2.

3 Deductive Reasoning

Prentice Hall Geometry: Page

94- 96

Objective: Students will use the

Law of Detachment and the Law
 

 Deductive reasoning is
the process of reasoning
logically from given
statements to a
conclusion.



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?

T h e m e ch a n ic ca n co n clu d e
th a t th e ca r w illn o t sta rt.
 Law of Detachment
 If a conditional is true and its
hypothesis is true, then its
conclusion is true.


 If P Q is a true statement and

p is true, then q is true.
 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 32˚F.
 The temperature is 20˚F.

 It is not possible to conclude that it

is snowing.
 Law of Detachment
 If a baseball player is a pitcher,
then that player should not pitch
a complete game two days in a
row. Brent is a pitcher. On
Monday, he pitches a complete
game. What can you conclude?

 Brent should not pitch a

complete game on Tuesday.

  If M is the midpoint of a
segment, then it divides the
segment into two congruent
segments.
AB
 M is the midpoint of .
B y La w o f D e ta ch m e n t, yo u ca n
co n clu d eAB
th a t M d ivid e s in to tw o
co n g ru e n t se
AM g m ≅e nMB
ts,. o r
 If an angle is obtuse, then it is not
acute.

∠XYZ
 is not obtuse.


It is n o t p o ssib le to co n clu d e ∠
thXYZ
a t is a cu te .
 If a road is icy, then driving conditions are

hazardous.

 Driving conditions are hazardous.

 It is not possible to conclude that it is

icy.
bulbs
T h e re a re th re e sw itch e s d o w n sta irs.
E a ch co rre sp o n d s to o n e o f th e th re e
lig h t b u lb s in th e a ttic . Yo u ca n tu rn
th e sw itch e s o n a n d o ff a n d le a ve
th e m in a n y p o sitio n . H o w w o u ld yo u
id e n tify w h ich sw itch co rre sp o n d s to
w h ich lig h t b u lb , if yo u a re o n ly
a llo w e d o n e trip u p sta irs?
 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.
apartment
 A man who lives on the tenth floor takes the
elevator down to the first floor every
morning and goes to work. In the evening,
when he comes back; on a rainy day, or if
there are other people in the elevator, he
goes to his floor directly. Otherwise, he
goes to the seventh floor and walks up
three flights of stairs to his apartment. Can
you explain why?
 Answer
The man is a little person.


On rainy days, he has an umbrella to



push button ten.



When others are in the elevator, he gets



them to push button ten.



Otherwise, he can only reach 7.

