ReasoningAges 16-18

Deductive & contrapositive logic

Evaluate conditional statements, contrapositives and valid deductive inferences. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Deductive & contrapositive logic

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Is “Having four sides” a necessary condition or a sufficient condition for a polygon to be a square?
“Having four sides” · Deductive & contrapositive…
2. Given “If a triangle is equilateral, all its interior angles are 60°” and “Triangle T has an angle of 90°”, can T be equilateral (Yes / No)?
60° · 90° · Deductive & contrapositive…
3. If “P ∨ Q” (P or Q) is False, what must be the truth value of both P and Q: Both False, or Both True?
“P ∨ Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…
4. Given “If A → B” and “If B → C”, what follows if A is true: “C is true” or “C is false”?
“If A → B” · “If B → C” · Deductive & contrapositive…
5. If “P ∧ Q” (P and Q) is True, what must be the truth value of P: True or False?
“P ∧ Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…
6. What is the logical negation of “Some integers are negative”: “No integers are negative” or “Some integers are positive”?
What is the logical negati… · Deductive & contrapositive…
7. Given “If a number is divisible by 6, then it is even” and “N is divisible by 6”, is N even (Yes / No)?
6 · 6 · Deductive & contrapositive…
8. Given “Either the fuse blew OR the switch is off” and “The switch is NOT off”, did the fuse blow (Yes / No)?
Given “Either the fuse ble… · Deductive & contrapositive…
9. Given “Every square is a rectangle” and “Every rectangle is a parallelogram”, does it follow that “Every square is a parallelogram” (Yes / No)?
Given “Every square is a r… · Deductive & contrapositive…
10. To disprove “For every integer n, n² > n”, which value of n serves as a valid counterexample: “1” or “3”?
“1” · “3” · Deductive & contrapositive…
11. Given “If a figure is a square, then it has four equal sides” and “Figure X does NOT have four equal sides”, can X be a square (Yes / No)?
Given “If a figure is a sq… · Deductive & contrapositive…
12. By De Morgan’s laws, the negation of “Both X and Y are true” is: “At least one of X or Y is false” or “Both X and Y are false”?
By De Morgan’s laws, the n… · Deductive & contrapositive…

12 questions · Seed 104763 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Deductive & contrapositive logic

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Is “Having four sides” a necessary condition or a sufficient condition for a polygon to be a square?
Necessary
A square must have four sides (necessary), but a rectangle or rhombus also has four sides (so it is not sufficient).
2. Given “If a triangle is equilateral, all its interior angles are 60°” and “Triangle T has an angle of 90°”, can T be equilateral (Yes / No)?
No
By Modus Tollens, since not all angles of T are 60°, T cannot be equilateral.
3. If “P ∨ Q” (P or Q) is False, what must be the truth value of both P and Q: Both False, or Both True?
Both False
An inclusive disjunction P ∨ Q is false only when both P and Q are false.
4. Given “If A → B” and “If B → C”, what follows if A is true: “C is true” or “C is false”?
C is true
By hypothetical syllogism (transitivity of implication), A → B and B → C together imply A → C.
5. If “P ∧ Q” (P and Q) is True, what must be the truth value of P: True or False?
True
A conjunction P ∧ Q is true only when both P is true and Q is true.
6. What is the logical negation of “Some integers are negative”: “No integers are negative” or “Some integers are positive”?
No integers are negative
The negation of ∃x P(x) is ∀x ¬P(x) (“No integers are negative”).
7. Given “If a number is divisible by 6, then it is even” and “N is divisible by 6”, is N even (Yes / No)?
Yes
By Modus Ponens (if P then Q; P is true; therefore Q is true), N must be even.
8. Given “Either the fuse blew OR the switch is off” and “The switch is NOT off”, did the fuse blow (Yes / No)?
Yes
By disjunctive syllogism (P or Q; not Q; therefore P), the fuse blew.
9. Given “Every square is a rectangle” and “Every rectangle is a parallelogram”, does it follow that “Every square is a parallelogram” (Yes / No)?
Yes
Subset inclusion is transitive: Squares ⊆ Rectangles ⊆ Parallelograms.
10. To disprove “For every integer n, n² > n”, which value of n serves as a valid counterexample: “1” or “3”?
1
For n = 1, 1² = 1, which is not greater than 1 (n = 0 also works).
11. Given “If a figure is a square, then it has four equal sides” and “Figure X does NOT have four equal sides”, can X be a square (Yes / No)?
No
By Modus Tollens (if P then Q; not Q; therefore not P), X cannot be a square.
12. By De Morgan’s laws, the negation of “Both X and Y are true” is: “At least one of X or Y is false” or “Both X and Y are false”?
At least one of X or Y is false
¬(X ∧ Y) is logically equivalent to (¬X ∨ ¬Y): at least one is false.

