Some Elementary Logic

1. Logical Connectives
2. Quantifiers
3. Negation
4. Variables
FUNDAMENTALS of LOGIC

Definition
A proposition P is a declarative statement that is
true or false but not both.

If P is true, P is assigned the truth value 1.

If P is false, P is assigned the truth value 0.

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Examples of Propositions

1. It is raining.

2. When you work hard, you are rewarded

with success.

3. There are seven days in one week.

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The following are not propositions

1. Get out!

2. Logic is sweet.

3. x + 3 = 5

4. How old are you?

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Which of the following are propositions?

1. Check your solution.

2. A rectangle is a square.
3. A square is a rectangle.
4. Today is Thursday.
5. Have a nice day.
6. Two points determine a line.
7. Sugar is sweet.
8. Go home!
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Which of the following are propositions?

9. Only obese people are diabetic.

10. 5 + 6 - 10
11. 5 + 6 < 10
12. For all real numbers x, the square of x
is greater than or equal to zero..

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Negation
T h e n eg a tio n o f a p ro p o stio n P ,
d en o ted b y  P  rea d a s " n o t P "  ,
is th e p ro p o stio n w h o se tru th va lu e
d ep en d s o n P a s sh o w n b elo w .
T ru th T a b le
P P
1 0
0 1
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Symbol Translation
Not P;
P It is not the case that P;
It is false that P;
It is not true that P

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Logical Connectives
A logical connective is a word or symbol that joins
two sentences to produce a new one.

 and
 or
 implies
Conjunction

Let P and Q be propositions . The

conjunction of P and Q , denoted
by P  Q  read as " P and Q  is the
proposition whose truth value
depends on P and Q .
We call each P and Q a conjunct .

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Symbol Translation
P and Q;
P moreover Q;
P although Q;
P still Q;
PQ P furthermore Q;
P also Q;
P nevertheless Q;
P however Q;
P yet Q;
P but Q
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 T r u th T a b le
P Q P  Q
1 1 1
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 0
Rule
For a conjunction to be true , both conjuncts
must be true. Otherwise , the conjunction is false.

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Example
“He is the only begotten son yet He humbled Himself by
dying on the cross to save us.”

Let P: Life is beautiful.

Q: Life is challenging.

1. P  Q
2. P  Q
3. P  Q
4. P  Q
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Disjunction
Let P and Q be propositions . The
disjunction of P and Q , denoted
by P  Q  read as " P or Q  is the
proposition whose truth value
depends on P and Q .
We call each P and Q a disjunct .

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Symbol Translation

P or Q;
PQ P unless Q;

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 T r u th T a b le
P Q P  Q
1 1 1
1 0 1
0 1 1
Rule 0 0 0
For a disjunction to be true, at least one of the
disjuncts must be true and it is false when both
disjuncts are false.
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Let P: 2 is prime.
Q: 2 is even.
1. P  Q
2. P  Q
3. P  Q
4. P  Q

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Conditional
Let P and Q be propositions . The
conditional statement or implication
" if P then Q " denoted by P  Q , is
the proposition whose truth value
depends on P and Q .
We call P the hypothesis or premise
and we call Q the conclusion .
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Symbol Translation
If P then Q;
P implies Q;
P is a sufficient condition for Q;
P only if Q;
P  Q Q is a necessary condition for P;
Q if P;
Q follows from P;
Q provided P;
Q whenever P;
Q is a logical consequence of P

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 “Buy one notebook, take one free pencil.”
P: I buy a notebook.
Q: I get a free pencil.

a. If I buy a notebook then I get a free pencil.

b. If I buy a notebook then I don’t get a free pencil.
c. If I don’t buy a notebook then I get a free pencil.
d. If I don’t buy a notebook then I don’t get a free
pencil.

Under what situation is the promise broken?

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 T r u th T a b le
P Q P  Q
1 1 1
1 0 0
0 1 1
0 0 1
Rule
The implication is false only when the hypothesis /
premise is true and the conclusion is false.
Otherwise the implication is always true.
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Express the following propositions in symbols, where P,
Q, R and S are defined as follows.

