Writing out some propositions using disjunctions and conjunctions

1.3k Views Asked by At

Suppose that the universe of discourse of the atomic formula $P(x,y)$ is $\{1, 2, 3\}$. Write out the following propositions using disjunctions and conjunctions.

a) $\exists x \forall y \ P(x,y)$

Because there exists at least one $x$ for all $y$, my awnser is: $$\bigl(P(1,1) \lor P(1,2) \lor P(1,3)\bigr) \land \bigl(P(2,1) \lor P(2,2) \lor P(2,3)\bigr) \land \bigl(P(3,1) \lor P(3,2) \lor P(3,3)\bigr).$$

However my awnser doesn't seems to be right.

1

There are 1 best solutions below

0
On BEST ANSWER

An universal quantifier is conjunctive over the domain, where as an existential quantifier is disjunctive.

  • If something is true for all entities, then it's true for this and that and every other entity.

  • If something is true for some entity, then it's true for this or that or some other entity.


$$\exists x~\forall y~P(x,y) {~=~ \bigvee_{x\in\mathcal D}\bigwedge_{y\in\mathcal D}P(x,y) \\~=~ (\bigwedge_{y\in\mathcal D}P(1,y))\vee(\bigwedge_{y\in\mathcal D}P(2,y))\vee(\bigwedge_{y\in\mathcal D}P(3,y))\\~=~ (P(1,1)\wedge P(1,2)\wedge P(1,3))\vee(\bigwedge_{y\in\mathcal D}P(2,y))\vee(\bigwedge_{y\in\mathcal D}P(3,y))\\~~\vdots}$$