LOGIC - Truth Table and Tautology

LOGIC: TRUTH TABLES AND
TAUTOLOGIES
OLIVE T. MELCHOR
The truth value of a compound proposition is
difficult to determine because a compound
statement may contain true and false
statements at the same time.
Example: It is raining today and classes are

suspended.
It is raining today (could be true)
classes are suspended (could be false)
Objectives:
1. determine the truth value of

propositions by constructing truth tables;
2. define tautology, contingency and
contradiction; and
3. identify if a proposition is tautology,
contingency, and contradiction.
Truth Value and Truth Table of a Statement
 Truth value- The truth value of a simple statement

is either true (T) or false (F). The truth value of a
compound statement depends on the truth
values of its simple statements and its connectives.
 Truth table- A truth table is a table that shows the

truth value of a compound statement for all
possible truth valu es of its simple statements.
Truth value of the negation
 Let p be a statement with its negation ∼ p. The truth value of ∼ p
is true if and only if p false.
Truth Table for ~𝒑

Truth Value of the Conjunction
Let p and q are statements. The truth value of the conjunction

𝑝 ∧ 𝑞 is true if and only if both 𝑝 and 𝑞 are true.
 “John will go to school and Daniel will study logic” is true only if both John will go to school
and Daniel will study logic are true statements. If at least one of these simple statements is
false, then the conjunction statement is false.
Truth Table for 𝐩 ∧ 𝒒

Truth value of the disjunction
 Let p and q are two statements. The disjunction statement p ∨ q
is true if and only if p is true, q is true, or p and q are true.
John will go to school or Daniel will study logic.

Either John will go to school or Daniel will study
logic, the statement is true.
Truth Table for 𝒑 ∨ 𝒒

Truth Value of the Conditional Statement
The conditional statement is false if is true and is false. It is
true in all other cases.
Truth Table for 𝒑 → 𝒒

determine whether each conditional
statement is true or false
If −3 is an integer, then 2 is

a rational number.
If 4 ≥ 3, then 2 + 5 = 6.
If all cats are black, then I
am a millionaire.
T
Truth Value of the Bi-Conditional Statement
Truth Table for 𝒑 ⟷ 𝒒

State whether each biconditional is
true or false
1. x + 4 = 8 if and
only if x = 4.
2. x 2 = 25 if and
only if x = 5.
Construction of truth table
In computing the truth values of compound statements,
the rule is like those used to evaluate algebraic
expressions.
First, evaluate the expressions within the inner most

parentheses, then evaluate the expressions within the next
inner most set of parentheses, and so forth until you have
the truth values for the complete expression.
To identify the number of n rows needed given the

number of propositions (n), use 2𝑛 .
Example: Construct the truth table for the
statement (p ∨ q) ∧ (∼ q ∧ p).
𝒑 𝒒 ∼ 𝒒 𝒑 ∨ 𝒒 ∼ 𝒒 ∧ 𝒑 (𝒑 ∨ 𝒒) ∧ (∼ 𝒒 ∧ 𝒑)
T T
T F
F T
F F
Construct a truth table for (𝑝 ∧ 𝑟) → 𝑞
𝑝 𝑞 𝑟 (𝑝 ∧ 𝑟) (𝑝 ∧ 𝑟) → 𝑞
TAUTOLOGY, CONTRADICTION AND
CONTINGENCY
TAUTOLOGY
A tautology is a statement whose truth

value is always true regardless of the truth
values of its individual simple statements.
A statement which is a tautology is called

tautological statement.
Show that the statement 𝑝 ∨ ∼ 𝑝 is a
tautology.
CONTRADICTION
A contradiction is a statement whose truth

value is always false regardless of the truth
values of the individual simple statements that
is a contradiction is a contradictory statement.
Show that 𝑝 ∧ ~𝑝 is a contradiction
statement
𝒑 ~𝒑 𝒑 ∧ ~𝒑
T F F
F T F
CONTINGENCY
A contingency is a statement formed that

has true and false truth values.
Show that 𝑝 ∧ 𝑞 is a contingency
𝒑 𝒒 𝒑∧𝒒
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F
Activity
Identify if each of the following statement is
tautology, contradiction, or contingency by
constructing a truth table.
1. 𝑝 →∼ 𝑝
2. 𝑝 ∧ 𝑞 → 𝑝
3. (𝑝 → 𝑞) ∧ (𝑞 → 𝑝)
4. (𝑝 →∼ 𝑞) ∧ (∼ 𝑝 → 𝑞)

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LOGIC: TRUTH TABLES AND

Example: It is raining today and classes are

1. determine the truth value of

 Truth value- The truth value of a simple statement

 Truth table- A truth table is a table that shows the

Truth Table for ~𝒑

Let p and q are statements. The truth value of the conjunction

Truth Table for 𝐩 ∧ 𝒒

John will go to school or Daniel will study logic.

Truth Table for 𝒑 ∨ 𝒒

Truth Table for 𝒑 → 𝒒

If −3 is an integer, then 2 is

Truth Table for 𝒑 ⟷ 𝒒

First, evaluate the expressions within the inner most

To identify the number of n rows needed given the

A tautology is a statement whose truth

A statement which is a tautology is called

A contradiction is a statement whose truth

A contingency is a statement formed that

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