80-210 Logic & Proofs
What is Logic & Proofs?
Logic & Proofs (L&P) is a Web-Based course which introduces students to symbolic logic and
focuses primarily on strategies for constructing and refuting arguments. In service of this
primary focus, L&P offers a wealth of online instructional materials which will help students
develop an understanding of:
i. the logical form of statements;
ii. the correctness of logical reasoning in crafting an argument;
iii. the formulation of inference rules by which logically correct arguments can be
constructed;
iv. employing strategies for the use of those inference rules.
By the end of this course, students will find themselves introduced to and familiar with the
following (this is not an exhaustive list):
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Logical interpretation of statements.
The soundness and validity of arguments.
Logical interpretation of statements and arguments.
The syntax of sentential and predicate (quantificational) logic.
The semantics of sentential and predicate logic.
Counterexamples.
Lastly and most importantly: inference rules, proofs, and strategies for
arguments.
How does Logic & Proofs Work?
As stated above, L&P is a web-based course. There will be lectures that you are expected to
attend regularly, however most of your pedagogical experience will take place online. L&P is
significantly more than an online text book! It’s a bundle of Interactive Learning Environments
(ILEs) which work together to educate students. Most of your time will be spent interacting
with the L&P software—it is through the use of these ILEs and not the classroom experience
that you will develop most of your understanding in this class. The single weekly recitation I
will lead will be another interactive experience. Each week, students will provide a brief
presentation or demonstration of key topics. I will then review the assigned chapter, and we
will use the remaining time for discussions, exercises and questions.
What are the assignments?
Your grade will be based on the following three items:
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Participation:
First, you must prepare and deliver one of the weekly presentations that
should take no more than 10 minutes.
○ Second, you must attend at least 10 recitations, no exceptions. Attending less
than 10 will impact your participation grade.
○ Third, I will ask questions in class and encourage discussions—make sure you
participate in this process. Your participation in class impacts your
participation grade.
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Homework: Every week you will be asked to complete end-of-chapter quizzes, and in
most cases a ProofLab or TruthLab problem set.
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End-of-chapter quizzes are due before class!
Your 10 best scores out of 12 quizzes will be counted.
Quizzes MUST be completed by the deadline - late submissions will not be
accepted for credit.
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Lab problems are due the Tuesday after class, by 11:59pm.
All 10 labs are required, and all problems on each lab are required—some
labs have both TruthLab and ProofLab problems, so be sure to complete all
problems.
Lab problems completed by the deadline always get full credit.
Late submissions on lab problems will not be accepted for credit, with the
following exception: for every 4 practice lab problems (i.e., those found in the
chapter review sections) completed by the lab deadline, you may complete 1
lab problem (from the same chapter) any time through the end of classes (i.e.,
by December 6) for full credit. In other words, if you can’t finish all the lab
problems, do the practice problems to buy yourself some extra time!
If you know you will have trouble meeting a deadline in advance, make an
appointment with me! I will help you with whatever issues you are having.
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Exams: There will be two midterms and a final, all of which will be conducted online
and graded for the most part automatically (like the homework quizzes). Some
questions do require instructor/TA attention, and will be graded within a few days of
the exam deadline.
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Office Hours: Office hours are Thursday from 10–12 or by appointment. Please do
not struggle on material if you are having trouble. My office is Baker 152.
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Cheating: All work on homework (both quizzes and labs) and exams must be your
own original and independent work. Collaboration, sharing answers, etc., are
considered to be cheating and will be penalized as deemed appropriate.
Please keep in mind that this is an online class, and highly detailed logs are available
of your work, the time you did it, etc.. Cheating is easily documented and discovered.
See:
http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/Cheating.html
for further details.
How are grades calculated?
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Midterm Exams
○ 2 midterms @ 12.5% each = 25% of final grade
Final Exam
○ 20% of final grade
Chapter Quizzes
○ 12 quizzes, top 10 scores @ 2% each = 20% of final grade
Chapter Lab Assignments
○ 10 labs @ 2.5% each = 25% of final grade
Recitation Attendance, First Meeting, and General Participation
○ 5% of final grade
Presentation
○ 5% of final grade
What is the schedule?
Week
Dates
Reading/Topic
Tuesday
Friday
1
Aug. 26
Aug. 30
Chapter 1 - Introduction
nothing due
nothing due
2
Sept. 2
Sept. 6
Chapter 2 - Sentential Logic: Syntax
nothing due
Ch. 1 Quiz
Ch. 2 Quiz
before class
3
4
5
6
Sept. 9
Sept. 13
Chapter 3 - Sentential Logic: Semantics
Sept. 16
Sept. 20
Chapter 4 - Sentential Logic: Derivations
Sept. 23
Sept. 27
Chapter 5 - Sentential Logic: Indirect
Rules
Ch. 4 Lab
Sept. 30
Oct. 4
Chapter 6 - Sentential Logic: Derived
Rules
Ch. 5 Lab
nothing due
before class
Ch. 3 Lab
Ch. 4 Quiz
before class
Ch. 5 Quiz
before class
Ch. 6 Quiz
before class
Midterm 1
Opens
7
Ch. 3 Quiz
Midterm 1
Closes
Oct. 7
Oct. 11
Chapter 7 - Sentential Logic: Elementary
Metamathematics
Ch. 6 Lab
8
Oct. 14
Oct. 18
Review of Sentential Logic
Ch. 7 Lab
nothing due
(no class today)
9
Oct. 21
Oct. 25
Chapter 8 - Predicate Logic: Syntax and
Semantics I
nothing due
Ch. 8 Quiz
Oct. 28
Nov. 1
Chapter 9 - Predicate Logic: Syntax and
Semantics II
Ch. 8 Lab
Nov. 4
Nov. 8
Chapter 10 - Predicate Logic:
Derivations
Ch. 9 Lab
Nov. 11
Nov. 15
Chapter 11 - Predicate Logic: Derived
Rules
Ch. 10 Lab
10
11
12
before class
before class
Nov. 18
Nov. 22
Chapter 12 - Predicate Logic: Identity
and Functions
Ch. 9 Quiz
before class
Ch. 10 Quiz
before class
Ch. 11 Quiz
before class
Midterm 2
Opens
13
Ch. 7 Quiz
Ch. 11 Lab
Midterm 2
Closes
Ch. 12 Quiz
before class
14
Nov. 25
Nov. 29
Thanksgiving Break
15
Dec. 2
Dec. 6
Review of everything
Exams
Dec. 9
Dec. 16
Final Exam held sometime during exam
period - date and time TBD
nothing due
nothing due
(no class today)
Ch. 12 Lab
nothing due