COMBINATIONAL LOGIC CIRCUITS

2. KARNAUGH, M. “A Map Method for Synthesis of Combinational Logic

Circuits,” Transactions of AIEE, Communication and Electronics, 72, part I
(November 1953), 593–99.
3. DIETMEYER, D. L. Logic Design of Digital Systems, 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn &
Bacon, 1988.
4. MANO, M. M. Digital Design, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall,
2002.
5. WAKERLY, J. F. Digital Design: Principles and Practices, 4th ed. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.
6. GAJSKI, D. D. Principles of Digital Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall, 1997.
7. IEEE Standard Graphic Symbols for Logic Functions (includes IEEE Std 91a-
1991 Supplement and IEEE Std 91-1984). New York: The Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 1991.

PROBLEMS
The plus (+) indicates a more advanced problem and the asterisk (*) indicates that
a solution is available on the Companion Website for the text.
1. *Demonstrate by means of truth tables the validity of the following identities:
(a) DeMorgan’s theorem for three variables: XYZ ⫽ X ⫹ Y ⫹ Z
(b) The second distributive law: X ⫹ YZ ⫽ (X ⫹ Y)(X ⫹ Z)
(c) XY ⫹ YZ ⫹ XZ ⫽ XY ⫹ YZ ⫹ XZ
2. *Prove the identity of each of the following Boolean equations, using algebraic
manipulation:
(a) X Y ⫹ XY ⫹ XY ⫽ X ⫹ Y
(b) AB ⫹ B C ⫹ AB ⫹ BC ⫽ 1
(c) Y ⫹ XZ ⫹ XY ⫽ X ⫹ Y ⫹ Z
(d) X Y ⫹ YZ ⫹ XZ ⫹ XY ⫹ YZ ⫽ X Y ⫹ XZ ⫹ YZ
3. +Prove the identity of each of the following Boolean equations, using algebraic
manipulation:
(a) ABC ⫹ B C D ⫹ BC ⫹ CD ⫽ B ⫹ C D
(b) WY ⫹ WY Z ⫹ WXZ ⫹ WXY ⫽ WY ⫹ WX Z ⫹ XYZ ⫹ XYZ
(c) A D ⫹ AB ⫹ CD ⫹ BC ⫽ ( A ⫹ B ⫹ C ⫹ D )( A ⫹ B ⫹ C ⫹ D )
4. +Given that A ⭈ B ⫽ 0 and A ⫹ B ⫽ 1 , use algebraic manipulation to prove
that
( A ⫹ C ) ⭈ ( A ⫹ B) ⭈ ( B ⫹ C ) ⫽ B ⭈ C
5. +A specific Boolean algebra with just two elements 0 and 1 has been used in
this chapter. Other Boolean algebras can be defined with more than two


 COMBINATIONAL LOGIC CIRCUITS

elements by using elements that correspond to binary strings. These

algebras form the mathematical foundation for bitwise logical operations.
Suppose that the strings are each a nibble (half of a byte) of four bits. Then
there are 24, or 16, elements in the algebra, where an element I is the 4-bit
nibble in binary corresponding to I in decimal. Based on bitwise application
of the two-element Boolean algebra, define each of the following for the
new algebra so that the Boolean identities hold:
(a) The OR operation A ⫹ B for any two elements A and B
(b) The AND operation A⋅B for any two elements A and B
(c) The element that acts as the 0 for the algebra
(d) The element that acts as the 1 for the algebra
(e) For any element A, the element A.
6. Simplify the following Boolean expressions to expressions containing a
minimum number of literals:
(a) A C ⫹ ABC ⫹ BC
(b) ( A ⫹ B ⫹ C ) ⭈ ABC
(c) ABC ⫹ AC
(d) A BD ⫹ A CD ⫹ BD
(e) ( A ⫹ B )( A ⫹ C )( ABC )
7. *Reduce the following Boolean expressions to the indicated number of
literals:
(a) X Y ⫹ XYZ ⫹ XY to three literals
(b) X ⫹ Y( Z ⫹ X ⫹ Z ) to two literals
(c) WX( Z ⫹ YZ ) ⫹ X( W ⫹ WYZ ) to one literal
(d) ( AB ⫹ A B )( C D ⫹ CD ) ⫹ AC to four literals
8. Using DeMorgan’s theorem, express the function

