DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

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Problem 1. [10pts] Let F (x, y) be the statement ”x can fool y”, where the domain consists of all people in
the world. Use quantifiers to express each of these statements.

1. Everybody can fool Fred.

Solution: ∀xF (x, F red)
2. Evelyn can fool everybody.
Solution: ∀yF (Evelyn, y)

3. Everybody can fool somebody

Solution: ∀x∃yF (x, y)
4. There is no one who can fool everybody.
Solution: ¬∃x∀yF (x, y)

5. Everyone can be fooled by somebody.

Solution: ∀y∃xF (x, y)
6. No one can fool both Fred and Jerry.
Solution: ¬∃x(F (x, F red) ∧ F (x, Jerry)

7. There is exactly one person whom everybody can fool.

Solution: ∃y (∀xF (x, y) ∧ (∀z((∀wF (w, z)) → y = z))
8. No one can fool himself or herself.
Solution: ¬∃xF (x, x)

9. There is someone who can fool exactly one person besides himself or herself.
Solution: ∃x∃y(F (x, y) ∧ (∀z(F (x, z) → y = z))

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 2. [15pts] Use rules of inference to show that if ∀x(P (x) ∨ Q(x)), ∀x(¬Q(x) ∨ S(x)), ∀x(R(x) →
¬S(x)) and ∃x¬P (x) are true, then ∃x¬R(x) is true.

1. ∃x¬P (x) (Premise)

2. ¬P (c) (Existential instantiatioin from (1))
3. ∀x(P (x) ∨ Q(x)) (Premise)

4. P (c) ∨ Q(c) (Universal instantiation from (3))

5. Q(c) (Disjunctive syllogism from (4) and (2))
6. ∀x(¬Q(x) ∨ S(x)) (Premise)

7. ¬Q(c) ∨ S(c) (Universal instantiatiion from (6))

8. S(c) (Disjunctive syllogism from (5) and (7))
9. ∀x(R(x) → ¬S(x)) (Premise)
10. R(c) → ¬S(c) (Universal instantiation from (9))

11. ¬R(c) (Modus tollens from (8) and (10))

12. ∃x¬R(x) (Existential generalization from (11))

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 3. [10pts] Let L(x, y) be the statement x loves y, where the domain for both x and y consists of
all people in the world. Translate the following predicate logic into English:

1. ∀xL(x, Jerry) Everybody loves Jerry.

2. ∀x∃yL(x, y) Everybody loves somebody.
3. ∃y∀xL(x, y) There is somebody whom everybody loves.

4. ∃x¬L(Lydia, x) There is somebody whom Lydia does not love.

5. ∃x∀y¬L(y, x) There is somebody whom no one loves.
6. ∃x(∀yL(y, x) ∧ ∀z(∀wL(w, z)) → z = x) There is exactly one person whom everybody loves.

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 4. [10pts] For each of these arguments determine whether the argument is correct or incorrect
and explain why.

1. Everyone enrolled in the university has lived in a dormitory. Mia has never lived in a dormitory.
Therefore, Mia is not enrolled in the university.
The argument is correct. It is an application of universal modus tollens.

2. A convertible car is fun to drive. Isaacs car is not a convertible. Therefore, Isaacs car is not fun to
drive.
The argument is not correct. It is an instance of the fallacy of denying the hypothesis.
3. Quincy likes all action movies. Quincy likes the movie Eight Men Out. Therefore, Eight Men Out is
an action movie.
This argument is not correct. Its a variant of the fallacy of affirming the conclusion. Indeed, it is quite
possible that Quincy likes also some movies that are not action movies.
4. All lobstermen set a least a dozen traps. Hamilton is a lobsterman. Therefore, Hamilton sets at least
a dozen traps.
This argument is correct. It is an application of universal instantiation.

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 5. [10pts] Express each of these mathematical statements using predicates, quantifiers, logical
connectives, and mathematical operators, where the domain consists of all integers.

1. The product of two negative integers is positive.

2. The average of two positive integers is positive.
3. The absolute value of the sum of two integers does not exceed the sum of the absolute values of the
integers.

