Question

For each of these sentences, state what the sentence means if the logical connective or is an inclusive or (that is, a disjunction) versus an exclusive or. Which of these meanings of or do you think is intended?

a) To take discrete mathematics, you must have taken calculus or a course in computer science.
b) When you buy a new car from Acme Motor Company, you get $ back in cash or a car loan.
c) Dinner for two includes two items from column A or three items from column B.
d) School is closed if more than feet of snow falls or if the wind chill is below

Short answer

a) Inclusive or
b) Exclusive or
c) Exclusive or
d) Inclusive or

Step-by-step solution

Exclusive or and inclusive or

“Exclusive or” means “either this or that, but not both of them.”
“Inclusive or” means “either this, or that, or both of them.”

Inclusive or is intended in a)

To take discrete mathematics, you must have taken calculus or a course in computer science.

For discrete maths, you can take calculus or computer science or both.

Hence, inclusive or is intended.

Inclusive or is intended in b)

When you buy a new car from Acme Motor Company, you get $ back in cash or a car loan.

You can’t have $in cash and car loan together.

Hence, exclusive or is intended.

Inclusive or is intended in c)

Dinner for two includes two items from column A or three items from column B.

One can’t have both that is items from column A and items from column B.

Hence, exclusive or is intended.

Truth value for d)

School is closed if more than feet of snow falls or if the wind chill is below You can have both that is more than feet of snow falls and wind chill is below.