Chapter I.

Nature of Mathematics

Mathematical Language and Symbols

Melvin H. Cayabyab
Department of Mathematics
Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World College of Arts and Sciences
 Mathematical Language and Symbols

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 RECALL

FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS OF MATHEMATICS

1. Sets

2. Relations

3. Functions

4. Binary Operations

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 FUNCTIONS

Definition
A function is a relation for which each value from the set of
first components of the ordered pairs is associated with
exactly one value from the set of second components of the
ordered pair.

where .
is called the domain of the function and
is called the range of the function

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 FUNCTIONS

Examples:
1. is a function
2. is not a function

Suppose where

Graph the function. What if what is the graph of f?

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 FUNCTIONS

Figure 2. The graph of the constant

Figure 1: The graph of where .
function over

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 FUNCTIONS

Example:
Let where

Can you represent the function ? Is the graph of the function a set of
discrete points or a continuous line?

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 FUNCTIONS
Example:
Consider the following function:
where

f(0) = 0
f(1) = 1
f(2) = 4
f(3) = 9
f(4) = 16
f(5) = 25

Can you represent the function? Extend this function to the set of
real numbers and sketch the graph. Is it linear?

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 EXERCISE
Represent the given functions below and sketch their graphs.

1. Let where f(-2) = -3, f(0) = 1, f(5) = 11. [Hint: It is a linear

function.]

2. Let where f(0) = 1, f(1) = 3, f(2) = 9. [Hint: It is a quadratic

function.]

3. Let where f(-1) = -1, f(-1/2) = -0.125, f(0) = 0, f( 2) = 8, f(3)

= 27. What type of function is f?

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 BINARY OPERATIONS

Definition
Let be a set. A binary operation on is a function such that is
defined for every pair of elements in , and uniquely associates each
pair of elements of to some element of .

To show that is a binary operation, one needs to satisfy the two conditions below:
i. (Closure). For any two elements and in the set , the product is an element of .

ii. (Uniqueness). Given that and , if there exists another element such that , then .

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 BINARY OPERATIONS

Examples:
1. Let and be “+” (usual addition). For .
This is a binary operation.

2. Let and be “” (usual multiplication). For .

This is a binary operation.

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 BINARY OPERATIONS

Examples:
3. Let and , the largest of a and b.

This is a binary operation.

4. Let and .

This is not a binary operation as is not defined when (condition ii) apart
from the fact that is not always in (condition i).

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 BINARY OPERATIONS

Define , where

Find the following:

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 BINARY OPERATIONS
FOR SMALL SETS

For some finite sets, binary operations can be presented using a

“multiplication table”. The resulting entries in the table after performing the
operation can provide relevant information regarding the set.

Example:
Let S={-1, 0, 1} and the operation  be the usual multiplication. Show that  is a
binary operation by means of a multiplication table.

Solution:  -1 0 1
-1 1 0 -1
0 0 0 0
1 -1 0 1

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 BINARY OPERATIONS
FOR SMALL SETS

Example:

Let and be the operation that gives the remainder when the sum of two elements
in is divided by 4 (e.g., ).

Show that is a binary operation on .

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 PROPERTIES OF
BINARY OPERATIONS
A binary operation may exhibit several properties but not necessarily all of the
following:

Definition
Let be a binary operation on a set . Then:
a. is commutative if for all , .
b. is associative if for all , .
c. An element of is an identity for if for all , .
d. If is an identity for and , then is invertible if there exists such that .
The element is called the inverse of .

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 EXERCISE

Determine if the binary operation ∗ defined by the table below is commutative.

• Is associative for these values?

• Based on the table, what is the identity element?

∗ a b c d
• What is the inverse of a? b? c? d?
a a b c d
b b c d a
c c d a b
d d a b c

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 EXERCISE
A binary operation * is defined on the set The table below shows how the operation is to be
performed.

1. Determine whether * is commutative.

2. Is ?

3. Find the identity element for the operation *

4. and the inverse of each element in S.

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 LOGIC
Logic, coming from the Greek word “logos” means an idea, an argument or a reason. It is the
study of correct reasoning. It is the scientific method of judging the truth or falsity of statements.

Definition
A proposition is a statement that is either true or false but not both true
and false under the same condition. Generally, a proposition is a
declarative sentence.

Examples:
a) Mayon Volcano is in Naga City.
b) 14 is an even number.
c) (-1, 0) is a point on the y-axis.

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 LOGIC

Some declarative sentences are also propositions, and determining whether

it is true or false depends on the specific value of the variable being used.

Examples:
a) x + 4 = 10.
b) He wrote the book “Mathematics in the Modern World”.

Note: Any sentence which contains a variable is called an open sentence.

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 LOGIC

Propositions are represented by small letters such as p, q and r. These letter

symbols are called sentential variables.

