Question Sheet 3 

1) Using truth tables determine whether the following arguments are valid or
invalid. 

(i) p → q, ¬q ¬p 

p q ¬p ¬q p→ q ((p → q)˄¬ q) ((p → q) ˄¬ q) →¬p

T T F T F T
T F T F F T
F T F T T T
F F T T T T
- Since ((p → q) ˄¬ q) →¬p is a tautology, therefore the argument is valid.

(ii) p → q, q ` p, 

p q p→ q ((p → q)˄ q) ((p → q) ¬ q) →p

T T T T T
T F F F T
F T T T F
F F T F T
- Since the argument is not a tautology, hence this argument is invalid.

(iii) p ∨ q, ¬p ` q, 

p q ¬p p˅q ((p ˅ q)˄ ¬p) ((p ˅ q) ˄¬p) →q

T T F T F T
T F F T F T
F T T T T T
F F T F F T
- Since p ∨ q, ¬p ` q is a tautology, therefore the argument is valid.
(iv) p ∧ q, q ∨ r ` p ∧ r, 

p q r p˄q q˅r p˄r ((p ˄ q) ˄ ((p ˄ q) ˄ (q ˅

(q ˅ r)) r)) → p ˄ r

T T T T T T T T
T T F T T F T F
T F T F T T F T
T F F F F F F T
F T T F T F F T
F T F F T F F T
F F T F T F F T
F F F F F F F T

- We do not have tautology in the last column, therefore this argument is

invalid.

(v) p → q, q → r ` p → r, 

p q r p → q q → r p → r ((p → q) ˄ ((p → q) ˄ (q
(q → r)) → r)) → p →
r

T T T T T T T T
T T F T F F F T
T F T F T T F T
T F F F T F F T
F T T T T T T T
F T F T F T F T
F F T T T T T T
F F F T T T T T

- This tautology shows that the argument is valid.

 (v) p → q, q → r ` (q ∨ r) → p, 

p q r p→ q q→r ((p → q)˄(q → r)) q˅r ((q ˅ r) → ((p → q)˄(q→r))→((q˅r)→ p))

p))

T T T T T T T T T
T T F T F F T T T
T F T F T F T T T
T F F F T F F T T
F T T T T T T F F
F T F T F F T F F
F F T T T T T F F
F F F T T T F F T

- As shown in the truth table this argument is invalid.

(vi) p ∨ q, p → r, q → r ` r. 

p q r p˅q p→r q→r ((p ˅ q)˄(p → r)) ((p ˅ q) ˄ p→r)) ((p ˅ q) ˄( p→r)) ˄(q→r)→ r
˄(q→r)

T T T T T T T T T
T T F T F F F F T
T F T T T T T T T
T F F T F T F F T
F T T T T T T T T
F T F T T F T F T
F F T F T T F F T
F F F F T T F F T

- this tautology shows that the argument is valid.

2) Consider the argument 

(p → q) ∧ ((¬q) → (¬s)), p ∨ s, (¬s) → (q ∧ r) ` q → s. 

Find the truth-values for p, q, r and s such that the premises of this argument are
true yet the conclusion false. Hence deduce that the argument is invalid. 

(p → q) ∧ ((¬q) → (¬s)), p∨s , (¬s) → (q ∧ r) ` q→s

F→T F→ F T˅F F→T →F

T ∧ T ∧ T F→T
→F

T ∧ T ∧ T → F

T ∧ T → F

T → F

- Therefore, this argument is invalid

3) Prove, using the rules of inference from A to D.S., that the following arguments
are valid. 

(i) s → (p → ¬s), s ` ¬p, 

1. p → ¬s PREMISES
2. p˄s PREMISES
3. p SIMPLIFICATIO
4. ¬s MPP (1)(3)
5. s → (p → ¬s) PREMISES
6. s SIMPLIFICATION (2)
7. (p → ¬s) MPP (5)(6)
8. ¬p MTT (7)(4)

(ii) A, A → B, A → C ` B ∧ C, 
 1. A PREMISES
2. A→B PREMISES
3. A→C PREMISES
4. B MPP (2)(1)
5. C MPP (3)(1)
6. B∧ C CONJUNCTION (4)(5)

(iii) (s → p) → (t → s), t → (s → p), t ` p, 

1. t PREMISES
2. t→s PREMISES
3. s MPP(2)(1)
4. s→p PREMISES
5. p MPP (4)(3)
6. p→s PREMISES
7. p MPP(6)(5)

