Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-logic-and-set-theory-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2010/a/1/b/iv/solution
Past exam of the logic and set theory course of the University of Oxford 2010 A 1 b iv Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
True. In the formation rules, commas occur only between arguments in a function application or an atomic predicate application. Each such argument list includes an opening parenthesis. Subsequent construction of larger terms or formulas retains those symbols.
Equivalently prove by simultaneous structural induction on terms and formulas that an expression containing no opening parenthesis contains no comma. Variables and constants have neither; a comma-bearing function or predicate application already has an opening parenthesis; equality, connectives, and quantifiers cannot introduce a comma outside their constituent expressions. Taking the contrapositive proves the claim.
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