Rules of inference

Maria Tamoor
Rules of Inference
Proof: valid arguments that establish the truth of a
mathematical statement
By an argument, we mean a sequence of statements
that end with a conclusion. By valid, we mean that the
conclusion, or final statement of the argument, must
follow from the truth of the preceding statements, or
premises, of the argument.
That is, an argument is valid if and only if it is
impossible for all the premises to be true and the
conclusion to be false.
Argument
Ex: “If it rains, I drive to school.”
“It rains.”
 “I drive to school.”
Argument and inference
An argument is valid if and only if it is impossible for
all the premises to be true and the conclusion to be
false
Rules of inference: use them to deduce (construct)
new statements from statements that we already have
Basic tools for establishing the truth of statements
 1.6 Inference Rules - General Form

Inference Rule –
Pattern establishing that if we know that a set of
hypotheses are all true, then a certain related conclusion
statement is true.
Hypothesis 1
Hypothesis 2 …
 conclusion “” means “therefore”

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Valid arguments in propositional logic
Consider the following arguments involving
propositions
“If you have a correct password, then you can log onto
the network”
“You have a correct password” premises

therefore,
“You can log onto the network” conclusion
Valid arguments
 is tautology
When ((p→q)˄p) is true, both p→q and p are ture, and
thus q must be also be true
This form of argument is true because when the
premises are true, the conclusion must be true
Example
p: “You have access to the network”
q: “You can change your grade”
p→q: “If you have access to the network, then you can
change your grade”

“If you have access to the network, then you can

change your grade” (p→q)
“You have access to the network” (p)
so “You can change your grade” (q)
Example
“If you have access to the network, then you can
change your grade” (p→q)
“You have access to the network” (p)
so “You can change your grade” (q)
Suppose p is true but p→q is false
Our argument is true but p→q is not true then likely q
is false and the conclusion is not true
 Rules of inference for propositional logic
Can always use truth table to show an argument form
is valid
For an argument form with 10 propositional variables,
the truth table requires 210 rows
The tautology is the rule of
inference called modus ponens (mode that affirms), or
the law of detachment

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 Example
If both statements “If it snows today, then we will go
skiing” and “It is snowing today” are true.
By modus ponens, it follows the conclusion “We will
go skiing” is true

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Determine whether the argument given here is
valid and determine whether its conclusion must
be true because of the validity of the argument.

The premises of the argument are p→q and p, and q is the

conclusion
This argument is valid by using modus ponens
But one of the premises is false, consequently we cannot
conclude the conclusion is true
Furthermore, the conclusion is not true
Rules
Rules
Rules

“It is below freezing

now. Therefore, it is
either below freezing
or raining now.”

“It is below freezing and

raining now. Therefore, it is
below freezing now.
•“It is below freezing.
•It is raining now.
•Therefore, it is below freezing
and it is raining now
Rules of Inference with Quantifiers
Applying Rules of Inferences
Example 1: It is known that
1. It is not sunny this afternoon, and it is colder than
yesterday.
2.if We will go swimming then it is sunny.
3. If we do not go swimming, we will play basketball.
4. If we play basketball, we will go home early.
Can you conclude “we will go home early”?
Solution
To simplify the discussion,
let p := It is sunny this afternoon
q := It is colder than yesterday
r := We will go swimming
s := We will play basketball
t := We will go home early
Example 2:
It is known that
1. If you send me an email, then I will finish my
program.
2. If you do not send me an email, then I will go to
sleep early.
3. If I go to sleep early, I will wake up refreshed.
Can you conclude “If I do not finish my program, then
I will wake up refreshed”?
Solution
Solution

¬p
Find the argument form for the following argument
and determine whether it is valid.

Answer: modus Tollen

 Example
Show that the premises “Everyone in this discrete
mathematics class has taken a course in computer
science” and “Marla is a student in this class” imply
the conclusion “Marla has taken a course in computer
science.”
Solution: Let D(x) denote “x is in this discrete
mathematics class,” and let C(x) denote “x has taken
a course in computer science.” Then the premises are
∀x(D(x) → C(x)) and D(Marla).
The conclusion is C(Marla).