Discrete Mathematics with Applications 4th Edition

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 0-49539-132-8
ISBN 13: 978-0-49539-132-6

Chapter 6 - Set Theory - Exercise Set 6.4 - Page 382: 16

Answer

Yes, it is a statement. It is vacuously true because the condition is impossible.

Work Step by Step

### Problem 16: **"All positive integers with negative squares are prime."** --- ### ✅ Determine if it's a **statement**: A **statement** in logic is a sentence that is either **true** or **false**, but **not both** and **not ambiguous**. --- ### 🔍 Analysis: - **"Positive integers with negative squares"** makes no mathematical sense. - The square of any positive integer is always **positive**. - So, "positive integers with negative squares" refers to **no actual objects** — the set is empty. So the sentence is equivalent to: > "All elements of the empty set are prime." In logic, a **universal statement** over an **empty domain** is **vacuously true**. --- ### ✅ Conclusion: - It **is** a **statement** (it has a definite truth value). - It is **true**, but **vacuously true** because the condition applies to nothing.
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