Section 1.

2
Propositional Equivalences
Tautology:
A compound proposition that is always true, it is called tautology.

Contradiction:
A compound
contradiction.

proposition

that

is

always

false,

it

is

called

Contingency:
A compound proposition that is neither tautology and nor a
contradiction, it is called contingency.

Formulas:
(1)

Commutative laws.
q q p

(i)

(ii)

(2)

Associative laws.
(q r ) ( p q ) r

(i)

(ii)

(3)

(q r ) ( p q ) ( p r )

(ii)

(i)

(5)

(i)
(ii)

(6)

(q r ) ( p q ) r

Distributive laws.

(i)

(4)

q q p

(q r ) ( p q ) ( p r )

Double negation law.

(p ) p

De Morgans laws.
( p q ) p q
( p q ) p q

Absorption law.
( p q) p

(i)

(ii)

( p q) p

12

(7)

Negation laws.
p p T

(i)

p p F

(ii)

(8)

Identity laws.

(i)

(ii)

(i)

(ii)

(9)

T P

F P

Domination laws.
T T

F F

(10) Idempotent laws.

p p

(i)

p
p p

(ii)

Formulas:
q p q

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(p

(iv)

(p

(v)

(p

(vi)
(vii)

q ( p q) (q p)
q ) ( p r ) p (q r )
q ) ( p r ) p (q r )
r ) (q r ) ( p q ) r

r ) (q r ) ( p q ) r
(p
q ( p q ) ( p q )
p

Logical Equivalences:
The compound propositions p and q are called logically equivalent if
q
q
p
is a tautology. The notation p
denotes that p and q are
logically equivalent.

QNo4: Use truth table to verify the associative laws

13

(a)

(p

q) r p (q r )

r
q)

T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F

T
T
F
F
T
T
F
F

Hence (p

(b)

(p

T
F
T
F
T
F
T
F
q ) r p (q r )

q) r

T
T
T
T
T
T
F
F

r)

T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F

T
T
T
F
T
T
T
F

T
T
T
T
T
T
T
F

q) r p (q r )

(p
q)

T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F

(q ( p (q r )

(p (p

T
T
F
F
T
T
F
F

Hence (p

T
F
T
F
T
F
T
F
q ) r p (q r )

(p

T
T
F
F
F
F
F
F

q) r

(q

T
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

r)

(q r )

T
F
F
F
T
F
F
F

T
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

QNO5: Use truth table to verify the distributive

law.
p
p

(q r ) ( p q) ( p r )

(q

r)

(q r )

(p

(p

r)
14

(P

q) ( p r )

 q)

T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F

T
T
F
F
T
T
F
F

Hence p

T
T
F
T
T
T
F
F
T
T
F
T
T
T
F
F
(q r ) ( p q) ( p r )

T
T
T
F
F
F
F
F

T
T
F
F
F
F
F
F

T
F
T
F
F
F
F
F

T
T
T
F
F
F
F
F

QNO6: Use a truth table to verify the first De

Morgans law.
(p

q ) p q

T
T
F
F

T
F
T
F

Hence (p

F
F
T
T
q ) p q

q
F
T
F
T

(p

q)

(p
q)

T
F
F
F

p
q

F
T
T
T

F
T
T
T

QNO7: Use De Morgans laws to find the

negation of each of the following statements.
(a)

Jan is rich and happy.

Let p Jan is rich and q happy.

Assessment:
(p

q)

p q

Consequently, we can express the negation of our original

statement as Jan is not rich or Jan is not happy.

(b)

Mei walks or takes the bus to class.

Let p Mei walks or q takes the bus to class.

Assessment:
15

 (p

q ) p q

Consequently, we can express the negation of our original

statement as Mei does not walk to class and Mei does not take the
bus to class.

QNO8: Use De Morgans laws to find the negation

of each of the following statements.
(a)
Kwame will take a job in industry or go to
graduate school.
Let p kwame will take a job in industry or q go to graduate school.

Assessment:
(p

q ) p q

Consequently, we can express the negation of our original

statement as Kwame will not take a job in industry and does not go
to graduate school.

QNO9: Show that each of these conditional

statements is a tautology by using truth tables.
(a)

(p

q) p

q
T
F
T
F

T
F
F
Hence (p

(b)

q) p

q)

(p
T
F
F
F

(p

q) p

T
T
T
T

is tautology.

