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. In a biconditional statement “P if and only if Q”, when is the statement True: when P and Q have the same truth value, or when P and Q have opposite truth values?
“P if and only if Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…
2. What is the contrapositive of “If it rains, the pitch is wet”: “If the pitch is not wet, it did not rain” or “If the pitch is wet, it rained”?
What is the contrapositive… · Deductive & contrapositive…
3. To disprove “For every integer n, n² > n”, which value of n serves as a valid counterexample: “1” or “3”?
“1” · “3” · Deductive & contrapositive…
4. Given “No reptiles have fur” and “All lemurs have fur”, can any lemur be a reptile (Yes / No)?
Given “No reptiles have fu… · Deductive & contrapositive…
5. What single counterexample disproves the universal claim “All prime numbers are odd”?
What single counterexample… · Deductive & contrapositive…
6. 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…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. Given “If the solution turns blue litmus red, it is acidic” and “The litmus did NOT turn red”, is the solution acidic (Yes / No)?
Given “If the solution tur… · Deductive & contrapositive…
10. Given “All prime numbers greater than 2 are odd” and “p = 17 is a prime greater than 2”, is 17 odd (Yes / No)?
2 · 17 · 2 · 17 · Deductive & contrapositive…
11. 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…
12. If statement P is False and statement Q is True, is the implication “P → Q” True or False in classical logic?
“P → Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…

12 questions · Seed 45 · 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. In a biconditional statement “P if and only if Q”, when is the statement True: when P and Q have the same truth value, or when P and Q have opposite truth values?
When P and Q have the same truth value
P ↔ Q is true when both P and Q are true, or when both P and Q are false.
2. What is the contrapositive of “If it rains, the pitch is wet”: “If the pitch is not wet, it did not rain” or “If the pitch is wet, it rained”?
If the pitch is not wet, it did not rain
The contrapositive of “If P then Q” is “If not Q then not P”, which is logically equivalent.
3. 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).
4. Given “No reptiles have fur” and “All lemurs have fur”, can any lemur be a reptile (Yes / No)?
No
Since reptiles have no fur and lemurs have fur, the two sets are disjoint.
5. What single counterexample disproves the universal claim “All prime numbers are odd”?
2
2 is a prime number (divisible only by 1 and 2) and is even, disproving the universal claim.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Given “If the solution turns blue litmus red, it is acidic” and “The litmus did NOT turn red”, is the solution acidic (Yes / No)?
No
By Modus Tollens, since the consequent is false, the antecedent must be false.
10. Given “All prime numbers greater than 2 are odd” and “p = 17 is a prime greater than 2”, is 17 odd (Yes / No)?
Yes
Universal instantiation applies the rule to p = 17, so 17 is odd.
11. 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.
12. If statement P is False and statement Q is True, is the implication “P → Q” True or False in classical logic?
True
A conditional P → Q is only false when P is true and Q is false; with a false hypothesis it is vacuously true.

12 questions · Seed 45 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Deductive & contrapositive logic

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. In a biconditional statement “P if and only if Q”, when is the statement True: when P and Q have the same truth value, or when P and Q have opposite truth values?
“P if and only if Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…
2. What is the contrapositive of “If it rains, the pitch is wet”: “If the pitch is not wet, it did not rain” or “If the pitch is wet, it rained”?
What is the contrapositive… · Deductive & contrapositive…
3. To disprove “For every integer n, n² > n”, which value of n serves as a valid counterexample: “1” or “3”?
“1” · “3” · Deductive & contrapositive…
4. Given “No reptiles have fur” and “All lemurs have fur”, can any lemur be a reptile (Yes / No)?
Given “No reptiles have fu… · Deductive & contrapositive…
5. What single counterexample disproves the universal claim “All prime numbers are odd”?
What single counterexample… · Deductive & contrapositive…
6. 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…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. Given “If the solution turns blue litmus red, it is acidic” and “The litmus did NOT turn red”, is the solution acidic (Yes / No)?
Given “If the solution tur… · Deductive & contrapositive…
10. Given “All prime numbers greater than 2 are odd” and “p = 17 is a prime greater than 2”, is 17 odd (Yes / No)?
2 · 17 · 2 · 17 · Deductive & contrapositive…
11. 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…
12. If statement P is False and statement Q is True, is the implication “P → Q” True or False in classical logic?
“P → Q” · Deductive & contrapositive…

12 questions · Seed 45 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Deductive & contrapositive logic

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. In a biconditional statement “P if and only if Q”, when is the statement True: when P and Q have the same truth value, or when P and Q have opposite truth values?
When P and Q have the same truth value
P ↔ Q is true when both P and Q are true, or when both P and Q are false.
2. What is the contrapositive of “If it rains, the pitch is wet”: “If the pitch is not wet, it did not rain” or “If the pitch is wet, it rained”?
If the pitch is not wet, it did not rain
The contrapositive of “If P then Q” is “If not Q then not P”, which is logically equivalent.
3. 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).
4. Given “No reptiles have fur” and “All lemurs have fur”, can any lemur be a reptile (Yes / No)?
No
Since reptiles have no fur and lemurs have fur, the two sets are disjoint.
5. What single counterexample disproves the universal claim “All prime numbers are odd”?
2
2 is a prime number (divisible only by 1 and 2) and is even, disproving the universal claim.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Given “If the solution turns blue litmus red, it is acidic” and “The litmus did NOT turn red”, is the solution acidic (Yes / No)?
No
By Modus Tollens, since the consequent is false, the antecedent must be false.
10. Given “All prime numbers greater than 2 are odd” and “p = 17 is a prime greater than 2”, is 17 odd (Yes / No)?
Yes
Universal instantiation applies the rule to p = 17, so 17 is odd.
11. 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.
12. If statement P is False and statement Q is True, is the implication “P → Q” True or False in classical logic?
True
A conditional P → Q is only false when P is true and Q is false; with a false hypothesis it is vacuously true.

12 questions · Seed 45 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification