JEE MathsMathematical ReasoningVisual Solution
Visual SolutionHard
Question
Consider the statement S=(p(qr))((pq)(pr))S = (p \to (q \to r)) \to ((p \to q) \to (p \to r)). The statement SS is:
(A)A tautology
(B)A contradiction
(C)True only when pp is false
(D)Equivalent to pqrp \wedge q \wedge r
Solution Path
Assume SS is false: hypothesis true, conclusion false. Chase truth values: p=T,r=F,q=Tp=T, r=F, q=T forces hypothesis to be false. Contradiction proves SS is a tautology.
01Question Setup
1/4
Determine whether S=(p(qr))((pq)(pr))S = (p \to (q \to r)) \to ((p \to q) \to (p \to r)) is a tautology, contradiction, or contingency.
Classify statement SS
02Proof by Contradiction
2/4
Assume SS is false. Then the hypothesis p(qr)p \to (q \to r) is true and the conclusion (pq)(pr)(p \to q) \to (p \to r) is false. For the conclusion to be false: pqp \to q is true and prp \to r is false.
prp \to r false p=T,r=F\Rightarrow p = T, r = F
03Reaching the ContradictionKEY INSIGHT
3/4
From p=Tp = T and pqp \to q true: q=Tq = T. From q=T,r=Fq = T, r = F: qr=Fq \to r = F. From p=Tp = T: p(qr)=TF=Fp \to (q \to r) = T \to F = F. But we assumed this was true. Contradiction!
Hypothesis cannot be true when conclusion is false
04Final Answer
4/4
Since assuming SS is false leads to a contradiction, SS is always true. This is the distribution law for conditionals (also called the currying law).
Tautology\boxed{\text{Tautology}} - Answer (A)
Concepts from this question2 concepts unlocked

Conditional Statement Equivalences

STANDARD

p -> q is logically equivalent to ~p OR q, and also to its contrapositive ~q -> ~p. The conditional is false only when p is true and q is false.

pqpqqpp \to q \equiv \sim p \vee q \equiv \sim q \to \sim p

Converts conditional problems into simpler OR statements. The equivalence p -> q = ~p OR q is the single most tested identity in this chapter.

Truth value problemsLogical equivalenceTautology identification
Practice (9 Qs) →

Negation Rules for Compound Statements

EASY

To negate a compound statement, apply De Morgan's laws: negate each component and swap AND with OR (and vice versa). For conditionals, ~(p -> q) = p AND ~q.

(pq)=pq,(pq)=pq\sim(p \wedge q) = \sim p \vee \sim q, \quad \sim(p \to q) = p \wedge \sim q

Negation questions appear in almost every JEE Main paper on this topic. Getting De Morgan's wrong costs easy marks. The conditional negation formula is especially tricky since students default to ~p -> ~q.

Negation problemsStatement equivalenceContrapositive identification
Practice (10 Qs) →