Which of the following is the negation of [forall x, exists y, (alpha(y, z_n) v ~beta(y, z_n))]?
A. forall x, exists y, (~alpha(y, z_n) ^ beta(y, z_n))
B. exists x, exists y, (~alpha(y, z_n) ^ beta(y, z_n))
C. forall x, forall y, (~alpha(y, z_n) v beta(y, z_n))
D. exists x, forall y, (~alpha(y, z_n) ^ beta(y, z_n))
GATE 2008 · Discrete Mathematics · First Order Logic · medium
Answer: D. exists x, forall y, (~alpha(y, z_n) ^ beta(y, z_n))
Negate the outer universal quantifier: ~[forall x, exists y, (alpha(y,z_n) v ~beta(y,z_n))] = exists x, ~[exists y, (alpha(y,z_n) v ~beta(y,z_n))]
Negate the inner existential, then apply De Morgan: exists x, ~[exists y, (alpha v ~beta)] = exists x, forall y, ~(alpha(y,z_n) v ~beta(y,z_n)) = exists x, forall y, (~alpha(y,z_n) ^ ~~beta(y,z_n)) = exists x, forall y, (~alpha(y,z_n) ^ beta(y,z_n))