Logical Connectives - Beginner-Intermediate Level: boolean logic BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

Strategic fast track practice for logical connectives: 20 beginner-intermediate-level problems. Worksheet 9 of 30 - Focus: boolean logic. Develop expertise in AND-OR-NOT logic, conditional statements, logical connectives with step-by-step solutions. Ideal for developing learners targeting building on fundamentals with moderate challenges.

📝 Worksheet 9 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Beginner-intermediate level

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Worksheet 9 of 30 (30% complete)

Question 1

Rewrite the following statement in standard 'if-then' form: "She won't come unless you invite her" What is the equivalent conditional statement?
Step 1: Understand 'unless' statements
'P unless Q' means 'If not Q, then P'
In logical form: 'P unless Q' ≡ '¬Q → P'

Step 2: Identify components
Original: She won't come unless you invite her
p: She won't come, q: You invite her

Step 3: Convert to if-then form
'unless' tells us what happens if the condition is NOT met
Logical form: ¬q → p

Step 4: Write in English
Equivalent statement: If you do not invite her, then she won't come

Question 2

Rewrite the following statement in standard 'if-then' form: "She won't come unless you invite her" What is the equivalent conditional statement?
Step 1: Understand 'unless' statements
'P unless Q' means 'If not Q, then P'
In logical form: 'P unless Q' ≡ '¬Q → P'

Step 2: Identify components
Original: She won't come unless you invite her
p: She won't come, q: You invite her

Step 3: Convert to if-then form
'unless' tells us what happens if the condition is NOT met
Logical form: ¬q → p

Step 4: Write in English
Equivalent statement: If you do not invite her, then she won't come

Question 3

Evaluate the compound logical expression: (p ∧ q) ∨ r Given: p = False, q = True, r = True
Step 1: Break down the compound expression
Expression: (p ∧ q) ∨ r

Step 2: Evaluate inner expression first
p ∧ q = False ∧ True = False

Step 3: Evaluate outer expression
(False) ∨ True = True
Since OR is True when at least one operand is True

Question 4

Evaluate this logical argument: Premise: If you study, you will pass. Premise: You did NOT study. Therefore, you will NOT pass. Is this argument valid? (If the premises are true, must the conclusion be true?)
Argument form: Denying the Antecedent

Fallacy! You might still pass without studying (natural talent, cheating, easy exam). ¬P does NOT imply ¬Q.

Conclusion: This argument is INVALID.

Question 5

Consider the statement: p: The number is even If p is False, what is the truth value of ¬p (NOT p)?
Step 1: Understand the negation (NOT) operator
The negation ¬p simply reverses the truth value of p.
If p is True, then ¬p is False.
If p is False, then ¬p is True.

Step 2: Apply the given value
p = False

Step 3: Evaluate ¬p
Since p is False, ¬p = True
In other words: ¬p: The number is odd is True

Question 6

Consider this syllogism: Premise 1: No reptiles are warm-blooded. Premise 2: All snakes are reptiles. Therefore, no snakes are warm-blooded. Is this syllogism logically valid?
Valid: No A are B, all C are A → No C are B.

Question 7

Logic puzzle: A says: 'I am a knight or B is a knave.' B says: 'A is a knave.' What are A, B, and C (or A and B)?
Test cases:
- A knight → statement true: 'knight or B knave' → true (first part true) ✓. B says 'A knave' which is false, so B knave ✓.
- A knave → statement false: 'knight or B knave' false → both parts false → 'knight' false (ok), 'B knave' false → B knight. Then B says 'A knave' which would be true (since A knave), but B knight must tell truth ✓. This also works? Wait, if A knave and B knight: A's statement 'knight or B knave' = 'false or false' = false (knave lies) ✓. B's statement 'A knave' = true (knight truth) ✓. Two solutions? But puzzle assumes unique. Check carefully: With A knave, B knight: A says 'knight or B knave' = 'false or false' = false (good lie). B says 'A knave' = true (good truth). Both work. So puzzle ambiguous. We'll take first solution: A knight, B knave.

Question 8

You meet two people, A and B. A says: 'We are both knaves.' What are A and B?
Step 1: Analyze A's statement
A says: 'We are both knaves'

Step 2: Test if A is a knight
If A is a knight, then A tells the truth.
But then 'We are both knaves' would be true.
This means A is a knave, which contradicts our assumption.
Therefore, A cannot be a knight.

Step 3: Test if A is a knave
If A is a knave, then A lies.
A's statement 'We are both knaves' must be false.
For 'both knaves' to be false, at least one must be a knight.
Since A is a knave, B must be a knight.

Step 4: Verify
A (knave) lies: 'We are both knaves' is indeed false ✓
B is a knight ✓

Answer: A is a knave, B is a knight

Question 9

Are the following two logical expressions equivalent? Expression 1: ¬(p ∨ q) Expression 2: ¬p ∧ ¬q Answer Yes or No and explain why.
Step 1: Understand what logical equivalence means
Two expressions are logically equivalent if they have the same truth value for ALL possible combinations of variables.

Step 2: Analyze the expressions
Expression 1: ¬(p ∨ q)
Expression 2: ¬p ∧ ¬q

Step 3: Apply De Morgan's Law
De Morgan's Law states: ¬(p ∨ q) ≡ ¬p ∧ ¬q
The negation of a disjunction equals the conjunction of negations.
These expressions ARE equivalent.

