CSE1203:
Discrete Mathematics
1.2 Predicate Calculus
Course Teacher:
Shoeb Mohammad Shahriar
Assistant Professor, Department of CSE, AUST
1.2 Predicate Logic
• Predicates
• A predicate is a proposition with one or more variables.
• Universe of Discourse (UoD)/ Domain: Set of all possible values that can be
assigned to the variables of the predicates talked about in a given
conversation (discourse).
• Assigning values to variables is called binding variables or bound/ free
variables.
• When all the variables of a predicate are bound, then it’s a proposition.
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-2
Predicates
• Examples:
[Domain: Set of integers]
• x – 5 > 10 : P1(x), say; 1-place (unary) predicate, P1(3) : False.
• x = 2y + 3 : P2(x,y), say; 2-place (binary) predicate, P2(7, 2) : True.
• y = 3x + z : P3(x,y,z), say; 3-place (ternary) predicate, P3(1, 2, 4) : False.
[Possible Values/ outputs of any propositional functions are True or False]
• Other examples:
• [Domain: Set of all people]
• Father(x, y) : ‘ x is the father of y. ‘
• Male(x) : ‘ x is a male. ‘
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-3
Quantified Predicates (IMP)
• The values of the variables of a predicate can be specified in some way and as a
result the predicate turns into a proposition.
• Two quantifiers are most widely used to make such specifications.
i. Universal quantifier:
▪ Symbol: x P(x) ≡ P(x1) ∧ P(x2) ∧ P(x3) ∧ . . . .
▪ Read as: “For all”/ “for each” where,
▪ Examples: the elements of the domain can be listed as
[Domain: set of integers] x1, x2, x3, . . . .
✓ P4(x) : x2 ≥ 0
x P4(x) = True A counter example is sufficient to
show the falsehood (disprove) of a
✓ P5(x) : x + 3 ≥ 5 universally quantified predicate
x P5(x) = False
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-4
Quantified Predicates
• Two quantifiers are most widely used to make such specifications.
ii. Existential quantifier:
▪ Symbol:
▪ Read as: “For some”/ “there is/exists at least one”
▪ Examples: x P(x) ≡ P(x1) ∨ P(x2) ∨ P(x3) ∨ . . . .
[Domain: set of integers] where,
✓ P4(x) : x ≥ 0
2
the elements of the domain can be listed as
x P4(x) = True x1, x2, x3, . . . .
✓ P5(x) : x + 3 ≥ 5
x P5(x) = True An example is sufficient to prove
the truth of an existentially
quantified predicate
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-5
Negation of Quantified Predicates
¬x P(x) ≡ x ¬P(x)
[¬(P(x1) ∧ P(x2) ∧ P(x3) ∧ . . . ) ≡ ¬P(x1) ∨ ¬P(x2) ∨ ¬P(x3) ∨ . . . ] De-Morgan
¬x P(x) ≡ x ¬P(x)
[¬(P(x1) ∨ P(x2) ∨ P(x3) ∨ . . . ) ≡ ¬P(x1) ∧ ¬P(x2) ∧ ¬P(x3) ∧ . . . ] De-Morgan
¬x ¬P(x) ≡ x P(x)
¬x ¬P(x) ≡ x P(x)
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-6
Uniqueness Quantifiers
• Read as: “ There exists exactly one “
• There may be other quantifiers but not commonly used.
• “There exists exactly two”
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-7
Expressing Natural Language Sentences with
Quantified Predicates and Logical Connectives:
1) There are some odd integers that are not prime.
x ( Odd(x) ∧ ¬Prime(x) )
2) Only even prime is two.
x ((Even(x) ∧ Prime(x)) → (x=2) )
3) Not for all cases primes are odd.
¬x ( Prime(x) → Odd(x) )
x ( Prime(x) ∧ ¬Odd(x) )
¬x ( Prime(x) → Odd(x) ) ≡ x ¬( Prime(x) → Odd(x) )
≡ x ¬(¬Prime(x) v Odd(x) )
≡ x ( Prime(x) ∧ ¬Odd(x) )
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-8
Expressing Natural Language Sentences with
Quantified Predicates and Logical Connectives:
4) Every guest gets at least one gift.
x [ Guest(x) → y { Gift(y) ∧ Gets(x,y) } ]
❑ Say, L(x,y) : ‘ x likes y ‘
x y L(x,y) ≡ y x L(x,y)
For every x there exists at least one/ some y where x likes y.
There exist at least some y where every x likes y.
5) The sum of two negative numbers is negative.
x y [((x < 0) ∧ (y < 0))→ ( x + y < 0 ) ]
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-9
Expressing Natural Language Sentences with
Quantified Predicates and Logical Connectives:
6) If x is the father of y and y is the father of z, then x is the
grandfather of z.
x y z [(Father(x,y) ∧ Father(y,z))→ Grandfather(x,z) ]
7) Nobody likes everybody.
¬x y Likes(x,y) : There exist even no x who likes every y.
x y ¬Likes(x,y) : For every x there exist some y where x does not
like y.
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-10
Exercise Practice
Given,
C(x) : ‘ x is a comedian.’
F(x) : ‘ x is funny.’
Domain: All people.
[Page- 46]
a) x (C(x) → F(x)) : Everyone, who is a comedian, is funny.
b) x (C(x) ∧ F(x)) : Everyone is a comedian and is funny.
c) x (C(x) → F(x)) : some people, if they are comedians, are funny.
d) x (C(x) ∧ F(x)) : Some people are comedians and are also funny.
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-11
Exercise Practice
[Page- 48]
Given,
Domain: All people.
a) No one is perfect : x ¬Perfect(x)
b) Not everyone is perfect : ¬x Perfect(x)
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-12
Exercise Practice
[Page- 48]
Given,
Domain: All people.
c) All your friends are perfect : x ( your friend (x) → Perfect(x) )
d) At least one of your friends is perfect : x ( your friend (x) ∧ Perfect(x) )
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-13
Exercise Practice
[Page- 48]
Given,
Domain: All people.
e) Everyone is your friend and is perfect : x ( your friend (x) ∧ Perfect(x) )
f) Not everyone is your friend or someone is not perfect :
¬x your friend (x) v x ¬Perfect(x)
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-14
Assignment
“ I am a liar. ”
- whether it is a proposition or not.
Short Note: Paradox
CSE1203: Discrete Mathematics 2-15
