2.
4 Deductive
Reasoning
Objectives
Familiarize you with the deductive
reasoning process
Learn the relationship between inductive
and deductive reasoning
Problem Solving
Logic The science of correct reasoning.
Reasoning The drawing of inferences or
conclusions from known or assumed facts.
When solving a problem,
one must understand the question,
gather all pertinent facts, analyze the
problem
i.e. compare with previous problems
(note similarities and differences),
perhaps use pictures or formulas to solve the
problem.
Deductive vs. Inductive Reasoning
The difference:
inductive reasoning uses patterns to
arrive at a conclusion (conjecture)
deductive reasoning uses facts, rules,
definitions or properties to arrive at a
conclusion.
Deductive reasoning is the
process of reasoning
logically from given
statements to a conclusion.
Examples of Inductive
Reasoning
1) Every quiz has been easy.
Therefore, the test will be easy.
2) The teacher used PowerPoint in
the last few classes. Therefore,
the teacher will use PowerPoint
tomorrow.
3) Every fall there have been
hurricanes in the tropics.
Therefore, there will be
hurricanes in the tropics this
coming fall.
Example of Deductive Reasoning
An Example:
The catalog states that all entering
freshmen must take a mathematics
placement test.
You are an entering freshman.
Conclusion: You will have to
take a mathematics placement
test.
Inductive or Deductive
Reasoning?
Geometry example
Triangle sum property
the sum of the angles of any
triangle is always 180o .
60
Therefore, angle x = 30
Deductive Reasoning conclusion is based
on a property
Inductive or Deductive Reasoning?
Geometry example
What comes
next?
Is there a rule? Colored triangle rotating 90
CW in the corners of the
square
Inductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning Is
Deductive reasoning is when you start from
things you assume to be true, and draw
conclusions that must be true if your
assumptions are true.
For Example
All dogs have a tail.
Buddy is a dog.
Therefore Buddy has a tail.
Still dont get it?
Man approaches to greet a new neighbor who is just moving
into the house next door and asks what he does for a living.
Neighbor 1: I am a professor at the University, I teach
deductive reasoning.
Man: Deductive reasoning? What is that?
Neighbor 1: Let me give you an example. I see you have a
dog house out back. By that I deduce that you have a dog.
Man: That's right.
Neighbor 1: The fact that you have a dog, leads me to
deduce that you have a family.
Man: Right again.
Neighbor 1: Since you have a family I deduce that you have
a wife.
Man: Correct.
Neighbor 1: And since you have a wife, I can deduce that
you are heterosexual.
Man: Yup.
Neighbor 1: That is deductive reasoning!
Who is known
for using
Deductive
Reasoning?
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes would use deductive
reasoning to help solve crimes.
Example:
Sherlock Holmes could help solve a
mystery by making inferences.
If Holmes saw a pack of cigarettes by
a victim (the victim did not smoke),
Holmes can make the assumption
that the killer is a smoker.
Andrew Ault
However
Deductive reasoning may not be the most
accurate way of solving a problem, because
we all know that assumptions can be wrong.
Other faults of deductive reasoning
All Graduates of M.I.T. are Engineers
George is not from M.I.T.
Therefore George is not an Engineer
Everybody from Texas is a cowboy
Scott is from Texas
Scott is a cowboy
How Can Deductive Reasoning Be Applied In
School?
Math
Scott has a case of soda in his house since there are 13
cans of soda left I deduce that Scott has drank 11 cans of
soda.
English
When I see like in a sentence, I deduce that it is a simile.
Science
Using laws and rules to make assumptions
The law of gravity means everything that goes up must
come down
I threw a baseball in the air
That means the baseball must come down.
Social Studies
To be elected President you must obtain at least 270
electoral votes
George Bush won 287 electoral votes
Therefore George Bush is the President.
What professions do you
think commonly use
Deductive Reasoning?
Doctors
Journalists
Lawyers
Detectives
And many more...
Why?
These professions tend to ask a lot of questions
to try to solve problems or to prove a point.
