Propositional logic question

In summary: Unfortunately, there is no one "right" way to do this, and what works for one person may not work for another. It helps to know the negation rules (De Morgan's laws) and some identities for replacing conjunctions, disjunctions, implications, and so forth. In calculus you are likely familiar with several identities or formulae which you have learned and have become second nature to you through practice; the same can be true for propositional and predicate logic. Unfortunately, there is no one "right" way to do this, and what works for one person may not work for another.
  • #1
phospho
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0
Negate ## [\neg (p\wedge \neg q)]\wedge \neg r ##

and relpace the resulting formula by an equivalent which does not involve ## \neg, \vee, \wedge ##

attempt:

## \neg ([\neg (p\wedge \neg q)]\wedge \neg r) = \neg \neg (p \wedge \neg q) \vee \neg \neg r ##

## = (p \wedge \neg q) \vee r ##
## = (p \vee r) \wedge (\neg q \vee r) = \neg ((p\vee r) \implies \neg (\neg q \vee r)) ##
## = \neg ((p \vee r) \implies \neg \neg q \wedge \neg r) = \neg ((p \vee r) \implies q \wedge \neg r) ##

## = \neg (\neg p \implies q \implies \neg (\neg q \implies r)) ##

not sure if this is correct so far, and if it is, where to go from here
 
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  • #2
phospho said:
Negate ## [\neg (p\wedge \neg q)]\wedge \neg r ##

and relpace the resulting formula by an equivalent which does not involve ## \neg, \vee, \wedge ##

attempt:

## \neg ([\neg (p\wedge \neg q)]\wedge \neg r) = \neg \neg (p \wedge \neg q) \vee \neg \neg r ##

## = (p \wedge \neg q) \vee r ##

You are very close at this point; try replacing ##p \wedge \neg q## with an equivalent statement not involving ## \wedge ##.
 
  • #3
FeDeX_LaTeX said:
You are very close at this point; try replacing ##p \wedge \neg q## with an equivalent statement not involving ## \wedge ##.

I'm sorry I can't find one :( I'm having a lot of troubles figuring out how to find equivalent statements. I have some written down from lectures, but none which I can think of help here.
 
  • #4
all I have is ## p \wedge \neg q = \neg (\neg p \wedge q )## but I don't know if you can "factor out" ## \neg ##
 
  • #5
phospho said:
I'm sorry I can't find one :( I'm having a lot of troubles figuring out how to find equivalent statements. I have some written down from lectures, but none which I can think of help here.

Hint:
##a \wedge b \equiv \neg(a \implies \neg b)##
 
  • #6
FeDeX_LaTeX said:
Hint:
##a \wedge b \equiv \neg(a \implies \neg b)##

so ## (p \wedge \neg q ) \vee q = \neg (p \implies \neg \neg q) \vee r = \neg \neg (p \implies q) \implies r) = (p \implies q) \implies r ## ?

I am very curious on how you know all of these equivalent statements? Also, are you allowed to multiply out as in algebra? e.g. does ## \neg (a \vee \neg b ) = \neg a \vee \neg \neg b ## ?
 
  • #7
phospho said:
so ## (p \wedge \neg q ) \vee q = \neg (p \implies \neg \neg q) \vee r = \neg \neg (p \implies q) \implies r) = (p \implies q) \implies r ## ?

I am very curious on how you know all of these equivalent statements? Also, are you allowed to multiply out as in algebra? e.g. does ## \neg (a \vee \neg b ) = \neg a \vee \neg \neg b ## ?

You could check your answer with a truth table and see if that matches up with what you'd expect.

In general, no, the distributive law does not necessarily work in the way that you are familiar with. For instance, ##\neg(p \vee q) \neq (\neg p) \vee (\neg q)##.
 
  • #8
FeDeX_LaTeX said:
You could check your answer with a truth table and see if that matches up with what you'd expect.

In general, no, the distributive law does not necessarily work in the way that you are familiar with. For instance, ##\neg(p \vee q) \neq (\neg p) \vee (\neg q)##.

hm I see,

the thing is, I see online a lot of people just stating equivalent statements, but I'm not sure how they just "know" it. I do draw truth tables, but I don't want to be doing that all the time. Is there something I'm missing?

Thank you for your help btw, is my answer correct?
 
  • #9
phospho said:
hm I see,

the thing is, I see online a lot of people just stating equivalent statements, but I'm not sure how they just "know" it. I do draw truth tables, but I don't want to be doing that all the time. Is there something I'm missing?

Thank you for your help btw, is my answer correct?

It helps to know the negation rules (De Morgan's laws) and some identities for replacing conjunctions, disjunctions, implications, and so forth. In calculus you are likely familiar with several identities or formulae which you have learned and have become second nature to you through practice; the same can be true for propositional and predicate logic.
 
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1. What is propositional logic?

Propositional logic is a type of formal logic that deals with the relationships between propositions or statements. It is used to determine the truth values of compound statements by breaking them down into simpler components and connecting them with logical operators such as "and", "or", and "not".

2. How is propositional logic different from other types of logic?

Unlike other types of logic, propositional logic does not take into account the internal structure of propositions. Instead, it only focuses on the logical relationships between propositions and their truth values. This makes it a simpler and more abstract form of logic.

3. What are the basic components of propositional logic?

The basic components of propositional logic are propositions, logical operators, and truth values. Propositions are statements that can be either true or false. Logical operators are symbols that connect propositions and determine the truth value of compound statements. Truth values refer to the truth or falsity of a proposition.

4. How is propositional logic used in real life?

Propositional logic is used in a variety of fields, including mathematics, computer science, philosophy, and linguistics. It is used to analyze arguments and determine their validity, to construct mathematical proofs, and to design logical systems for computers.

5. What are some common mistakes when using propositional logic?

Some common mistakes when using propositional logic include confusing the logical operators, failing to properly negate statements, and assuming that all statements are either true or false. It is important to carefully consider the logical relationships between propositions and use the correct operators to accurately determine the truth values of compound statements.

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