ArsDigita University

Month 2: Discrete Mathematics - Professor Shai Simonson

Problem Set 1 Logic, Proofs, an Mathematical !easoning
1. Logic Proofs.
a. Prove that a b is equivalent to b a using a truth table.
b. Prove it using algebraic identities.
c. Prove that a b is not equivalent to b a.
2. Aristotles Proof that the Square Root of Two is Irrational.
a. Prove the lemma, used b Aristotle in his !roof" which sas that if n
2
is
even" so is n. #$int% Re&e&ber that a b is equivalent to b a'.
b. Prove that the square root of ( is irrational using Aristotles techniques.
)a*e sure to !rove the a!!ro!riate le&&a.
c. If we use Aristotles technique to prove the untrue assertion that the square
root of + is irrational" where exactly is the hole in the !roof,
d. -sing the fact that the square root of two is irrational" !rove that sin #.+'
is irrational.
(. In A/-0ball" ou can score 11 !oints for a goal" and 1 for a near &iss.
a. 2rite a Sche&e !rogra& that !rints out the nu&ber of goals and the
nu&ber of near &isses to achieve a given total greater than 34.
b. Prove that ou can achieve an score greater than 34. Thin* inductivel
and e5!eri&ent.
+. Prove b induction that there are 2
n
!ossible rows in a truth table with n variables.
6. In the restroo& of a fanc Italian restaurant in )ansfield" )A" there is a sign that
reads% Please do not leave valuables or laptop computers in your car.
Assu&ing that a la!to! co&!uter is considered a valuable" !rove using for&al
logic" that the sentence Please do not leave valuables in your car is equivalent to
the sign in the restroo&. Prove that Please do not leave laptops in your car is not
equivalent.
3. Prove that ab" #a nand b'" which is defined to be #a b'" is co&!lete. 2rite
#ab'b using 7ust 8 #nand'" then using 7ust #nor'.
1. Show how to use a truth table in order to construct a con7unctive nor&al for& for
an 9oolean for&ula W. $int% :onsider the dis7unctive nor&al for& for W.

;. <uclid !roved that there are an infinite nu&ber of !ri&es" b assu&ing that n is
the highest !ri&e" and e5hibiting a nu&ber that he !roved &ust either be !ri&e
itself" or else have a !ri&e factor greater than n. 2rite a sche&e !rogra& to find
the s&allest n for which <uclids !roof does not !rovide an actual !ri&e nu&ber.
=. >ou have !roved before that a truth table with n variables has 2
n
rows.
a. $ow &an different 9oolean functions with n variables are there,
b. ?or n=2, list all the functions and identif as &an as ou can b na&e.
14. Prove b induction that for n>+, 2
n
>n
2
.
11. @uess the nu&ber of different was for n !eo!le to arrange the&selves in a
straight line" and !rove our guess is correct b induction.
12. -se logic with quantifiers and !redicates to &odel the following three state&ents%
All students are ta*ing classes. So&e students are not &otivated. So&e !eo!le
ta*ing classes are not &otivated.
Prove" using resolution &ethods" that the third state&ent follows logicall fro&
the first two. #Re&inder% >ou &ust ta*e the con7unction of the first two
state&ents and the negation of the third" and derive a contradiction.'
1(. The following algebraic idea is central for Aarnaugh &a!s. Aarnaugh &a!s are a
&ethod of &ini&iBing the siBe of circuits for digital logic design.
a. -sing algebraic &ani!ulation" !rove that the two 9oolean for&ulae below
are equivalent. #$int% x(a+a) is equivalent to x.'
yx C zy C xz and xy C yz C zx
b. Derif our results using a truth table.
1+. The e5clusive0or o!erator " is defined b the rule that a b is true whenever a
or b is true but not both.
a. :alculate x x" x x, x 1" x 4.
b. Prove or dis!rove that x+ #y z) = #x+ y' #x+ z'
c. Prove or dis!rove that x #y C z) = #x y' C #x z'
d. 2rite con7unctive nor&al for& and dis7unctive nor&al for& for&ulae for x y
e. The e5clusive0or o!erator is not complete. 2hich ones" if an" of the three
o!erators Eand" or" notF can be co&bined with e5clusive0or to &a*e a complete set.
15. The nth triangle number T
n
is defined to be the sum of the first n integers.
a. Prove by induction that T
n
= n(n+1)/2.
b. Prove algebraically using (a), that n
3
+ (1+2++(n-1))
2
= (1+2+(n-1) + n)
2
c. -sing #b' guess a for&ula for 1
3
C 2
3
C (
3
C G C n
3
, and prove it by induction.
13. @uess a for&ula for the su& below" and !rove ou are right b induction.
1 C 1#2' C 2#(' C (#+' C G C n#nC1'