What are inference rules?

Inference rules are like clue cards that help you figure out what’s true based on things you already know.

Imagine you're playing a game where you have to guess who the mystery person is. You get clues, and each clue helps you narrow down your choices. Inference rules work the same way, they give you clues (or steps) that help you go from what you know to something new you can discover.

Think of it like solving a puzzle with blocks. If you know that red block + blue block = purple block, and you see a red block and a blue block together, you can figure out the result is a purple block. That’s using an inference rule, the clue that tells you how to combine the blocks.

In real life, we use inference rules all the time. For example, if your friend says they’re going to the park and they always bring a sandwich when they go to the park, you can figure out they probably have a sandwich with them right now. That’s using an inference rule, connecting what's known to what might be true.