Examples:
p: The base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal.
q: 1 + 7 ≠ 7.
r: The cubic equation x3 – 8 = 0 has a root equal to 2 of multiplicity 3.

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 LOGIC

Definition
A compound proposition is a proposition formed by combining two or
more simple statements. It is formed with the use of logical connectives
like “and”, “or”, “if ... then”, and “if...and only if...”.

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 TYPES OF COMPOUND
PROPOSITION
1. Conjunction
Given any propositions p and q, the compound proposition “p and q”, written p ^ q, is called
the conjunction of p and q or simply a conjunction.

The only way for a conjunction to be true is when all its components are true.

p q p^q Example:
p: June has 31 days.
T T T q: 5 is odd.

T F F p ^ q: June has 31 days and 5 is odd.

F T F Truth Value: False since p is false and q is true.
F F F

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 TYPES OF COMPOUND
PROPOSITION
2. Disjunction
Given any propositions p and q, the compound proposition “p or q” , written as p v q, is called the
disjunction of p and q. In the discussion, the inclusive sense (one, or the other, or both) is used.

The only way for a disjunction to be false is when all its components are false.
p q pvq Example:
p: Taal Volcano is in Laguna.
T T T q: 3 + 2 = 6
T F T
p v q: Taal Volcano is in Laguna or 3 + 2 = 5.
F T T
Truth Value: True since p is true and q is false.
F F F

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 TYPES OF COMPOUND
PROPOSITION
3. Negation
This is the denial of a statement. It uses phrases such as “not”, “it is not true that” or “it
is false that”. Notations for negation can be any , or ~.

If p is any proposition, then its negation is denoted by

, or or ~p

Examples:
Truth Truth
Proposition Negation of the Proposition
Value Value
1. p: 5 is divisible by 2. False : 5 is not divisible by 2. True
2. q: 4 + 2 = 6. True : 4 + 2 6. False

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 TYPES OF COMPOUND
PROPOSITION
4. Conditional Proposition (Implication)
Given any propositions p and q, the compound proposition “if p, then q ” , written as p q, is called
a conditional proposition or an implication. p is the antecedent or hypothesis while q is the
consequent or conclusion.
The only way for an implication to be false is when p is true and q is false.
p q pq
Example:
p: 32 = 6
T T T q: 5 is odd.
T F F p q: If 32 = 6, then 5 is odd.
F T T
Truth Value: True since p is false and q is true.
F F T

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 TYPES OF COMPOUND
PROPOSITION

Variants of a Conditional Statement

Condition/Implication : p q

Converse : q
p

Inverse : ¬p
¬q

Contrapositive : ¬q ¬p

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 TYPES OF COMPOUND
PROPOSITION
5. Biconditional Proposition (Double Implication or Equivalence)
Given any propositions p and q, the compound proposition “p if and only if q”, written as p  q is
called a biconditional proposition or an equivalence proposition.

The only way for biconditional to be false is when p and q have different truth values.
p q pq Examples:
p: 52 = 32 + 42
T T T q: 3 - 5  
T F F
p  q: 52 = 32 + 42 if and only if 3 - 5  .
F T F
Truth Value: False since p is true and q is false
F F T

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 QUANTIFIERS
Many propositions in mathematics are constructed with the use of the word “all”
or the word “some”. These are called quantifiers. (Feliciano and Uy, 1991).

Definition
Quantifiers are constructs that specify the quantity of specimens in the
domain of discourse that satisfy a formula.

2 Kinds of Quantifiers:
1. Universal Quantifier symbolized by means “for all, for every, for any”.
2. Existential Quantifier symbolized by  means “for some, there exists”.

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 QUANTIFIERS

Definition
A statement involving a quantifier is called a quantified statement.
Just like an ordinary statement (proposition), a quantified statement has
also its truth value.

Examples:
1. For all natural numbers x, x + 5 = 10.
2. For every real numbers x and y, x + y = y + x.
3. For some natural numbers x, x - 3 = 5.
4. There exists an integer such that 2x – 7 = 3.
5. For every real numbers x, there exists a real number y such that xy = 1 and yx =
1.

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 QUANTIFIERS

Definition
Universally quantified statements are denoted by
x P(x).
where P(x) is a propositional function with domain of discourse D.

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 QUANTIFIERS

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 QUANTIFIERS

Definition
Existentially quantified statements are denoted by
x P(x).
where P(x) is a propositional function with domain of discourse D.

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

 EXERCISE

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World

NEGATION OF QUANTIFIED
STATEMENTS

Examples:
1. P: All math majors are male.
Notation: P(x)
Negation: There is at least one math major who is not a male.

2 P: Some teachers in the Department of Mathematics know how to operate a computer.

Notation: x P(x)
Negation: All teachers in the Department of Mathematics do not know how to operate
a computer.

Math 01 – Mathematics in the Modern World