How to Identify the True Statement

You can identify a true statement by using a truth table and your critical thinking skills. A truth table will allow you to differentiate between logical and illogical statements. You can make a truth table by drawing a grid on a piece of paper and assigning each part the statement in question a letter representation. Every combination of the statement is explored to determine what would make it true. You can use a truth table at any time to determine the true statement.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper
  • Pencil
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw a grid. Use a pencil to draw a grid on your paper that is proportionate to the amount of parts in your statement. If your statement is "If I write this article, then I will help humanity" you will use a grid with three vertical columns, two for each part of the statement and one for the answer column.

    • 2

      Assign a variable to each part of the statement. For example, assign the letter "p" to the first part of the statement and the letter "q" for the second part of the statement after the comma. Place the first variable over the first column and the second variable over the second column. Variables take up less space than the entire statement.

    • 3

      Plug in the possibilities. For a two part statement, place the letter "T"' twice below the variable followed by the letter "F" twice. For the second column, alternate between "T" and "F" so that the pattern is "TFTF" in the vertical column. Draw horizontal lines separating each pair of possibilities.

    • 4

      Identify the truth possibilities. In the example in step 1, the statement is an "If Than" statement which means it is true when both parts are true or if the second part is true.

    • 5

      Use the truth table to determine when the statement is true. When the first column has a "T" the second column must also have a "T" for the statement to be true. Any time the second column has a "T" the statement is true.

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