• Home
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • Discrete Mathematics MAT230
  • Logical Expressions and Proof Techniques in Discrete Mathematics

Logical Expressions and Proof Techniques in Discrete Mathematics

snhu MAT 230 EXAM ONE This document is proprietary to Southern New Hampshire University. It and the problems within may not be posted on any non-SNHU website. Sonya Hammonds 1 snhu Directions: Type your solutions into this document and be sure to show all steps for arriving at your solution. Just giving a final number may not receive full credit. PROBLEM 1 (a) The domain for all variables in the expressions below is the set of real numbers. Determine whether each statement is true or false. (i) Va By (x + y ? 0) The statement is true. As long as y is greater than x then the sum will be equal to or higher than zero. (ii) 3x Vy (x . y > 0) The statement is false as long as y is zero. (b) Translate each of the following English statements into logical expressions. (i) There are two numbers whose ratio is less than 1. ExBy(x/y <1) (ii) The reciprocal of every positive number is also positive. Vx(x>0-> 1/x > 0) snhu PROBLEM 2 Prove the following using the specified technique: (a) Let x and y be two real numbers such that x + y is rational. Prove by contrapositive that if x is irrational, then x - y is irrational. First we will assume that x-y is rational. x - y = a/b for some integer where a and b ¥ 0. Since x+y is rational, then the some thereof must be rational, so y must be rational. y = c/d for some integer where c and d ¥ 0. x- c/d = a/b x= a/b+ c/d x = ad + bc/bd Therefor x is rational so x-y must be rational, proving that if x is irrational the x-y would be irrational. (b) Prove by contradiction that for any positive two real numbers, x and y, if x . y ? 50, then either x < 8 or y < 8. Let us assume that x ? 8 and that y ? 8 8*8<50 64 < 50 is a contradiction proving the statement true.