Lesson 1 Proposition

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1 Introduction to Discrete Mathematics

Objectives:

 Discuss examples of propositions


 Perform operations on propositional and predicate logic

Introduction

This lesson covers definition of discrete mathematics, logic and proposition.

What you need to know?

 Discrete Mathematics is the study of mathematical structures that are fundamentally


discrete rather than continuous.
o Discrete means: distinct, isolated or sepate
o Branch of mathematics dealing with countable objects
o Objects in discrete mathematics: integers, graphs, statements in logic
 Logic is the study of reasoning. It is specifically concerned with whether reasoning is
correct.
o Logic focuses on the relationship among statements as opposed to the content of
any particular statement.

Sample Argument:
All mathematicians wear sandals.
Anyone who wears sandals is an algebraist.
Therefore, all mathematicians are algebraist.

 Proposition – is a declarative sentence that is either true or false (but not both).

For instance, the following propositions are:


Paris is in France , London is in Denmark.
( True) ( False)
Not a proposition

What is your name? (this is a question)


do your homework (this is a command)
this sentence is false (neither true nor false)
x is an even number (it depends on what x represents)
Socrates (it is not even a sentence)

 Truth Value - the truth or falsehood of a proposition is called its truth value.
 Connectives such as “and” and “or” are used for making compound propositions.

Conjunction and Disjunction

If p: It is raining,

q: It is cold,

conjunction of p and q is :

p ^ q: It is raining and it is cold.

disjunction of p and q is :

p v q: It is raining or it is cold.

Truth Value of the Conjunction p ^ q

• Consider the following proposition,

p ^ q: It is raining and it is cold,


• If it is raining (true) and it is also cold (true), then we would consider the proposition,

p ^ q: It is raining and it is cold, be true.

• However, if it is raining (true) and it is also cold (false), then we would consider the
proposition,

p ^ q: It is raining and it is cold, be false.

Conjunction (AND)

Binary Operator, Symbol: 

Truth Value of the Disjunction p  q

• Consider the following proposition,

p v q: It is raining or it is cold,

• If it is raining (true) and it is also cold (true), then we would consider the proposition,

p v q: It is raining or it is cold, be true.

• However, if it is raining (false) and it is also cold (false), then we would consider the
proposition,

p v q: It is raining or it is cold, be false.


Disjunction (OR)

Binary Operator, Symbol: 

Negation (NOT)

• The negation of p, denoted  p, is the


proposition not p.
• Unary Operator, Symbol: 

Example: If p: Paris is the capital of England,

• negation of p could be written:

 p: It is not the case that Paris is the capital of England,

• or simply as:

 p: Paris is not the capital of England.

Example:

• Given that proposition p is false, proposition q is true, and proposition r is false,


determine whether the proposition p  q r is true or false.

• Operator Precedence - In all expression involving some of all the operators ,  and ,
• in the absence of parenthesis, we 1st evaluate , then  and then .
Summary

• Conjunction – it will give a True result if and only if the value of both propositions is True
• Disjunction – it will give a False result if and only if the value of both propositions if False.

Well done! You have finished this lesson.

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