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Mathematical Reasoning- Writing and Proof, Version 2.1, 2014a

Mathematical Reasoning- Writing and Proof, Version 2.1, 2014a

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36 Chapter 2. Logical <strong>Reasoning</strong><br />

P :P<br />

T F<br />

F T<br />

P Q P ^ Q<br />

T T T<br />

T F F<br />

F T F<br />

F F F<br />

P Q P _ Q<br />

T T T<br />

T F T<br />

F T T<br />

F F F<br />

P Q P ! Q<br />

T T T<br />

T F F<br />

F T T<br />

F F T<br />

Rather than memorizing the truth tables, for many people it is easier to remember<br />

the rules summarized in Table <strong>2.1</strong>.<br />

Operator Symbolic Form Summary of Truth Values<br />

Conjunction P ^ Q True only when both P <strong>and</strong> Q are true<br />

Disjunction P _ Q False only when both P <strong>and</strong> Q are<br />

false<br />

Negation :P Opposite truth value of P<br />

Conditional P ! Q False only when P is true <strong>and</strong> Q is<br />

false<br />

Table <strong>2.1</strong>: Truth Values for Common Connectives<br />

Other Forms of Conditional Statements<br />

Conditional statements are extremely important in mathematics because almost<br />

all mathematical theorems are (or can be) stated as a conditional statement in the<br />

following form:<br />

If “certain conditions are met,” then “something happens.”<br />

It is imperative that all students studying mathematics thoroughly underst<strong>and</strong> the<br />

meaning of a conditional statement <strong>and</strong> the truth table for a conditional statement.

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