figure.