A simple statement is one that does not contain any other statement as a part. A compound statement is one with two or more simple statements as parts or what we will call components . The symbols for statements and for operators comprise our notation or symbolic language.
Parentheses serve as punctuation.
To indicate that a compound is to be taken as a whole or single statement, we put it in parentheses. For example, p q is a compound. When the negation sign is outside the parentheses, it affects the entire compound, not just the first component, p. And so on. The truth value of a statement is its truth or falsity.