Logic & Formality

Logic
•It is technically defined as “the science or study of how to evaluate arguments and
reasoning.
•It is a discipline that deals with the methods of reasoning.

Logical Reasoning
•It is used on mathematics to prove theorems, in computer science – to verify correctness of
programs and to prove theorems.

Formality
• As stated by Heylighen F. and Dewaele J-M in the “Formality of Language: Definition and
Measurement”, an expression is completely formal when it is context independent and
precise (i.e. non-fuzzy), that is, it represents a clear distinction which is invariant under
changes of context. In mathematics, we are always dealing in a formal way.

A. Definition
•It is a formal statement of the meaning of a word or group of words and it could stand
alone.
• Example: Right Triangle
A right triangle consists of two legs and a hypotenuse. The two legs meet at a 90°
angle and the hypotenuse is the longest side of the right triangle and is the side opposite the
right angle.

B. Theorem
•A theorem is a statement that can be demonstrated to be true by accepted mathematical
operations and arguments.
•It is an embodiment of some general principle that makes it part of a larger theory.
•The process of showing a theorem to be correct is called a proof.
• Example: Pythagorean Theorem
The square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of
the other two sides. If the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle, or the long side) is
called c and the other two sides are a and b, then this theorem with the formula a2 + b2 = c2
.
C. Proof
• Proof is a rigorous mathematical argument which unequivocally demonstrates the truth of a
given proposition.
The different methods on proof are as follows:
1. Deductive
2. Inductive
3. Direct Proof
4. Indirect Proof
5. Proof by Counterexample
6. Proof by Contradiction
 Logic & Formality
D. Proposition (or statement)
•It is a declarative sentence which is either true or false, but not both.

1. Conjunction
•If two statements are combined by the word “and”, then the proposition is calledconjunction.
•Any two statements can be combined by the word “and” to form a composite statement
which is called the conjunction of the original statements.
Example:
“Ernesto is handsome”
“Ernesto is rich”.
“Ernesto is handsome and Ernesto is rich.

2. Disjunction
•Any two statements can be combined by the word “or” to form a new statement which is
called the disjunction of the original two statements.
Example:
•“Life is beautiful”
•“Life is challenging”
•“Life is beautiful or life is challenging.”

3.Negation
•Given any statement P, another statement called the negation of P can be formed bywriting
“It is false that …” before P, or if possible, by inserting in P the word “not”.
Example:
•“Roderick attends Mathematics class”
•“Roderick will not attend Mathematics class”
•“It is false that Roderick attends Mathematics class”.

4. Conditional
• To be able to easily identify that the proposition is in a form of conditional statement, you
will notice of the word “If-then”.
• It is state that a true statement cannot imply a false statement.
• The first statement would be a premise and the second statement is the conclusion.
Example:
“If x is positive, then its square is also positive.”

5. Biconditional
•Its uses a connector for two statements “if and only if”.
Example:
“I will attend mass.”
“Tomorrow is Sunday.”
“I will attend mass if and only if tomorrow is Sunday.”

6. Corollary
•It is also a proposition that follows with little or no proof required from one already proven.

7.Lemma
•It can also be considered as a theorem.
•lemma is a short theorem used in proving a larger theorem.

8. Conjecture
•A proposition which is consistent with known data, but has neither been verified nor shown
to be false.
•It is synonymous or identical with hypothesis also known as educated guess.