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An open formula can be transformed into a closed formula by applying a quantifier for each free variable. This transformation is called capture of the free variables to make them bound variables. For example, when reasoning about natural numbers, the formula "x+2 > y" is open, since it contains the free variables x and y.
In logic, a quantifier is an operator that specifies how many individuals in the domain of discourse satisfy an open formula. For instance, the universal quantifier ∀ {\displaystyle \forall } in the first order formula ∀ x P ( x ) {\displaystyle \forall xP(x)} expresses that everything in the domain satisfies the property denoted by P ...
For example, consider the following expression in which both variables are bound by logical quantifiers: ∀ y ∃ x ( x = y ) . {\displaystyle \forall y\,\exists x\,\left(x={\sqrt {y}}\right).} This expression evaluates to false if the domain of x {\displaystyle x} and y {\displaystyle y} is the real numbers, but true if the domain is the ...
Example. In a given propositional logic, a formula can be defined as follows: Every propositional variable is a formula. Given a formula X, the negation ¬X is a formula. Given two formulas X and Y, and a binary connective b (such as the logical conjunction ∧), the expression (X b Y) is a formula. (Note the parentheses.)
Sentences without any logical connectives or quantifiers in them are known as atomic sentences; by analogy to atomic formula. Sentences are then built up out of atomic sentences by applying connectives and quantifiers. A set of sentences is called a theory; thus, individual sentences may be called theorems.
For example, if the domain is the set of all real numbers, one can assert in first-order logic the existence of an additive inverse of each real number by writing ∀x ∃y (x + y = 0) but one needs second-order logic to assert the least-upper-bound property for sets of real numbers, which states that every bounded, nonempty set of real numbers ...
Propositional constants represent some particular proposition, [56] while propositional variables range over the set of all atomic propositions. [56] Schemata, or schematic letters , however, range over all formulas.
The T-schema interprets the logical connectives using truth tables, as discussed above. Thus, for example, φ ∧ ψ is satisfied if and only if both φ and ψ are satisfied. This leaves the issue of how to interpret formulas of the form ∀ x φ(x) and ∃ x φ(x). The domain of discourse forms the range for these quantifiers.