( p q)

16

p
T
T
F
F

Hence p
(c)

( p q)

(p
p

(p

T
F
T
F

Hence (p

( p q)

T
T
T
F

T
T
T
T

is tautology.

q ) q

T
T
F
F

q)

(p

T
F
T
F
q) q

q)

(p

T
F
T
T

q)

(p
q ) q

F
T
F
F

F
T
F
T

T
T
T
T

is tautology.

QNO10: Show that each of these conditional

statement is a tautology by using truth tables.
(a)

[p

( p q )] q

T
T
F
F

T
F
T
F

Hence [p
(b)[(p
p

(p
T
T
T
F
( p q)] q

q)

( p q)

F
F
T
T

p
( p q) q

F
F
T
F

T
T
T
T

is a tautology.

q ) (q r )] ( p r )

(p
q)

(q
)

(p

q ) (q r )

(p

r)

[(p

q)

( q r )] ( p

17

T
T
T
T
F
F
F
F

T
T
F
F
T
T
F
F

Hence [(p

T
T
T
F
T
F
T
F
T
F
F
T
T
T
T
F
T
F
T
T
T
F
T
T
q ) (q r )] ( p r )

T
F
F
F
T
F
T
T

T
F
T
F
T
T
T
T

T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T

is a tautology.

QNO11: Show that each conditional statement in

exercise 9 is a tautology without using truth tables.
(a)

(p

q) p

q) p

= (p
p q ) p

=(
( p p ) q

=
q

=T
=T

(b)

( p q)

p ( p q )

=
p p ) q

=(
q

=T
=T

(c)
=

( p q)

(p ) ( p q)

18

 ( p q)

=p

( p q )

=p

= (p
=T

p ) q
q

=T
(d)

(p

q ) ( p q)

( p q ) ( p q )

=
( p q) (p q)

=
p q ) (p q)

=(
p p ) ( q q )

=(
p T

=
=T

(e)

(pq)p

= (pq)
= [ ( ( p )
=(p
= ( p
= ( p
=T

q)

q)
p)

p
q) ]

q
19

=q

=T q

=T

(f)(pq)q
= (pq)

= ( ( p )
=(p

=p
=p

q)

=(p
=(p

q)

q)

q)

(q

q)

=T

Q NO 12: Show that each conditional statement in

exercise 10 is tautology without using truth
tables.
(a)

[p

= [p

(p

=[(p)
=[p
=[(p
=T
=T

p)

( p

( q

(p

q )]

( p

q)]q

q) ]
q]

q
q) ]

q
q

q)

T
20

=T

(b)

[ ( p q )

= [ ( p q )

= [ ( p q )

= [ ( p

= [( ( p )
=[(p
=[(p
= [( p
= [( p
=( p
=(p

=T

r)

r)

r)

q)

r)

q)

=(p

( q r )]

(p r)

(qr)]

q)

( q r )] (p r)

(p r)

(qr)]

q)

(qr)]

(qr)]

( q

r)]

(p r)
(p r)

(p r)

(p r)

( q q )] p r

T]

pr

pr
( p

p)

(r

r)

r)

=T

(C)[p

( p q)] q

= [ p ( p q)]
q

=[ p (p
q )]
q

= [ p
= [ p

(p

( ( p)

q )]
q)]

q
q
21

= [ p

= [( p

= [T

=T

p)

q]

= (T

(p q)]
q

( q

q )

=T

(d) [(p q)

(p

r)

(q

)]

r
= [(p q) (p r) (q
)] r

r
= [(p q) (p r) (q
)] r

= [(p q) (p r) (q r)]
r

= [ (p q) (p r)
(q r)]
r

= [(p q)
( (p)
r)
( (q) r)]
r

= [(p q) (p r)
(q r)]
r

= [(p p) (q r) (q r)]
r

=T
= [T
= [T
= [T
=T

(q q) (r r)]
r

T
T
T]

(r

(T)]

r)]

=T

22

QNO13: Use truth tables to verify the absorption

laws.

(a)

p (p q)p
p

T
T
F
F

T
F
T
F

Hence p

(p q)

p (p q)

T
F
F
F

T
T
F
F

(p q)p

QNO15: Determine whether (q (p q)) p is

a tautology.