P: I understand logic.
Q: I am doing well in my class in Logic.
R: Logic is easy.
S: I will pass all my exams in Logic.

1. Logic is easy or it is difficult.

2. I understand Logic if and only if it is easy.
3. Although I am doing well in my class in Logic, I
won’t pass all my exams.
4. Logic is easy and I understand it.

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P: I understand logic.
Q: I am doing well in my class in Logic.
R: Logic is easy.
S: I will pass all my exams in Logic.

5. It is not true that Logic is easy and I will pass all my

exams.
6. Either I understand Logic or it is easy, yet I am doing
well in my class.
7. If I will pass all my exams in Logic, then I can say
that it is easy and I am doing well in my class.

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P: I understand logic.
Q: I am doing well in my class in Logic.
R: Logic is easy.
S: I will pass all my exams in Logic.

8. It may or may not be the case that I understand Logic.

9. Both Logic is easy or I understand it and I will pass
all my exams.
10. I understand Logic, and I am doing well in my class
or I will pass all my exams.

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Remarks:
A parenthesis is used whenever the word
- “both” goes with “and”
- “either” goes with “or”

 both P or Q and R P  Q   R
 P or both Q and R P  Q  R 
 either P and Q or R P  Q   R
 P and either Q or R P  Q  R 

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 More on Conditional Statements

Implication: If P Then Q.
P: antecedent or hypothesis
Q: consequent or conclusion

Converse: If Q then P.

Inverse: If not P then not Q.

Contrapositive: If not Q then not P.

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 More on Conditional Statements

Give the converse, inverse and contrapositive of the

following implications.

1. If you are more than 60 years old, then you are entitled
to a senior citizen card.

2. If P is prime then it is odd.

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 Quantification
A construct that specifies the quantity of specimens
in the domain of discourse that satisfy the open
formula.

• Universal Quantification
• Existential Quantification
 Let U be the universe of discourse .
D efinition

The phrase " For all x " is called a universal

quantifier and is denoted by  x .

x : " fo r every x "

" fo r all x "

" fo r a n y x "
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D efinition

The statement " For some x " is called an existential

quantifier and is denoted by x.

 x : " there exists an x "

" there is at least one x "

" for some x "

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E xa m p le L et U   1, 0,1

1. P x  : x3  x

P  1 :  1 
3
1 tru e
P 0  : 0   0
3
tru e
P 1  : 1   1
3
tru e
 xP  x  is tru e

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E xa m p le L et U   1, 0,1

2. Q x  : x2  1

Q  1 :  1  1
2
tru e
Q 0  : 0   1
2
fa lse
Q 1  : 1   1
2
tru e
 xQ  x  is fa lse b u t  xQ  x  is tru e

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 E xa m p le L et U   1, 0,1

3. S x  : 2x  0

S  1 : 2  1   2  0 fa lse
S 0  : 2 0   0 tru e
S 1  : 2 1   2  0 fa lse
 xS  x  is tru e

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E xercise

Let U  1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and let E  x  , P  x  , S  x 

and M  x  denote the propositional functions
E x : x is even
P x : x is positive
S x : x 1  4
M x : 2x  2

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E xercise
Determine if each proposition is true or false.
1. E 1 6.  xE  x 

2. S  2   M 1  7.  xS  x 

3. E 1   P 1 8.  xM  x 

4. P 1  M  4  9.  x  E  x 
5.  xP  x  10.  xE  x 
U  1, 2, 4, 6,8
E  x  : x is even P  x  : x is positive
S  x : x  1  4 M  x  : 2x  2 35
 Workshop
Work in a small group and create constructively aligned lesson
activities and assessment methods with the following topics: (Choose
one topic only)
• Logical Connectives
• Converse, Inverse, Contrapositive
• Quantification

1. What are the three things that you expect your students to be
able to do at the end of the lesson? (Learning Outcomes)
2. How do you assess your students on doing these things?
(Assessment Tasks)
3. How do you teach your students to do these things? (Teaching
and Learning Activities)