Math Problem Statement

Given the conditional a implies b, what is the equivalent conditional?

Solution

The question asks for the equivalent conditional of the given statement a    ba \implies b. To solve this, we need to understand the rules of logic for conditional statements.

The equivalent conditional of a    ba \implies b is its contrapositive, which is ¬b    ¬a\neg b \implies \neg a. This means "if not bb, then not aa" is logically equivalent to "if aa, then bb".

Now, let's analyze the choices:

  1. a    ¬ba \implies \neg b – This is not correct, as it's a negation of the conclusion.
  2. ¬b    ¬a\neg b \implies \neg a – This is correct, as it represents the contrapositive.
  3. ¬a    ¬b\neg a \implies \neg b – This is not correct, as it switches the roles of the variables incorrectly.
  4. b    ab \implies a – This is the converse of the original statement, not the contrapositive.

Therefore, the correct answer is ¬b    ¬a\neg b \implies \neg a, which corresponds to the second option.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions to think about:

  1. What is the converse of a conditional statement?
  2. What is the inverse of a conditional statement?
  3. Can a conditional statement be logically equivalent to its converse?
  4. How does a biconditional statement differ from a regular conditional?
  5. What are other examples of logically equivalent statements?

Tip: Always remember that the contrapositive of a conditional statement is logically equivalent to the original conditional statement.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Logic
Conditionals
Contrapositive

Formulas

Contrapositive: ¬b implies ¬a

Theorems

Contrapositive Theorem

Suitable Grade Level

College level or advanced high school logic