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 6. [15pts] Express each of these statements using quantifiers. Then form the negation of the
statement so that no negation is to the left of a quantifier. Next, express the negation in simple English.

1. All dogs have fleas.

Solution: We write this statement as ∀x(D(x) → F (x)) or ∀x(¬D(x)∨F (x)). Its negation is ∃x(D(x)∧
¬F (x)), and in English it translates into ”There is a dog that does not have fleas”.

2. There is a horse that can add.

Solution: We write this statement as ∃x(H(x) ∧ A(x)). Its negation is ∀x(¬H(x) ∨ ¬A(x)) or, equiva-
lently, ∀x(H(x) → ¬A(x)). In English: ”no horse can add”.
3. Every koala can climb.
Solution: We write this statement as ∀x(K(x) → C(x)). Similar to a), its negation is ∃x(K(x)∧¬C(x)).
In English: ”there is a koala that cannot climb”.
4. No monkey can speak French
Solution: We write this statement as ∀x(M (x) → ¬F (x)) or ∀x(¬M (x) ∨ ¬F (x)). Its negation is
∃x(M (x) ∧ F (x)). In English: ”There is a monkey who can speak French”.
5. There exists a pig that can swim and catch fish. Solution: We write this statement as ∃x(P (x) ∧
S(x) ∧ F (x))). Its negation is ∀x(¬P (x) ∨ ¬S(x) ∨ ¬F (x)) or ∀x(P (x) → (¬S(x) ∨ ¬F (x)). In English:
”Every pig either can’t swim or it can’t catch fish”

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 7. [10pts] Use rules of inference to prove that:

¬t ∨ u (1)
r → (s ∨ t) (2)
(¬p ∨ q) → r (3)
¬(s ∨ u) (4)
∴p
Solution:

1.¬t ∨ u Premise
2.r → (s ∨ t) Premise
3.(¬p ∨ q) → r Premise
4.¬(s ∨ u) Premise
5.¬s ∧ ¬u De Morgan ’s law from (4)
6.¬u ∧ ¬s Commutative law from (5)
7.¬s Simplification from (5)
8.¬u Simplification from (6)
9.u ∨ ¬t Commutative law from (1)
10.¬t Disjunctive syllogism from (8) and (9)
11.¬s ∧ ¬t Conjunction from (7) and (10)
12.¬(s ∨ t) De Morgan ’s law from (11)
13.(¬p ∨ q) → (s ∨ t) Hypothetical syllogism from (2) and (3)
14.¬(¬p ∨ q) Modus tollen from (12) and (13)
15.p ∧ ¬q De Morgan ’s law and double negation law from (14)
16.p Simplification from (15)

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 8. [10pts] Use the rules of inference for quantified statements to prove that:
∀x ∈ R (P (x) ∨ Q(x)) (1)
∀x ∈ R (¬P (x) ∧ Q(x) → T (x)) (2)
∴ ∀x ∈ R (¬T (x) → P (x))
Solution:
Step Reason
1 ∀x ∈ R (¬P (x) ∧ (Q(x) → T (x))) Premise
2 ¬P (c) ∧ (Q(c) → T (c)) Universal instantiation from (1)
3 ¬P (c) Simplification
4 Q(c) → T (c) Simplification
5 ∀x ∈ R (P (x) ∨ Q(x)) Premise
6 P (c) ∨ Q(c) Universal instantiation from (5)
7 Q(c) Disjunctive syllogism using (3) and (6)
8 T (c) Modus ponens using (4) and (7)
9 T (c) ∨ ¬P (c) Addition
10 ¬T (c) → P (c) Logical Equivalence using Conditional Statements
11 ∀x ∈ R (¬T (x) → P (x)) Universal Generalization from (10)

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 DISCRETE STRUCTURE (CO1007) — Homework 02 — PREDICATE LOGIC & PROOF

Problem 9. [Bonus]Solve as much as you can the exercises in Sections 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 in Rosens book, 7th ed.
The following are recommended:

Section 1.4: 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 23, 44

Section 1.5: 8, 10, 18, 28, 33, 36, 49
Section 1.6: 3, 9, 16, 19, 22, 24, 34

Solution: ...