CHAPTER 6 : MATHEMATICAL REASONING

6.1: STATEMENTS
- is a sentence which is either true or false but not both

6.2 : Operations on statement

Concept : The truth table for ‘p and q’

p Q p and q
true True true
true False false
false True false
false False false

Concept : The truth table for ‘p or q’

p Q p or q
true True true
true false true
false true true
false false false

6.3 : Implication

Implication – ‘ If p, then q’ where p is the antecedent and q is the consequent .

If a compound statement consisting of ‘‘if and only if ’’, we can write its two implications as
‘If p, then q’ and ‘If q, then p’ (known as converse of an implication)

6.4 : Argument

Argument : is the process in making a conclusion based on the premise. Premise is a given statement

6.5 : Deduction and Induction

6.5.1 Deduction : is making conclusion for a specific case based on a given general statement

6.5.2 Induction : is making generalization based on the pattern of a numerical sequence, or specific cases.

Questions According to Examination Format

Mathematical Reasoning 33
1) i: State whether the following statement is true or false.

9 > 6 and 42 = 8

ii : Complete the premise in the following argument.

Premise 1 : If JKL is an equilateral triangle, then the value of its interior angle is 60 o
Premise 2 : ______________________________________________________
Conclusion : The value of the interior angle of JKL is 60o.

iii : Write down two implications based on the following sentence.

x > y if and only if x – y > 0

Implication 1 : …………………………………………………………………………………….

Implication II : …………………………………………………………………………………….

2) i : Is the sentence below a statement or a non-statement ?

5 is an even number

ii : Write down two implications based on the following sentence.

PQR is a right-angled triangle if and only if PR2 = PQ2 + QR2

Implication 1 : ……………………………………………………………………………………….

Implication II : ………………………………………………………………………………………

iii : Based on the information below, make a general conclusion by induction regarding the sum of
the interior angles of a triangle.

The sum of the interior angles of triangle ABC = 180o

The sum of the interior angles of triangle JKL = 180o
The sum of the interior angles of triangle PQR = 180o

General conclusion : ………………………………………………………

34 = 12 or = 1.25
3. a) Determine whether the following statement is true or false.

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 b) Write two implications from the statement given below.

x = 4 if and only if x3 = 64

Implication I: ……………………………………………………………………………………………

Implication II: ……………………………………………………………………………………………

c) Complete the premise in the following argument.

Premise 1 : If 2y = 10, then y = 5.

Premise 2 : …………………………………..
Conclusion : 2y 10.

4. a) Complete the conclusion in the following argument.

Premise 1 : All regular hexagons have 6 equal sides.
Premise 2 : ABCDEF is a regular hexagon.
Conclusion : …………………………………………….

b) Make a conclusion by induction for a list of numbers 9,29, 57, 93,……that follow the patterns
below :
9 = 4(2)2 – 7
29 = 4(3)2 – 7
57 = 4(4)2 – 7
93 = 4(5)2 – 7

c) Combine the two statements given below to form a true statement.

i) 15 (– 5) = – 5
ii) 32 is a multiple of 8.

5. a) Below are three statements : 42 = 8

: Combine any of the two statements
to form a false statement.
: –5 < –2

b) Complete the following argument.

Premise 1 : If a = 6, then 5a = 30 .
Premise 2 : 5a 30
Conclusion : ………………………………………….. .

c) Write down two implications based on the following;

3r > 6 if and only if r > 2

SPM PAST YEAR QUESTIONS

Mathematical Reasoning 35
2003

a) Is the sentence below a statement or non-statement?

‘‘4 is a prime number ’’

b) Write down two implications based on the following sentence;

The number of subsets in a set with 2 elements is 22.

The number of subsets in a set with 3 elements is 23.
The number of subsets in a set with 4 elements is 24.

c) Based on the information above, make a general conclusion by induction regarding the number of
subsets in a set with k elements. (5 marks)

Answer : a) Statement

b) Implication 1 : If , then
Implication 2 : If , then

c) The number of subsets in a set with k elements is 2

2004 (July)

1. a) State whether the following sentence is a statement or a non-statement.

All multiples of 2 are divisible by 4.

b.) Write down a true statement using both of the following statements:

Statement 1:

Statement 2:

c.) Write down two implications based on the following sentence:

y < x if and only if –y > -x
(4 marks)

2004

Mathematical Reasoning 36
2. a) State whether the following statement is true or false.
8 > 7 or 32 = 6

b) Write down two implications based on the following sentence

m3 = 1000 if and only if m = 10

c) Complete the premise in the following argument :

Premise 1 : All hexagons have six sides.

Premise 2 : …………………………………………………………………………….……
Conclusion : PQRSTU has six sides. (5 marks)

2005 (July)

3. a) Determine whether the following sentence is a statement or non-statement.

b) Write down the converse of the following implication, hence state whether the converse is true or false.

If x is an odd number then 2x is an even number.

c) Make a general conclusion by induction for a list of number 3, 17, 55, 129, … which follows the
following pattern:

(5 marks)

Mathematical Reasoning 37
2005

4. a) State whether each of the following statement is true or false.

i) 8 2 = 4 and 82 = 16.
ii) The elements of set A = are divisible by 3 or the elements of set B =
are multiples of 4.

b) Write down premise 2 to complete the following argument .

Premise 1 :If x is greater than zero, then x is a positive number..

Premise 2 : …………………………………………………………………………….……
Conclusion : 6 is a positive number.

c) Write down 2 implications based on the following sentence.

‘3m > 15 if and only if m > 5’

Implication 1 : …………………………………………………………………
Implication 2 : ………………………………………………………………… (5 marks)

2006 (July)

5. a)State whether each of the following statements is true or false.

(i)

(ii.) -5 > - 8 and 0.03 = 3

b) Write down two implications based on the following sentence.

ABC is an equilateral triangle if and only if each of the interior angle of

ABC is 60 .

c.) Complete the premise in the following argument:

Premise 1 : ……………………………………………………………….

Premise 2 :

Conclusion : sin is positive. (5 marks)

Mathematical Reasoning 38