12 questions · Seed 104763 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Deductive & contrapositive logic

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Is “Having four sides” a necessary condition or a sufficient condition for a polygon to be a square?
“Having four sides” · Deductive & contrapositive…
2. Given “If a triangle is equilateral, all its interior angles are 60°” and “Triangle T has an angle of 90°”, can T be equilateral (Yes / No)?
60° · 90° · Deductive & contrapositive…
3. If “P ∨ Q” (P or Q) is False, what must be the truth value of both P and Q: Both False, or Both True?
“P ∨ Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…
4. Given “If A → B” and “If B → C”, what follows if A is true: “C is true” or “C is false”?
“If A → B” · “If B → C” · Deductive & contrapositive…
5. If “P ∧ Q” (P and Q) is True, what must be the truth value of P: True or False?
“P ∧ Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…
6. What is the logical negation of “Some integers are negative”: “No integers are negative” or “Some integers are positive”?
What is the logical negati… · Deductive & contrapositive…
7. Given “If a number is divisible by 6, then it is even” and “N is divisible by 6”, is N even (Yes / No)?
6 · 6 · Deductive & contrapositive…
8. Given “Either the fuse blew OR the switch is off” and “The switch is NOT off”, did the fuse blow (Yes / No)?
Given “Either the fuse ble… · Deductive & contrapositive…
9. Given “Every square is a rectangle” and “Every rectangle is a parallelogram”, does it follow that “Every square is a parallelogram” (Yes / No)?
Given “Every square is a r… · Deductive & contrapositive…
10. To disprove “For every integer n, n² > n”, which value of n serves as a valid counterexample: “1” or “3”?
“1” · “3” · Deductive & contrapositive…
11. Given “If a figure is a square, then it has four equal sides” and “Figure X does NOT have four equal sides”, can X be a square (Yes / No)?
Given “If a figure is a sq… · Deductive & contrapositive…
12. By De Morgan’s laws, the negation of “Both X and Y are true” is: “At least one of X or Y is false” or “Both X and Y are false”?
By De Morgan’s laws, the n… · Deductive & contrapositive…

12 questions · Seed 104763 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Deductive & contrapositive logic

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Is “Having four sides” a necessary condition or a sufficient condition for a polygon to be a square?
Necessary
A square must have four sides (necessary), but a rectangle or rhombus also has four sides (so it is not sufficient).
2. Given “If a triangle is equilateral, all its interior angles are 60°” and “Triangle T has an angle of 90°”, can T be equilateral (Yes / No)?
No
By Modus Tollens, since not all angles of T are 60°, T cannot be equilateral.
3. If “P ∨ Q” (P or Q) is False, what must be the truth value of both P and Q: Both False, or Both True?
Both False
An inclusive disjunction P ∨ Q is false only when both P and Q are false.
4. Given “If A → B” and “If B → C”, what follows if A is true: “C is true” or “C is false”?
C is true
By hypothetical syllogism (transitivity of implication), A → B and B → C together imply A → C.
5. If “P ∧ Q” (P and Q) is True, what must be the truth value of P: True or False?
True
A conjunction P ∧ Q is true only when both P is true and Q is true.
6. What is the logical negation of “Some integers are negative”: “No integers are negative” or “Some integers are positive”?
No integers are negative
The negation of ∃x P(x) is ∀x ¬P(x) (“No integers are negative”).
7. Given “If a number is divisible by 6, then it is even” and “N is divisible by 6”, is N even (Yes / No)?
Yes
By Modus Ponens (if P then Q; P is true; therefore Q is true), N must be even.
8. Given “Either the fuse blew OR the switch is off” and “The switch is NOT off”, did the fuse blow (Yes / No)?
Yes
By disjunctive syllogism (P or Q; not Q; therefore P), the fuse blew.
9. Given “Every square is a rectangle” and “Every rectangle is a parallelogram”, does it follow that “Every square is a parallelogram” (Yes / No)?
Yes
Subset inclusion is transitive: Squares ⊆ Rectangles ⊆ Parallelograms.
10. To disprove “For every integer n, n² > n”, which value of n serves as a valid counterexample: “1” or “3”?
1
For n = 1, 1² = 1, which is not greater than 1 (n = 0 also works).
11. Given “If a figure is a square, then it has four equal sides” and “Figure X does NOT have four equal sides”, can X be a square (Yes / No)?
No
By Modus Tollens (if P then Q; not Q; therefore not P), X cannot be a square.
12. By De Morgan’s laws, the negation of “Both X and Y are true” is: “At least one of X or Y is false” or “Both X and Y are false”?
At least one of X or Y is false
¬(X ∧ Y) is logically equivalent to (¬X ∨ ¬Y): at least one is false.

12 questions · Seed 104763 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification