If...Then... Logic: How Many Legs Does a Dragon Have?

For kids

Learn about "if...then..." logic with a fun problem! We'll use this type of thinking to solve a dragon-sized mystery.

What is "If...Then..." Logic?

"If...then..." logic is a way of saying that if something is true, then something else *must* also be true. It's like a cause and effect. We call these statements conditional statements.

• If it is raining, then I will take my umbrella.
• If I eat all my vegetables, then I can have dessert.

The Dragon Riddle

Let's use "if...then..." logic to figure out how many legs a dragon has. Here are our rules:

1. If a dragon is blue, then it has four legs.
2. If a dragon is green, then it has two legs.
3. If a dragon is red, then it has no legs.

Solving the Mystery

Now, let's say we have a dragon named Sparky. Sparky is blue. How many legs does Sparky have?

Using our "if...then..." rule, we know:

If a dragon is blue, then it has four legs.

Since Sparky is blue, then Sparky has four legs!

What if we had a green dragon named Emerald? How many legs would Emerald have?

• Emerald would have two legs!

Try This!

Now it's your turn! Create your own "if...then..." rules and silly creatures. For example:

• If a creature has wings, then it can fly.
• If a creature has a horn, then it can do magic.

What other fun rules can you make?

Isn't "if...then..." logic cool? You can use it to solve all sorts of problems and create awesome stories!