Before we proceed to the practical application of Proposition, we should know first the following definitions.

Definition of terms:
 Proposition.  -     a declarative sentence that is either true or false, but not both.
 a statement that can determine whether a statement is true or false
 a statement which gives and use information about fact.
 any statement that can be asserted or denied.
 a declarative/informative sentence.

Simple Proposition – a proposition that does not contain any other proposition as a
compound                                                 
                                     part.
 a proposition that are independent.
 a proposition that gives us information about a single fact.

Compound/Complex Proposition – a proposition that contains another proposition as a component.           

 it is independent.
 proposition that contains two or more simple proposition.
 a proposition that gives us more than one fact.
Example of Proposition

1. 15+ 6 = 21
2. Manila is the capital of the Philippines.
3. Either Math is fun and interesting, or it is boring.
4. 36 is a perfect square.
5. If the triangle has an acute angle, then the triangle is called an acute triangle.

Solution:
1. The given equation is a mathematical sentence. Translated into English, the equation reads “the sum of
fifteen and six is twenty-one”, which is a declarative sentence. It is also a true statement. Hence t is a
true proposition.
2. This is declarative sentence, and Manila is the capital of the Philippines. Hence p is a proposition.
3. This is a declarative sentence, which is true, since students may find math either fun or boring. Hence
p is a true proposition.
1

4. This is a true proposition, since it is declarative and we know that 6 = 36 2

1. This is the definition of the acute triangle, and is hence a true proposition. Observe also that it is a
compound proposition: If a triangle has an acute angle, then the triangle is called an acute triangle.

Non-example of Proposition

1. What is the ¾ of 5/8 ?

2. Good Day!
3. Find the value of x.
4. The ball is blue.
5. Close the door.
Solution:
1.  This is an interrogative sentence. Hence it is not proposition
2. This statement is exclamatory and hence it is not a proposition.
3. This is an imperative sentence and so it is not a proposition.
4. This is not a proposition because there is no fact regarding the color of the ball
5. This is an imperative statement and so it is not a proposition.
 EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE PROPOSITION
1. 6 – 4 = 2
2. Manila is the capital of the Philippines.
3. There are ten months in a year.
4. 25 ÷ 5 = 5
5. 4 = 16
2

Solution:
1. All of them give us information about a single fact. Does not contain any other proposition as a
compound part.
 1, 2, 4 &5 are true and 3 is false.
EXAMPLES OF COMPOUND PROPOSITION
1. If you study hard, then you will get good grades.
2. Either Math is fun and interesting, or it is boring.
3. If the triangle has an acute angle, then the triangle is called an acute triangle.
4. If you are not happy, then you are sad.
5. If today is Sunday, then I will wash the car.
Solution:
All of them are proposition that contains two or more simple proposition and it give us more than one fact. (Use
logical connectors like not, and, or , if /then)

 Types of Statements and their Connective Symbols

Connective Symbol Type of Statement

and ^ Conjunction
or v Disjunction
not ~ Negation
if … then → Conditional
if and only if (iff) ↔ Biconditional

Connectives in their dominant order:

1. Biconditional (↔)
2. Conditional (→)
3. Conjunction (^), Disjunction (v)
4. Negation (~)

Types of Connectives

1. Conjunction (^) – any two statements can be combined by the word “and” to form a composite statement which
is called the conjunction of the original statements. Symbolically, the conjunction of the two statements p and q is
denoted by p ^ q.
Illustration.
1. Let p be “It is raining.”, and q be “The kids are playing”. Then p ^ q denotes the statement “It is raining and the
kids are playing.”

2. Let p be “She can get a good price.”, and q be “She can find a nice apartment.” Then p ^ q denotes the statement “She can
get a good price and find a nice apartment.”
The truth value of the composite statement p ^ q satisfies the following property: If p is true and q is true, then p ^ q
is true; otherwise p ^ q is false. A convenient way to state this property is by means of a table as follows:

p Q p^q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F
From the table, the conjunction is true only when both of its conjuncts are true. Otherwise, it is false. The following
is the list of words that symbolically the same as the connective “and”.
although however whereas but moreover still
despite nevertheless yet while furthermore

2. Disjunction (v) – any two statements can be combined by the word “or” to form a new statement which is called
the disjunction of the statements p and q is denoted by p v q.
Illustration.
1. Let p be “He enrolled algebra course.”, and q be “He dropped trigonometry course”. Then p v q denotes the
statement “He enrolled algebra course or he dropped trigonometry course.”
2. Let p be “The clock is slow.”, and q be “The time is correct.” Then p v q denotes the statement “The clock is slow
or the time is correct.”

