1
$\begingroup$

Will a second parameter value inherit negation if the first parameter is false? Like:

(~A & B) → X 

Is B false? Would it translate to:

if A and B is false, then X 

or

if A is false and B, then X 

I'm very new to propositional calculus, and had a hard time phrasing the question, but any help would be much appreciated!

  • 0
    I understand you had a hard time phrasing the question, but it makes no sense to me. I suggest that instead of trying to phrase it with jargon, you try to explain more naturally what you are trying to find out, perhaps with examples.2012-12-10
  • 0
    I added an example.2012-12-10
  • 0
    I am also studying programming logic for computer science, however I guess the jargon doesn't really cross over as I thought it would. The "parameter values" being A and B, a parameter being a string enclosed in brackets, then negation being `~` or `!`.2012-12-10
  • 2
    In terms of translating, the second option is the correct translation: if (A is false and B), then X.2012-12-10
  • 0
    Oh, okay, thanks!2012-12-10
  • 0
    The negation symbol behaves like the unary minus sign in arithmetic: it affects only the single entity immediately following it (which may of course be a parenthesized expression). Thus, $\lnot A\land B$ should be understood as $(\lnot A)\land B$, not as $\lnot(A\land B)$, just as $-3+4$ should be understood as $(-3)+4$, not as $-(3+4)$.2012-12-10

2 Answers 2