Definition:Truth Table/Number

Definition

The truth table number of the truth table of a statement form is a string consisting of the truth values in numerical form of the main connective.

The order in which the truth table number is presented is usually in ascending or descending numerical order of the truth values of the simple statements contributing to that statement form, either:

Ascending order: $00, 01, 10, 11$, that is: $\F\F, \F\T, \T\F, \T\T$

or:

Descending order: $11, 10, 01, 00$, that is: $\T\T, \T\F, \F\T, \F\F$

Which format is being used needs to be specified.

Hence the truth table number can be found by reading either up or down the column holding the main connective in the truth table of the statement form.

Also known as

The truth table number can be seen hyphenated: truth-table number.

Some sources refer to it as the matrix number.

Sources

• 1959: A.H. Basson and D.J. O'Connor: Introduction to Symbolic Logic (3rd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 2.5$: Further Logical Constants