The truth value of the composite statement p v q satisfies the following property: if p is true or q is true or both p and
q are true, then p v q is true; otherwise, p v q is false. In other words, the disjunction of two statements is dales only
if each component is false. This property can also be written in the form of a table as follows:

p Q pvq
T T T
T F T
F T T
F F F
The disjunction is true when at least one of the disjuncts is true; and it is false when both disjuncts are false. The
following words are symbolically the same as the connective “or”.
else either … or unless
3. Negation (~) – given any statement p, other statement, called the negation of p, can be formed by writing “it is
false that …” before p or, if possible, by inserting in p the word “not”. Symbolically, the negation of p is denoted by
~p.
Illustration.
1. p: NE Pacific is located in Cabanatuan City.
~p: It is false that NE Pacific is located in Cabanatuan City.
~p: NE Pacific is not located in Cabanatuan City.
2. ~p: He does not like boat rides.
p: He likes both rides.
The truth value of a negation of a statement satisfies the following property: if p is true, then ~p is false; if p is false,
then ~p is true. In other words, the truth value of the negation of a statement is
always the opposite of the truth value of the original statement. This property can also be written in the form of the
table as follows:

P ~p
T F
F T

4. Conditional (→) – many statements, especially in mathematics, are of the form “If p then q”. Such statements are
called conditional statements and are denoted by p → q. The conditional p → q can also be read “p implies q”. The
statement following the word “if” and before “then” is called antecedent or hypothesis while the statement after
“then” is called the consequent or conclusion.
The truth value of a statement satisfies the following property: The conditional p → q is true unless p is
true and q is false. In other words, true statement cannot imply false statement.

p Q p→q
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T
The conditional statement is false only when the hypothesis is true and the consequent is false. Otherwise, the
conditional statement is always true. 

5. Biconditional (↔) – another common statement is the form “p if and only if q” or, simply, “p iff q”. Such
statements are called biconditional statements and are denoted by p ↔ q.
The truth value of the negation of a statement satisfies the following property: if p and q have the same
truth value, then p ↔ q is true; if p and q have opposite truth values, then p ↔ q is false.
p Q p↔q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F T
Propositions and Truth Tables
A proposition, denoted by P, Q, …, is a Boolean polynomial in the variables p, q, … . A simple and concise
way to show the relationship between the truth value of a proposition P(p, q, …) and the truth values of its variables
p, q, …, is through a truth table. The truth table for example, the proposition ~(p v ~q) is constructed as follows:

p q ~q p^q ~ (p ^ ~q)
T T F F T
T F T T F
F T F F T
F F T F T

Note that some propositions contain only T in the last column of their truth tables or, in other words, they are true
for any truth variables. Such propositions are called tautologies. Similarly, a proposition is called a contradiction if
it contains only F in the last column of its truth table or, in other words, if it is false for any truth values of its
variables. Following are the example of tautology and contradiction, respectively.

p ~p p v ~p
T F T
F T T
p v ~p is a tautology

p ~p p ^ ~p
T F F
F T F
p ^ ~p is a contradiction

Assessment

1. It is a logical operator which uses the symbol “v”.

 a. negation
b. conjunction
c. disjunction
d. conditional
2. Which logical operator uses the connector “and”?
a. negation
b. conjunction
c. disjunction
d. conditional
3. Which denotes negation?
a. p ∨ q
b. p ∧ q
c. ~p
d. p ↔ q
4. Which denotes biconditional?
a. p ∨ q
b. p ∧ q
c. ~p
d. p ↔ q
5. Which denotes disjunction?
a. p ∨ q
b. p ∧ q
c. ~p
d. p ↔ q
For numbers 6 to 10, identify the logical operator used in each compound
proposition.
6. Competence is not confidence.
a. conditional
b. biconditional
c. negation
d. conjunction

7. You should be wise as a serpent and modest as a dove.

a. conditional
b. disjunction
c. negation
d. conjunction
8. A great man either wins a game with humility or loses a game as a real man
should.
a. biconditional
b. disjunction
c. negation
d. conjunction
9. If a picture paints a thousand words, then I must paint you.
a. biconditional
b. disjunction
c. conditional
d. conjunction
10. Tatay Igo will eat dairy products if and only if they are organic.
a. biconditional
b. disjunction
c. conditional
d. negation
For numbers 11 to 15, consider the following propositions:
j: A soft answer turns away wrath.
k: A harsh word stirs up anger.
l: A wise man listens before speaking.
11. Which is the symbol for the proposition “A soft answer turns away wrath
and a harsh word stirs up anger”?
a. ~j ∨ k
b. j ∧ k
c. j → k
d. j ↔ ~k
12. Which is the symbol for the proposition “A wise man does not listen before
speaking?
a. ∧ l
b. ~l → l
c. ~l
d. ∨ l
13. Which is the symbol for “If a soft answer turns away wrath and a harsh
word stirs up anger, then a wise man listens before speaking”?
a. (j ∧ k) → l
b. (j ∧ k) ↔ l
c. (j ∨ k) → l
d. (j ∨ k) ↔ l
14. Which is the verbal statement for ~j ∧ ~k?
a. A soft answer does not turn away wrath or a harsh word does not stir up anger.
b. A soft answer does not turn away wrath and a harsh word does not stir up anger.
c. A soft answer turns away wrath and a harsh word stirs up anger.
d. If a soft answer does not turn away wrath, then a harsh word does not stir up anger.
15. Which is the verbal statement for j → k?
a. A soft answer turns away wrath or a harsh word stirs up anger.
b. A soft answer turns away wrath and a harsh word does not stir up anger.
c. If a soft answer turns away wrath, then a harsh word stirs up anger.
d. A soft answer turns away wrath and a harsh word stirs up anger.