If it rains then we will go to the movies is a conditional statement. Two simple statements are connected by the words if. . .then. The first statement labeled p is called the hypothesis and the second statement labeled q is called the conclusion. Symbolically, conditional statements are written p > q.
The study of conditional statements and their use in proving the validity of an argument through deductive reasoning is a topic beyond the scope of this paper. Sample lesson plan 1, however, at the end of this unit does show one way in which conditional statements are used to determine the validity of an argument.