(iv) (¬A) → C, (¬C) ∧ D ` A ∨ B, 

1. ¬C ∧ D PREMISES
2. ¬C SIMPLIFICATION (1)
3. ¬A → C PREMISES
4. A M
5. A ∧ ¬C CONJUNCTION (4)(2)

Therefore, the argument is invalid

(v) p → s, (¬p) → r, ¬r ` s, 

1. ¬r PREMISES
2. (¬p) PREMISES
3. S MTT (2)(1)
4. p→s PREMISES
5. s MPP (4)(3)

(vii) p, s ∨ (¬p), (¬s) ∨ t ` t, 

1. p PREMISES
2. s ∨ ( ¬p) PREMISES
3. ¬s MTT (2)(1)
4. (¬s) ∨ t PREMISES
5. t MPP (4)(3)
 (viii) A, (A ∨ B) → (C ∧ D), (C ∨ E) → F ` D ∧ F,

1. A PREMISES
2. C ∧ D PREMISES
3. A ∨ B PREMISES
4. C SIMPLIFICATION (2)
5. B DS (3)(1)
6. (C ∨ E) → F PREMISES
7. C → F HS (6)
8. F MPP (7)(4)
9. D MPP (2)(4)
10. D ∧ F CONJUNCTION (9)(8)

(ix) (vi) A, B, (A ∨ C) → (B → C) ` B ∧ C. 

1. A PREMISES
2. B PREMISES
3. A∨ C PREMISES
4. C DS (3)(1)
5. B→C PREMISES
6. B MTT (5)(4)
7. B∧C CONJUNCTION (6)(4)

4) Prove, using ∨E along with the other rules of inference, that the following
arguments are valid. (Remember, there are always two subproofs when ∨E is
used.) 

(i) (r → t) ∨ (r → s), r ` t ∨ s, 

 

1. r A
2. r→t A
3. t MPP (2)(1)
4. r→s A
5. s MPP (4)(1)
 6. t ∨ s v I, (3)(5)

(ii) (a ∧ s) → t, s, (t ∨ b) → c, s → (a ∨ b) ` c, 

1. s A
2. a ∧ s ∧ I (1)
3. (a ∧ s) → t A
4. t MPP (3)(2)
5. s → (a ∨ b) A
6. a ∨ b MPP (5)(1)
7. b v E (6)
8. t ∨ b v I (4)(7)
9. (t ∨ b) → c A
10. c MPP (9)(8)

(iii) a ∨ b, s ∨ (¬a), s ∨ (¬b) ` s, 

1. a∨b A
2. a vE (1)
3. b vE (1)
4. s ∨ (¬a) A
5. ¬ (¬a) DN (2)
6. ¬ (¬b) DN (3)
7. S DS (4)(5)
8. s ∨ (¬b) A
9. s DS (8)(6)

(iv) (t ∧ p) → s, (¬s) → (¬q), (p ∨ q) ∧ t ` s. 

(Hint: start with ∧E) 
1. t∧p A
2. (t ∧ p) → s A
3. s MPP (2)(1)
4. (¬s) → (¬q) A
5. ¬ (¬s) DN (3)
6. ¬ (¬p) MTT (4)(5)
7. s DN (5)

5) Prove, using C.P., that the following arguments are valid.

(i) p → q, (q ∧ r) → s, r ` p → s, 

p→q (q ∧ r) → s r`p→s
 F→T T∧F →T∧T T →T

T ∧ F →T∧T →T

T ∧ T ∧ T →T

T ∧ T →T

T →T

(ii) q → p, q ∨ r ` (¬p) → r, 

q→p q∨r (¬p) → r

F→T F∨T F→T

T ∧ T →T

T →T

(iii) (p ∧ q) → r, p ` q → r, 

(p ∧ q) → r p`q→r

T ∧ T T →T→T

T →T T→T

T ∧ T→T

T →T

T
(iv) (p ∧ q) → r, p, (q → r) → t ` t, 
 (p ∧ q) (p ∧ q) → r p (q → r) → t `t

F∧ F F→F →T

F→T

T ∧ T

T ∧ T →T →T

T →T →T

T →T

T
(v) (¬p) ∨ (¬q) ` (p → (¬q)) ∧ (q → (¬p)), 

(¬p) ∨ (¬q) (p → (¬q)) (q → (¬p)

F∨T F → T F → T
T ∧ T
F → T

T
(vi) (p ∧ q) → r ` p → (q → r), 

(p ∧ q) → r p → (q → r)
F ∧ F F →T
F →T F →T
T →T

T
6) Prove, using R.A.A., that the following arguments are valid.

