Is De Morgan's Law Always True?

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In summary, the proof for Demorgan's law in the textbook states that for all x belonging to the complement of the intersection of sets A and B, x is not a member of the intersection of sets A and B. This can be demonstrated by using specific examples, such as A = {1,2,3}, B = {2,3,4,5}, and the universal set U = {1,2,3,4,5}. The law states that the complement of A intersected with the complement of B is equal to the complement of the intersection of A and B.
  • #1
johncena
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In my textbook, the proof for demorgan's law,
(AintersectionB)* = A*unionB*
[*=complement]
starts with,saying that for all x belongs to (AintersectionB)* , x is not a member of AunionB.
But how can we say that, for example,
if A = {1,2,3} and B = (2,3,4,5} and U = {1,2,3,4,5}
(AintersectionB)^ = {1,4,5}
and AunionB = {1,2,3,4,5}
here all x which belongs to (AintersectionB)* are members of the set AunionB.
 
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  • #2
johncena said:
In my textbook, the proof for demorgan's law,
(AintersectionB)* = A*unionB*
[*=complement]
starts with,saying that for all x belongs to (AintersectionB)* , x is not a member of AunionB.

Are you sure it doesn't say

[tex]
x \in (A \cap B)^C \Rightarrow x \not \in A \cap B
[/tex]

because if it is written as you say, it isn't correct and must be a typographical error.
 
  • #3
de morgan's law says: Ac U Bc = (A [tex] \cap[/tex] B)c

taking your examples:
if A = {1,2,3} and B = {2,3,4,5} and U = {1,2,3,4,5}

Ac = {4,5}
Bc = {1}

Ac U Bc = {1,4,5}
(A [tex] \cap[/tex] B)={2,3}
(A [tex] \cap[/tex] B)c={1,4,5}

Now to show that de morgan's crule is true in general,
First assume x [tex]\in[/tex] Ac U Bc then show x [tex]\in[/tex](A [tex] \cap[/tex] B)c

Then assume x [tex]\in[/tex](A [tex] \cap[/tex] B)cthen show x [tex]\in[/tex] Ac U Bc
 

1. What are De Morgan's Laws?

De Morgan's Laws are a set of rules in Boolean algebra that describe the relationship between logical operations and negation. They are named after mathematician Augustus De Morgan and are used to simplify and manipulate logical statements.

2. What are the two laws in De Morgan's Laws?

The first law states that the negation of a conjunction (AND) is equivalent to the disjunction (OR) of the negations of the individual statements. The second law states that the negation of a disjunction (OR) is equivalent to the conjunction (AND) of the negations of the individual statements.

3. How can De Morgan's Laws be applied to simplify logical expressions?

De Morgan's Laws can be used to transform complex logical expressions into simpler ones by applying the laws to the individual statements within the expression. By using the laws, we can eliminate double negations and convert between AND and OR operations.

4. What is the significance of De Morgan's Laws in computer science?

De Morgan's Laws are widely used in computer science and programming to simplify and optimize logical operations in code. They are particularly useful in simplifying complex conditional statements and Boolean expressions, making code more efficient and easier to read.

5. Can De Morgan's Laws be extended to more than two statements?

Yes, De Morgan's Laws can be extended to any number of statements. For example, the first law can be applied to three statements as follows: the negation of a conjunction of three statements is equivalent to the disjunction of the negations of each statement. The same applies to the second law for a disjunction of three statements.

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