Question 10

Classify the following logical statement: (p → q) → p Is it a Tautology (always True), Contradiction (always False), or Contingent (depends on variables)?
Step 1: Understand the classifications
• Tautology: Always True for all possible truth values
• Contradiction: Always False for all possible truth values
• Contingent: True for some values, False for others

Step 2: Analyze the expression
Expression: (p → q) → p

Step 3: Test all possible combinations
This is contingent - depends on values of p and q

Question 11

Consider the biconditional statement: "p: x = 5 if and only if q: x² = 25" (p ↔ q) If p is False and q is True, what is the truth value of p ↔ q?
Step 1: Understand the biconditional (↔) operator
The biconditional p ↔ q is True when BOTH p and q have the SAME truth value.
It is False when p and q have DIFFERENT truth values.

Truth table for p ↔ q:
p=T, q=T → Result=T (same)
p=T, q=F → Result=F (different)
p=F, q=T → Result=F (different)
p=F, q=F → Result=T (same)

Step 2: Apply the given values
p = False, q = True

Step 3: Evaluate p ↔ q
Since p and q have different truth values, p ↔ q = False

Question 12

Consider the statement: p: It is Monday If p is True, what is the truth value of ¬p (NOT p)?
Step 1: Understand the negation (NOT) operator
The negation ¬p simply reverses the truth value of p.
If p is True, then ¬p is False.
If p is False, then ¬p is True.

Step 2: Apply the given value
p = True

Step 3: Evaluate ¬p
Since p is True, ¬p = False
In other words: ¬p: It is not Monday is False

Question 13

Rewrite the following statement in standard 'if-then' form: "You will fail unless you study" What is the equivalent conditional statement?
Step 1: Understand 'unless' statements
'P unless Q' means 'If not Q, then P'
In logical form: 'P unless Q' ≡ '¬Q → P'

Step 2: Identify components
Original: You will fail unless you study
p: You will fail, q: You study

Step 3: Convert to if-then form
'unless' tells us what happens if the condition is NOT met
Logical form: ¬q → p

Step 4: Write in English
Equivalent statement: If you do not study, then you will fail

Question 14

Evaluate the compound logical expression: p → (q ∧ r) Given: p = True, q = True, r = True
Step 1: Break down the compound expression
Expression: p → (q ∧ r)

Step 2: Evaluate inner expression first
q ∧ r = True ∧ True = True

Step 3: Evaluate outer expression
p → (True) = True → True = True
Implication is False only when antecedent is True and consequent is False

Question 15

Consider the conditional statement: "If p: It rains, then q: The match is cancelled" (p → q) If p is False and q is True, what is the truth value of p → q?
Step 1: Understand the implication (→) operator
The implication p → q is False ONLY when p is True but q is False.
In all other cases, it is True.

Truth table for p → q:
p=T, q=T → Result=T
p=T, q=F → Result=F (the only False case)
p=F, q=T → Result=T
p=F, q=F → Result=T

Step 2: Apply the given values
p = False, q = True

Step 3: Evaluate p → q
Since this is not the case where p is True and q is False, p → q = True

Question 16

In set theory, what logical connective matches this concept? A ⊆ B (A is subset of B)
Subset means IF element is in A, THEN it must be in B, which is implication.

Answer: x ∈ A → x ∈ B

Question 17

Consider the statement: p: She is happy If p is False, what is the truth value of ¬p (NOT p)?
Step 1: Understand the negation (NOT) operator
The negation ¬p simply reverses the truth value of p.
If p is True, then ¬p is False.
If p is False, then ¬p is True.

Step 2: Apply the given value
p = False

Step 3: Evaluate ¬p
Since p is False, ¬p = True
In other words: ¬p: She is not happy is True

Question 18

You meet A and B. A says: 'B is a knave.' B says: 'We are different types.' What are A and B?
Step 1: Analyze the statements
A says: 'B is a knave'
B says: 'We are different types'

Step 2: Test Case 1 - Both knights
If both are knights, they both tell truth.
A (truth): 'B is a knave' - but B is a knight, so FALSE ✗
This case fails.

Step 3: Test Case 2 - A knight, B knave
A (truth): 'B is a knave' - TRUE ✓
B (lie): 'We are different types' - TRUE but B must lie ✗
This case fails.

Step 4: Test Case 3 - A knave, B knight
A (lie): 'B is a knave' - but B is knight, so this is FALSE, which means A is lying correctly ✓
B (truth): 'We are different types' - TRUE ✓
This case works!

Wait, let me recalculate...
Actually if A is knave lying that 'B is a knave', then B is actually a knight (correct).
B is knight saying 'We are different' is TRUE.

Answer: A is a knave, B is a knight

Question 19

Convert the following to standard logical form: "You will pass only if you study" What is the correct conditional representation?
Step 1: Understand 'only if' statements
'P only if Q' means 'If P, then Q' (P → Q)
This is DIFFERENT from 'If Q then P' (Q → P)

Key insight: 'only if' introduces a NECESSARY condition
Q is necessary for P (P cannot be true without Q)

Step 2: Identify components
Statement: You will pass only if you study
P: You pass, S: You study

Step 3: Convert to logical form
Logical form: P → S
Equivalent: If you pass, then you studied

Step 4: Important distinction
Note: Studying is necessary but not sufficient
'Only if' ≠ 'If and only if'
'Only if' gives one direction only (→)
'If and only if' gives both directions (↔)

Question 20

Consider the statement: p: It is Monday If p is True, what is the truth value of ¬p (NOT p)?
Step 1: Understand the negation (NOT) operator
The negation ¬p simply reverses the truth value of p.
If p is True, then ¬p is False.
If p is False, then ¬p is True.

Step 2: Apply the given value
p = True

Step 3: Evaluate ¬p
Since p is True, ¬p = False
In other words: ¬p: It is not Monday is False
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