Negation of propostitions with quantifiers

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In summary, the conversation discusses the correct negations of propositions involving sets of men and their attributes, and the reasons for rejecting certain statements as suitable negations. It also touches on the concept of negation in relation to truth tables and provides an example of using symbols to express mathematical statements.
  • #1
razored
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I need a little help deciphering my text. It says as follows :
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a) Some men are soldiers.
b) All men are hungry.

More formally these are stated :
a)[tex]\exists_{x} p[/tex], where x belongs to the set of men and p is the proposition : x is a soldier.
b)[tex]\forall_{x}[/tex],where x belongs to the set of men and q is the proposition : x is hungry.

The correct negations of the above propositions are:
a)All men are not soldiers, or: [tex]\forall_{x}[[/tex]~[tex]p][/tex]
b)Some men are not hungry, or: [tex]\exists_{x}[[/tex]~[tex]p][/tex]

You should examine carefully the reasons for rejecting the following statements as suitable negations.

a)Some men are not soldiers.
b)All men are not hungry.

Remember that the negation of a true proposition must be false.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They say that the negation of a true proposition must be false. Like " All men are hungry.(true)" then, "All men are not hungry.(false)" Why can't we use that? Its negation appears to be false. Can anyone give me a better explanation? Also, would a truth table help me here?
 
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  • #2
razored said:
I need a little help deciphering my text. It says as follows :
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a) Some men are soldiers.
b) All men are hungry.

More formally these are stated :
a)[tex]\exists_{x} p[/tex], where x belongs to the set of men and p is the proposition : x is a soldier.
b)[tex]\forall_{x}[/tex],where x belongs to the set of men and q is the proposition : x is hungry.

The correct negations of the above propositions are:
a)All men are not soldiers, or: [tex]\forall_{x}[[/tex]~[tex]p][/tex]
b)Some men are not hungry, or: [tex]\exists_{x}[[/tex]~[tex]p][/tex]

You should examine carefully the reasons for rejecting the following statements as suitable negations.

a)Some men are not soldiers.
It is quite possible that some men are soldiers and some men are NOT soldiers. Those can both be true.

b)All men are not hungry.
Saying "It is not true that all men are hungry" does NOT mean that NO men are hungry.

Remember that the negation of a true proposition must be false.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They say that the negation of a true proposition must be false. Like " All men are hungry.(true)" then, "All men are not hungry.(false)" Why can't we use that? Its negation appears to be false. Can anyone give me a better explanation? Also, would a truth table help me here?
Yes, it is true that the negation of a true proposition must be false. It does NOT follow that ANY false statement is the negation of a true proposition!
 
  • #3
"Saying "It is not true that all men are hungry" does NOT mean that NO men are hungry."
This means that some men are hungry and some aren't?

Also, I need help deciphering this phrase :
--------------------------------------------------
[tex]\forall_{x1} \forall_{x2} [[/tex] If [tex]x_{1}[/tex] is congruent to [tex]x_{2}[/tex], the median of [tex]x_{1}[/tex] equals the median of [tex]x_{2}][/tex]

Negation :
[tex]\exists_{x1} \exists_{x2} [ x_{1}[/tex] and [tex]x_{2}[/tex] are congruent, and the median of [tex]x_{1}[/tex] does not equals the median of [tex]x_{2}[/tex]]

--------------------------------------------------
In the first statement, does it mean for ALL triangles X1 and X2, if they are congruent then the medians are equal ?

The second statement says for SOME triangles X1 and X2, if they are congruent, then the medians don't equal?

Thanks.
 
  • #4
razored said:
"Saying "It is not true that all men are hungry" does NOT mean that NO men are hungry."
This means that some men are hungry and some aren't?

Also, I need help deciphering this phrase :
--------------------------------------------------
[tex]\forall_{x1} \forall_{x2} [[/tex] If [tex]x_{1}[/tex] is congruent to [tex]x_{2}[/tex], the median of [tex]x_{1}[/tex] equals the median of [tex]x_{2}][/tex]

Negation :
[tex]\exists_{x1} \exists_{x2} [ x_{1}[/tex] and [tex]x_{2}[/tex] are congruent, and the median of [tex]x_{1}[/tex] does not equals the median of [tex]x_{2}[/tex]]

--------------------------------------------------
In the first statement, does it mean for ALL triangles X1 and X2, if they are congruent then the medians are equal ?
Assuming we are given that X1 and X2 are triangles, yes, that is what it says.


The second statement says for SOME triangles X1 and X2, if they are congruent, then the medians don't equal?
It might be better to read it as "there exist at least one pair of triangles that are congruent but their medians are not equal" (of course, since the first statement is true, that statement is false).

Thanks.
 

1. What is the meaning of negation of propositions with quantifiers?

Negation of propositions with quantifiers refers to the process of expressing a statement in a way that denies the existence or truth of the original statement. It involves using words like "not" or "no" to change the meaning of the statement.

2. How is the negation of a universal quantifier expressed?

The negation of a universal quantifier, such as "all" or "every", is expressed by using the existential quantifier "there exists" and negating the original statement. For example, the negation of "All cats are mammals" would be "There exists a cat that is not a mammal".

3. Is it possible to negate a quantified statement without using quantifiers?

Yes, it is possible to negate a quantified statement without using quantifiers. This can be done by using words like "none" or "not all" to express the negation of a universal quantifier, or by using phrases like "not every" to express the negation of an existential quantifier.

4. Can the negation of quantified statements be simplified?

Yes, the negation of quantified statements can often be simplified by using De Morgan's laws. These laws state that the negation of "for all" is equivalent to "there exists" and the negation of "there exists" is equivalent to "for all". This allows for the negation of quantified statements to be expressed in a more concise form.

5. Are there any common mistakes to avoid when negating quantified statements?

Yes, there are a few common mistakes to avoid when negating quantified statements. One is to incorrectly use quantifiers, such as using "there exists" instead of "for all" or vice versa. Another mistake is to forget to negate the original statement, resulting in an incorrect negation. It is important to carefully consider the meaning of the original statement and use precise language when negating quantified statements.

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