Question

For each of the following statements, determine whether an inclusive 'or' or exclusive 'or' is used. Give reasons for your answer.

(i) For identification you need a passport or an Ahar Card.

(ii) the school is closed if it is a holiday or a Sunday.

(iii) $\sqrt{3}$ is a rational number or an irrational number.

(iv) Two lines intersect at a point or are parallel.

(v) Students can take Sanskrit or French as their third language.

Answer 1

(i) Here 'or' is inclusive since a person can have both a passport and an Adhar Card for identification.

(ii) Here 'or' is inclusive since the school is close on holiday as well as on Sunday.

(iii) Let p : $\sqrt{3}$ is a rational number.

And, q : $\sqrt{3}$ is an irrational number.

Clearly, p is false and q is true.

$\therefore$ (p or q) is true and 'or' is exclusive.

(iv) Here 'or' is exclusive because it is not possible for two lines to intersect and be parallel together.

(v) Here 'or' is exclusive because a student cannot take both Sanskrit and French.