Often they would have to make assumptions to
solve problems.
They would use rules and widely accepted beliefs
to prove their argument.
For example:
An attorney states that his client is innocent because the
crime victim was hit by a car. Since his client does not
have a license. He can deduce that his client is innocent.
An auto mechanic knows that if a car
has a dead battery, the car will not
start. A mechanic begins work on a
car and finds the battery is dead.
What conclusion will she make?
The mechanic can conclude
that the car will not start.
If there is lightning, then it is not
safe to be out in the open. Marla
sees lightning from the soccer
field.
It is not safe for Marla to be out in
the open.
If it is snowing, then the
temperature is less than or equal
to 32F.
The temperature is 20F.
The converse of the original assumption is not
true, so
It is not possible to conclude that it is snowing.
If M is the midpoint of a segment,
then it divides the segment into
two congruent segments.
M is the midpoint of AB .
You can conclude that M divides
AB
into two congruent segments, or
AM MB.
If an angle is obtuse, then it is not
acute.
XYZ
is not obtuse.
The converse of the assumption
is not true, so It is not possible
to conclude
that
is
XYZ
acute.
If a road is icy, then driving
conditions are hazardous.
Driving conditions are
hazardous.
The converse of the assumption
is not true, so It is not possible
to conclude that the road is icy.
bulbs
There are three switches downstairs.
Each corresponds to one of the three
light bulbs in the attic. You can turn
the switches on and off and leave
them in any position. How would you
identify which switch corresponds to
which light bulb, if you are only
allowed one trip upstairs?
Answer
Turn one light switch one.
Wait about 20 minutes, then turn it off.
Turn another light on, and proceed
upstairs.
One light should be on,
Two lights are off- however, one light is
hot and one is cold.
Deductive Reasoning
This method of reasoning produces results
that are certain within the logical system
being developed.
It involves reaching a conclusion by using a
formal structure based on a set of undefined
terms and a set of accepted unproved
axioms or premises.
The conclusions are said to be proved and
are called theorems.
Deductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning A type of logic in
which one goes from a general statement to a
specific instance.
The classic example
All men are mortal. (major premise)
Socrates is a man. (minor premise)
Therefore, Socrates is mortal. (conclusion)
The above is an example of a syllogism.
Deductive Reasoning
Syllogism: An argument composed of two
statements or premises (the major and
minor premises), followed by a conclusion.
For any given set of premises, if the
conclusion is guaranteed, the arguments is
said to be valid.
If the conclusion is not guaranteed (at
least one instance in which the conclusion
does not follow), the argument is said to be
invalid.
BE CARFEUL, DO NOT CONFUSE
TRUTH WITH VALIDITY!
Deductive Reasoning
Examples:
1. All students eat pizza.
Claire is a student at CSULB.
Therefore, Claire eats pizza.
2. All athletes work out in the gym.
Barry Bonds is an athlete.
Therefore, Barry Bonds works out in the
gym.
Deductive Reasoning
3. All math teachers are over 7 feet tall.
Mr. D. is a math teacher.
Therefore, Mr. D is over 7 feet tall.
The argument is valid, but is certainly not
true.
Examples
No one who can afford health
insurance is
unemployed.
All politicians can afford health insurance.
Therefore, no politician is unemployed.
VALID OR INVALID?????
The argument is valid
Conditional Statements
A logical statement with 2 parts
2 parts are called the hypothesis & conclusion
Can be written in if-then form;
such as, If, then
Hypothesis is the part after the word If
Conclusion is the part after the word then
Underline the hypothesis &
circle the conclusion.
If you are a brunette, then you have brown
hair.
hypothesis
conclusion
Vertical angles are congruent.
If there are 2 vertical angles, then they are
congruent.
If 2 angles are vertical, then they are
congruent.
Converse
Switch the hypothesis & conclusion parts of a
conditional statement.
Write the converse of
If you are a brunette, then you have brown
hair.
If you have brown hair, then you are a
brunette.
