MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS

Mathematics is a symbolic language. Some of the symbols are:

∑ the sum of
∃ there exists
∀ for every (for any)
∈ element of (or member of)
∉ not an element of (not a member of)
⊆ subset of
⇒ if…, then
⇔ if and only if
R set of real numbers
N set of natural numbers
Z set of integers
Q set of rational numbers
∞ infinity

Truth of Sentences
Mathematical sentences may either be true or false but not both.
Example:
Write as English sentences, and say whether they are true or false.
a. ∀ x ∈ R , x 2 ≥ 0 True
For every real number x, the square of x is greater than or equal to
zero
b. ∀ x , y ∈ R , ( x+ y )2=x 2+2 xy + y 2 True
For every real number x, y, the square of the sum of x and y is equal to the
square of x plus twice the product of x and y plus the square of y.
X = 1, y = 2, (1+2)2 = 12+2(1)(2)+22
 32 = 1+4+4
9=9

X = 4, y = 2
62 = 42+2(4)(2)+22
36 = 16+16+4
36 = 36

c. ∃ m, n ∈ Z , m −n ≤ m+ n False
There exist integers m,n where m minus n is less than or equal to m
plus n.

m = 8, n = -3
8-(-3) ≤ 8 + (-3)
11 ≤ 8-3
11 ≤ 5 False

m = 3, n = 6
3-6≤3+6
-3 ≤ 9 True
d. ∀ a , b ∈Q , ab=0 ⇒ a=0 ∨b=0
For every rational number a, b, if ab = 0, then a=0 or b=0.
0(5) = 0
5(0) = 0
0(1/2) = 0 True

4(0)=0
Some Fundamentals of Logic
The use of logic in mathematics illustrates the importance of precision
and conciseness in communicating mathematics.

Propositions
Many times, propositions are made in people’s statements. A
proposition is a statement which either true (T) or false (F). The senior
citizen may claim that the best movie they ever saw is Sound of Music, a
movie that was produced in 1965. This statement is a proposition that is
either T or F and cannot be both.
Example:
Each of the following statements is a proposition. Some are true and
some are false. Tell which are true and which are false. If it is false, state
why.
a. 9 is a prime number. False
b. 5 + 3 = 8 True
c. x + y ≥ 0 x = 3, y = 2 9+4≥0 13≥0 True
2 2

X = -3, y = 2 9+4≥0
d. 10 < -3 False

The Truth Table

A truth table is a table that shows the truth value of a compound
statement for all possible truth values of its simple statements.

Negation
A statement is a negation of another if the word is not introduced in
the negative statement. Let P be a proposition. The negation of P is “not
P” or ¬ P .
The following is its truth table.
P ¬P
T F
F T

Example:
What is the negation of the following statements?
P ¬P

a. P: √ 2 is a rational number - F √ 2 is an irrational number - T

1.4142135624… nonterminating, nonrepeating decimal
 b. P: 6 is an odd number - F 6 is an even number - T

Logical Connectives
Let P and Q be propositions. A logical connective is the mathematical
equivalent of a conjunction in English. The most common conjunctions in
mathematics are “and” and “or”, which are denoted by ∧ and ∨,
respectively.
If two statements are joined like P and Q, denoted by P ∧Q ,
then P ∧Q is a statement that is true if and only if both P and Q are true.
Another logical connective is the word “or”. The statement P ∨Q is true if
and only if P is true or Q is true, which is taken to include the case when
they are both true.
The following is the truth table.
P Q P ∧Q P ∨Q
F F F F
F T F T
T F F T
T T T T

Implications
Suppose P and Q are propositions. The proposition P ⇒ Q (read as “if
P, then Q”) is called an implication. P is called the premise and Q is called
the conclusion. In ordinary language statements like “If it rains, then I bring
my umbrella” is an implication. “If it rains” is P or the premise while “I bring
my umbrella” is the conclusion.
Other ways of reading P ⇒ Q are:
P implies Q
Q if P
Q is implied by P
Q only if P
 P Q P ⇒Q
F F T
F T T
T F F
T T T

A more complicated form of implication is the bi implication or the

biconditional denoted by the symbol ⇔. The statement P ⇔Q is true if and
only if both P and Q are either both true or both false. The sentence P ⇔Q
is equivalent to the statement
P ⇔Q ≡(P⇒ Q)∧(Q ⇒ P)

Example:
Write the following in symbolic form using P, Q, and R for statements
and the symbols, ¬ ,∧ ,∨ , ⇒ , ⇔ where
P: Pres. Duterte is a good president.
Q: Government officials are corrupt.
R: People are happy.
a. If Pres. Duterte is a good president, then government officials are not
corrupt. P ⇒ ¬Q
b. If government officials are not corrupt, then the people are happy.
¬Q ⇒ R
c. If Pres. Duterte is a good president and people are happy, then
government officials are not corrupt.
(P ∧ R) ⇒ ¬Q
d. Pres. Duterte is a not a good president if and only if government
officials are corrupt and the people are not happy.
¬P ⇔ (Q ∧ ¬R)

P : Adele is a singer
Q : Adele is a song writer
R : Adele is an actress

If Adele is an actress, then Adele is not a singer and Adele is not a song writer.
R ⇒ (¬P∧¬Q)
(P ∧ Q) ⇒ ¬R If Adele is a singer and Adele is a song writer, then Adele is not an
actress.