Ok, so in my Real Analysis class, we’re finally getting down into the nitty-gritty of discussing mathematical grammar for proofs. We’ve been discussing statements and their negations, converses, and contrapositives. We began with two statements:
P: I eat it. Q: I see it.
Now, if we combine the two statements, so that P implies Q, we get:
If I see it, then I eat it.
or
I only eat it if I see it.
If we flip them so that Q implies P, we get:
I eat everything I see.
or
I only see it if I eat it.
Our professor called this his Lewis Carroll example. I loved it.
3 Comments
Ahh logic, my first love.
That’s from the Mad Hatter! Carroll’s books used to drive me nuts as a kid, but when I read them again as a senior math ed. major, I had so much fun that I actual bought a copy.
I wish I’d thought of using this with my 10th graders . . .
It was pure poetry.
Mandie, file it away. I’m sure you’ll have good cause to use it later. :)