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Re: ((a&&b)||c)==((a||c)&&(b||c))

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg62054] Re: ((a&&b)||c)==((a||c)&&(b||c))
• From: "Steven T. Hatton" <hattons at globalsymmetry.com>
• Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 02:50:36 -0500 (EST)
• References: <dksdln$h87$1@smc.vnet.net> <dkshui$jki$1@smc.vnet.net>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Peter Pein wrote:


> But Mathematica does:
> 
> In[1]:= expr = ((a && b) || c) == ((a || c) && (b || c))
> Out[1]= ((a && b) || c) == ((a || c) && (b || c))
> In[2]:= LogicalExpand /@ expr
> Out[2]= True

However:

In[1]:= expr = ((a && b) || c) == (a || c) && (b || c);
LogicalExpand /@ expr
Out[1]:= ((a && b) || c) == (a || c) && (b || c)

I believe the reason Mathematica is having a hard time with this is because
the rules of combining logical operators cannot be expressed in terms of a
strict precedence hierarchy.  I particular the distributive laws:

(P && (Q || R)) <=> ((P && Q) || (P && R))
(P || (Q && R)) <=> ((P || Q) && (P || R))
-- 
The Mathematica Wiki: http://www.mathematica-users.org/
Math for Comp Sci http://www.ifi.unizh.ch/math/bmwcs/master.html
Math for the WWW: http://www.w3.org/Math/

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Re: ((a&&b)||c)==((a||c)&&(b||c))
    • From: Daniel Lichtblau <danl@wolfram.com>