(i) s → ¬t, p → (s ∧ t) ` ¬p, 

1. s ∧ t A
2. p → (s ∧ t) A
3. ¬p MTT (2)(1)

(ii) s → ¬t, p → (s ∧ t), p ∨ q ` q,

1. p ∨ q A
2. p → (s ∧ t) A
3. q Ve (1)
(iii) (p ∧ (¬q)) → q ` p → q, 

1. (p ∧ (¬q) A
2. (p ∧ (¬q)) → q A
3. p → q MPP (2)(1)

(iv) (iv) s → p, t → s ` ¬((¬p) ∧ t), 

1. s → p A
2. t → s A
3. ¬((¬p) ∧ t HJ (1)(2)

(v) (v) ¬((¬p) ∨ q) ` p. 

1. ¬p) ∨ q A
2. ¬((¬p) ∨ q A
3. p DS (1)

Questions 7−10 symbolize the arguments using the notation given. Then use truth
tables to determine the validity or invalidity of each of the arguments. Finally, for the
arguments that are valid give proof of validity using the rules of inference. 

7) Let 
A = Alice is elected Prime Minister, 
B = Betty is elected deputy Prime Minister, 
C = Carol is elected Chancellor. 
If Alice is elected Prime Minister, then either Betty is elected deputy Prime
Minister or Carol is elected Chancellor. Betty is elected deputy Prime Minister.
Therefore, if Alice is elected Prime Minister, then Carol is not elected Chancellor. 

A → (B ˅ C) ˄ B ` A → ¬ C

A B C ¬C B˅C A → (B ˅ C) A→¬C A → (B ˅ C) ˄ B A → (B ˅ C) ˄ B ` A → ¬
C

T T T F T T F T F
T T F T T T T T T
T F T F T T F F T
T F F T F F T F T
 F T T F T T T T T
F T F T T T T T T
F F T F T T T F T
F F F T F T T F T
- Therefore, this argument is invalid

8) Let 
A = The light is on, 
B = The switch is down, 
C = The door is open. 
If the switch is down then the light is on. If the switch is not down then the door is
open. If the door is open then the light open. Therefore, the light is on. 

B → A ˄ ( ¬B) → C ˄ C → A → A

A B C ¬B B →A (¬B) → C C → A B → A ˄ ( ¬B) → C B → A ˄ ( ¬B) → C ˄ C → A B → A ˄ ( ¬B) → C ˄ C → A → A

T T T F T T T T T T
T T F F T T T T T T
T F T T T T T T T T
T F F T T F T F F T
F T T F F T F F F T
F T F F F T T F F T
F F T T T T F T F T
F F F T T F T F F T

- Therefore this argument is valid

9) Let 
A = The seeds are planted in April, 
 B = The flowers bloom in July, 
C = The seed catalogue is correct. 
If the seed catalogue is correct, then if the seeds are planted in April then the
flowers bloom in July. The flowers do not bloom in July. Therefore, if the seed
catalogue is correct then the seeds are not planted in April. 

C →( A→ B) ˄ ( ¬B) ` C → ¬ A

A B C ¬A ¬B A→B C→ ¬A C →( A→ B) C →( A→ B) ˄ ( ¬B) C →( A→ B) ˄ ( ¬B) ` C → ¬ A

T T T F F T F T F T
T T F F F T T T F T
T F T F T F F F F T
T F F F T F T T T T
F T T T F T T T F T
F T F T F T T T F T
F F T T T T T T T T
F F F T T T T T T T
- Therefore, the argument is valid.

10) Let 
E = Ed win first prize, 
F = Fred wins second prize, 
G = George is disappointed. 
If Ed wins the first prize, then either Fred wins the second prize or George is
disappointed. Fred does not win the second prize. Therefore, if George is
disappointed, then Ed does not win first prize. 

E → (F ˅ G) ˄ ¬ F ` G → ¬ E

E F G ¬E ¬F F˅G G→ ¬E E → (F ˅ G) E → (F ˅ G) ˄ ¬ F
E
E → (F ˅ G) ˄ ¬ F ` G → ¬

T T T F F T F T F T
T T F F F T T T F T
T F T F T T F T T F
T F F F T F T F F T
F T T T F T T T F T
F T F T F T T T F T
F F T T T T T T T T
F F F T T F T T T T

- Therefore, the argument is valid.