F ⫽ ABC ⫹ A C ⫹ AB
(a) with only OR and complement operations.
(b) with only AND and complement operations.
9. *Find the complement of the following expressions:
(a) AB ⫹ AB
(b) ( VW ⫹ X )Y ⫹ Z
(c) WX( YZ ⫹ YZ ) ⫹ W X( Y ⫹ Z )( Y ⫹ Z )
(d) ( A ⫹ B ⫹ C )( A B ⫹ C )( A ⫹ B C )
10. *Obtain the truth table of the following functions, and express each function
in sum-of-minterms and product-of-maxterms form:
(a) ( XY ⫹ Z )( Y ⫹ XZ )


 COMBINATIONAL LOGIC CIRCUITS

(b) ( A ⫹ B )( B ⫹ C )
(c) WXY ⫹ WXZ ⫹ WXZ ⫹ YZ
11. For the Boolean functions E and F, as given in the following truth table:

X Y Z E F
0 0 0 0 1
0 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 1
0 1 1 0 0
1 0 0 1 1
1 0 1 0 0
1 1 0 1 0
1 1 1 0 1

(a) List the minterms and maxterms of each function.

(b) List the minterms of E and F.
(c) List the minterms of E ⫹ F and E ⭈ F.
(d) Express E and F in sum-of-minterms algebraic form.
(e) Simplify E and F to expressions with a minimum of literals.
12. *Convert the following expressions into sum-of-products and product-of-
sums forms:
(a) ( AB ⫹ C )( B ⫹ CD )
(b) X ⫹ X( X ⫹ Y )( Y ⫹ Z )
(c) ( A ⫹ BC ⫹ CD )( B ⫹ EF )
13. Draw the logic diagram for the following Boolean expressions. The diagram
should correspond exactly to the equation. Assume that the complements of
the inputs are not available.
(a) XYZ ⫹ X Y ⫹ X Z
(b) B ( A C ⫹ AC ) ⫹ D( A ⫹ BC )
(c) XY( W ⫹ Z ) ⫹ WY( X ⫹ Z ) ⫹ WY( X ⫹ Z )
14. Optimize the following Boolean functions by means of a three-variable map:
(a) F( X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 6, 7 )
(b) F( X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 1, 2, 4 )
(c) F( A, B, C ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 3, 4, 6 )
(d) F( A, B, C ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 )
15. *Optimize the following Boolean expressions using a map:
(a) X Z ⫹ YZ ⫹ XYZ


 COMBINATIONAL LOGIC CIRCUITS

(b) AB ⫹ BC ⫹ A B C
(c) A B ⫹ AC ⫹ BC ⫹ ABC
16. Optimize the following Boolean functions by means of a four-variable map:
(a) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 )
(b) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15 )
(c) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 0, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13 )
17. Optimize the following Boolean functions, using a map:
(a) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 )
(b) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15 )
18. *Find the minterms of the following expressions by first plotting each
expression on a map:
(a) XY ⫹ XZ ⫹ XYZ
(b) XZ ⫹ WXY ⫹ WXY ⫹ WYZ ⫹ WYZ
(c) B D ⫹ ABD ⫹ ABC
19. *Find all the prime implicants for the following Boolean functions, and
determine which are essential:
(a) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 )
(b) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15 )
(c) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 )
20. Optimize the following Boolean functions by finding all prime implicants and
essential prime implicants and applying the selection rule:
(a) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 )
(b) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m( 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13, 14,15 )
(c) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15 )
21. Optimize the following Boolean functions in product-of-sums form:
(a) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 15 )
(b) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌸M ( 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 )
22. *Optimize the following expressions in (1) sum-of-products and (2) product-
of-sums forms:
(a) AC ⫹ BD ⫹ ACD ⫹ ABCD
(b) ( A ⫹ B ⫹ D )( A ⫹ B ⫹ C )( A ⫹ B ⫹ D )( B ⫹ C ⫹ D )
(c) ( A ⫹ B ⫹ D )( A ⫹ D )( A ⫹ B ⫹ D )( A ⫹ B ⫹ C ⫹ D )
23. Optimize the following functions into (1) sum-of-products and (2) product-of-
sums forms:


 COMBINATIONAL LOGIC CIRCUITS

(a) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 0, 1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 14, 15 )

(b) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌸M ( 3, 11, 13, 15 )
24. Optimize the following Boolean functions F together with the don’t-care
conditions d:
(a) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 0, 1, 7, 13, 15 ), d( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 2, 6, 8, 9, 10 )
(b) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 2, 4, 9, 12, 15 ), d( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 3, 5, 6, 13 )
(c) F( A, B, C ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 1, 2, 4 ), d ( A, B, C ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 0, 3, 6, 7 )
25. *Optimize the following Boolean functions F together with the don’t-care
conditions d. Find all prime implicants and essential prime implicants, and
apply the selection rule.
(a) F( A, B, C ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 3, 5, 6 ), d ( A, B, C ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 0, 7 )
(b) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 14, 15 ), d ( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 7, 10, 13 )
(c) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 15 ),
d ( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 14 )
26. Optimize the following Boolean functions F together with the don’t-care
conditions d in (1) sum-of-products and (2) product-of-sums form:
(a) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌸m ( 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11 ) ,
d( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 2, 5, 8,10, 12, 14 )
(b) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 3, 4, 9, 15 ), d( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ ⌺m( 0, 1, 2, 5,10, 12, 14 )
27. Illustrate the expansion or reduction performed on each implicant on a K-
map if the operation changes the implicant.
(a) Apply the Espresso EXPAND routine to the following function.

F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ A B C D ⫹ ABC ⫹ AC D ⫹ ABD ⫹ ABCD ⫹ BCD

(b) Apply the Espresso REDUCE routine to the following function,
beginning with the implicant at the upper left and proceeding downward.

F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ A C ⫹ AB ⫹ BD ⫹ AC ⫹ AB

28. +Apply the simplified Espresso algorithm to the following function. Show a
K-map for each algorithm routine that changes one or more implicants.

F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ A B D ⫹ B CD ⫹ BC ⫹ AB ⫹ ACD

29. Use decomposition to find minimum gate-input cost, multiple-level

implementations for the functions given, using AND and OR gates and
inverters.
(a) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ABC ⫹ ABC ⫹ ABD ⫹ ABD
(b) F( W, X, Y, Z ) ⫽ WY ⫹ XY ⫹ WXZ ⫹ WXZ


 COMBINATIONAL LOGIC CIRCUITS

30. Use extraction to find a shared, minimum gate-input cost, multiple-level

implementation for the pair of functions given, using AND and OR gates and
inverters.
(a) F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 0, 5, 11, 14, 15 ), d ( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m( 10 )
(b) G( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 2, 7, 10, 11, 14 ), d( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ⌺m ( 15 )
31. Use elimination to flatten each of the function sets given into a two-level sum-
of-products form.
(a) F( A, B, G, H ) ⫽ ABG ⫹ BG ⫹ AH, G ( C, D ) ⫽ CD ⫹ CD,
H( B, C, D ) ⫽ B ⫹ CD
(b) T ( U, V, Y, Z ) ⫽ YZU ⫹ YZV, U( W, X ) ⫽ W ⫹ X,
V ( W, X, Y ) ⫽ WY ⫹ X
32. *Prove that the dual of the exclusive-OR is also its complement.
33. Implement the following Boolean function with exclusive-OR and AND
gates, using a minimum number of gate inputs:

F( A, B, C, D ) ⫽ ABCD ⫹ AD ⫹ AD
34. (a) Implement function H = X Y+XZ using two three-state buffers and an
inverter.
(b) Construct an exclusive-OR gate by interconnecting two three-state
buffers and two inverters.
35. (a) Connect the outputs of three 3-state buffers together, and add additional
logic to implement the function
F = ABC + ABD + A BD
Assume that C, D, and D are data inputs to the buffers and A and B pass
through logic that generates the enable inputs.
(b) Is your design in part (a) free of three-state output conflicts? If not,
change the design to be free of such conflicts.