HW 1 Problem 3

Yimo Wang

1
1. T .
x = −1

2. T .
(−x)2 = (−1)2 (x)2 = (1)(x)2 = (x)2
3. F .
When x < 0, this proposition is false. For example, if x = −1, 2x = −2 <
−1

4. T .
If y = 0, x · y = 0, y · x = 0. 0 = 0, so this statement is true.
5. T .
x+y
If x, y ∈ R, then x + y ∈ R, and 2 ∈ R,

6. T .
It is true that ∀y(y 2 ≥ 0). Thus, for any x < 0, x ≤ y 2 . For example,
when x = −1, x ≤ y 2 ∀y
7. F .
Because there is an infinite amount of numbers in R, for all x, there is a
y such that y = x − 1.

2
1. Not logically equivalent.
For example, let x ∈ R. P (x) := x is rational. Q(x) := x is irrational.
Then, ∀(xP (x)∨Q(x)) evaluates true, because all real numbers are rational
or irrational. However, ∀xP (x) ∨ ∀xQ(x) evaluates to false, because not
all real numbers are rational, and not all real numbers are irrational.
2. Logically equivalent.
Assume that ∀x(P (x) ∧ Q(x)).

1
 # statement reasoning
1. ∀x(P (x) ∧ Q(x)) assumption
2. P (a) ∧ Q(a) for an arbitrary a universal instantiation from 1
3. P (a) simplification from 2
4. ∀xP (x) universal generalization from 3
5. Q(a) simplification from 3
6. ∀xQ(x) universal generalization from 5
7. ∀xP (x) ∧ ∀xQ(x) conjunction of 4 and 6
Assume that ∀xP (x) ∧ ∀xQ(x) .
# statement reasoning
1. ∀xP (x) ∧ ∀xQ(x) assumption
2. ∀xP (x) simplification from 1
3. P (a) for arbitrary a universal instantiation from 2
4. ∀xQ(x) simplification from 1
5. Q(b) for arbitrary b universal instantiation from 4
6. P (a) ∧ Q(b) conjunction of 3 and 5
7. ∀x(p(x) ∧ Q(x)) universal generalization from 6

3. Proof by contrapositive: ¬(∀xP (x) ∨ ∀xQ(x)) ≡ ¬(∀x∀y(P (x) ∨ Q(y))).

Assume that ¬(∀xP (x) ∨ ∀xQ(x))
# statement reasoning
1. ¬(∀xP (x) ∨ ∀xQ(x)) assumption
2. ∃x(¬P (x)) ∧ ∃x(¬Q(x)) De Morgan’s Law
3. ∃x(¬P (x)) simplification from 2
4. ¬P (a) for some a existential instantiation from 3
5. ∃x(¬Q(x)) simplification from 2
6. ¬Q(b) for some b existential instantiation from 5
7. ¬P (a) ∧ ¬Q(b) conjunction of 4 and 6
8. ∃x∃y(¬P (x) ∧ ¬Q(y)) existential generalization
9. ¬(∀x∀y(P (x) ∨ Q(y))) De Morgan’s Law
Assume that ¬(∀x∀y(P (x) ∨ Q(y)))
# statement reasoning
1. ¬(∀x∀y(P (x) ∨ Q(y))) assumption
2. ∃x∃y(¬P (x) ∧ ¬Q(y)) De Morgan’s Law
3. ¬P (a) ∧ ¬Q(y) for some a and b existential instantiation
4. ¬P (a) simplification from 3
5. ∃x(¬P (x)) existential generalization from 4
6. ¬Q(a) simplification from 3
7. ∃x(¬Q(x)) existential generalization from 6
8. ∃x(¬P (x)) ∧ ∃x(¬Q(x)) conjunction of 5 and 7
9. ¬(∀xP (x) ∨ ∀xQ(x)) De Morgan’s Law