= (q

= (q
= ((q
= ((q

(p q)) p
(p
p)
p)

q)) p

(q q)) p
F) p

= (q p) p

= (p q) p

= (p q) p

= ( (p)
= (p

q)

(q))

= (p p)
q

=T
=q

q
T

=T
23

Q NO 16: Show that p q and (p

q)

( p

q) are equivalent.
L.H.S
=(pq)
= ( p q)

= ( p
= ( p
=(p

q)

( q p )

q ))

q)

( q

(p

(p

p)
q)

q)

= R.H.S

Q NO 18: Show that p q and q p are

logically equivalent.
R.H.S
=qp
= ( ( q)
=q

=p

p)

= p q
= L.H.S

Q NO19: Show that p q and p q are

logically equivalent.
= pq
=(pq)

(qp)
24

= ( (p)
=(p
=(p

q)
q)

q)

(q p)

(q p)

(p

q)

=pq
So, L.H.S = R.H.S

Q NO 22: Show that (p q )

(p r) and p (q

r ) are logically equivalent.

L.H.S

= (p q )
= (p
= ( p
=p

= p (q

q)

p)

(q

(p r)

(p

(q

r)

r)

r)

r)

= R.H.S

Q NO 23: Show that (p

r)

(q

) and (p

q)

are logically equivalent.

= (p

=(p

r)

(q

r)

= ( p q )

( q

(r

r)
r)

= ( p q )
r
25

=( p
=( p

q)

q)r

QNO 24: Show that (p q )

(p r) and p (q

r) are logically equivalent.

L.H.S:

= (p q )

(p r)

= [(p q)
( p r)]

=(

p
p)
(q r)

= p (q r)

= p (q r)

QNO 25: Show that (p r )

r are logically equivalent.

(q r) and (p q)

L.H.S:

= (p r )

(q r)

= (P q) r

= (P q)

= (p q)

= (p q)
r

(p
q) r
=

= R.H.S.

26

QNO 26: Show that p (qr) and q(p r) are

logically equivalent.
L.H.S:
= p (q r)

= (P) (qr)

= p (q r)

= q

= q(p

(p r)

r)

=R.H.S.

QNO 27: Show that pq and (pq) (qp) are

logically equivalent.
R.H.S:

= (pq) (qp)

=(p q)

(q p)

= [(p q) q] [(p q) p]

=[(p q) (q q)] [(p p) (q p)]

=[(p q)

=(p q)

F][F (q p)]

(q p)

= (q p) (p q)

= pq
=L.H.S
27

QNO 28:Show that pq and pq are logically

equivalent.
R.H.S:
= pq

=[(Pq) (qp)]

=[((p)

q)

((q)

p)]

=(p q) (q p)

=(p q) (q p)

= pq
=L.H.S

QNO 29:Show that (pq)

(qr)(pr) is a

tautology.

= (pq)

(qr)(pr)

=[(p q) (q r)] (pr)

=[(p r) (q q)] (pr)

=[(p r)

F] (pr)

=(p r)(pr)

=(p r)(p r)

=(p)

=(p r)

r)

(p r)

(p r)

=(p p) (r r)
28

=T T
=T

QNO 30:Show that (p q) (p r)(q r) is a

tautology.

= (p q) (p r)(q r)

=(p p)

(q r)(q r)

=F (q r)(q r)

= (q r) (q r)

=(q r)

=(q r)

(q r)

(q r)

=(q q) (r r)

=T T

=T

QNO 31:Show that (pq)r and p(qr) are not

logically equivalent.
L.H.S:
=(pq)r

=(P q)r

=(P q)
=((p)

q)

=(p q) r
29

=p (q r)

=p (qr)

L.H.S R.H.S

QNO 32: Show that (P q)r and (pr)(qs) are

not logically equivalent.
L.H.S:

= (P q)r

=(P q)

=(p q)

=r (p q)

=(r p) (r q)

L.H.SR.H.S

QNO 33: Show that (pq)(rs) and (pr)(qs)

are not logically equivalent.
L.H.S:
= (pq)(rs)

= (P q)(r s)

= (p q)
= ((p)

(r s)

(q))

(r s)

= (p q) (r s)

= (p r)

(q s)
30

= (p r)
= (rp)

(qs)

(qs)

L.H.SR.H.S

31