Is the Logical Statement \forall x[x^2\leq 0\Longrightarrow x>0] True or False?

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In summary: However, if your universe of discourse is the complex numbers, then the statement is true since the implication holds for all complex numbers. Therefore, the truth value of the statement depends on the universe of discourse. In summary, the statement is true or false depending on the universe of discourse and cannot be assigned a definite truth value without specifying it.
  • #1
evagelos
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Is the following statement true or false??

[tex]\forall x[x^2\leq 0\Longrightarrow x>0][/tex]

Solution No 1: since [tex]x^2\geq 0[/tex] for all ,x the above statement is "vacuously satisfied"


Solution No 2: the negation of the above statement is:

[tex]\exists x[x^2\leq 0[/tex] and [tex]x\leq 0[/tex] .But since [tex]x\leq 0\Longrightarrow x^2\geq 0[/tex].So we have : [tex]x^2\geq 0[/tex] and [tex]x^2\leq 0[/tex] ,which implies that x=0.

So there exists an element x=0.Hence the negation is true and thus the above statement is false
 
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  • #2
Solution no 1 is incorrect because x2=0 does not imply x >0. I.e. the statement is not vacuously satisfied.
 
  • #3
mathman said:
Solution no 1 is incorrect because x2=0 does not imply x >0. I.e. the statement is not vacuously satisfied.

Why, is it not [tex]x^2\leq 0[/tex]always false and hence whether x>0 is true or false [tex]x^2\leq 0\Longrightarrow x>0[/tex] is always true??
 
  • #4
evagelos said:
Why, is it not [tex]x^2\leq 0[/tex]always false and hence whether x>0 is true or false [tex]x^2\leq 0\Longrightarrow x>0[/tex] is always true??
It is not always false though, ie when x2=0.
 
  • #5
evagelos said:
Is the following statement true or false??

[tex]\forall x[x^2\leq 0\Longrightarrow x>0][/tex]

I am fairly new to logical terminology.

As written I would say yes.Yes. It is true or false.

As spoken it depends on the vocal delivery how the question is interpreted.

What are the x.

Do you mean for all real numbers assign a value of true or false to it.

What sort of implication are you using.

Normally, assuming natural numbers are meant, as per truth table I would assign a truth value of 1 to it. A false antecedent always implies a truth value of 1 to the implication. Of course in the normal course of language most of us look for a causal relation between the antecedent and the consequent (maybe wrong terminology) in which case the outcome is different.

Matheinste.
 
  • #6
evagelos said:
Is the following statement true or false??

[tex]\forall x[x^2\leq 0\Longrightarrow x>0][/tex]

Assuming your universe of discourse is the real numbers (or, for that matter, the integers), the statement is false since there is an element such that x^2 <= 0 but not x > 0.
 

What is a true/false statement?

A true/false statement is a declarative sentence that is either true or false. It is also known as a proposition or a statement of fact.

How do you determine the truth value of a statement?

The truth value of a statement is determined by whether it corresponds to reality or not. If the statement accurately describes a fact or event, it is considered true. If it does not accurately describe a fact or event, it is considered false.

Can a statement be both true and false?

No, a statement cannot be both true and false at the same time. This is known as the law of non-contradiction, which states that a statement and its negation cannot both be true.

Are all opinions considered true/false statements?

No, not all opinions can be considered true/false statements. True/false statements are based on factual evidence, while opinions are based on personal beliefs or preferences.

What is the purpose of using true/false statements in science?

In science, true/false statements are used to make objective observations and draw conclusions based on evidence. They help to establish facts and theories that can be tested and replicated by other scientists.

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