EE276 – Digital Electronic Circuits

Boolean Algebra

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Boolean Algebra

Basic mathematics needed for the study of the logic design of

• In Boolean algebra – all of the variables assume only one of two

• Developed by George Boole in 1847.

• Boolean variables represent the input or output of a switching

• 0 and 1 represents the two different values.

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Axiom of Boolean Algebra

P.2(b)+P.5(a)+P.4(b)
+P.2(b)+P5(a)

P.2(b)+P.5(a)+P.4(b)+
P.5(b)+P2(a)
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Contd… Boolean Algebra

• Most Boolean identities have an AND (product)

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Axiom of Boolean Algebra

P.2(b)+P.5(a)+P.4(b)
+P.2(b)+P5(a)

P.2(b)+P.5(a)+P.4(b)+
P.5(b)+P2(a) 5
Contd… Boolean Algebra
• Our second group of Boolean identities should be
familiar to you from your study of algebra:

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Contd… Boolean Algebra

• Our last group of Boolean identities are perhaps the

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 Contd…
Some more simplification theorems:

Possible to prove using truth tables or algebraically starting with

• operator precedence for evaluating Boolean expressions is

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 Contd…
Simplification Examples - 1:

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Contd
…
Simplification Examples - 2:

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 Complement of a function
• Generalization of DeMorgan’s theorem for any number of variables:

Complement of a function:

• Interchange AND and OR operators.

• Complement each literal.

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 Contd…
• Example – complement of the function

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Simple gates

AND, OR, and NOT gates.

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Contd…
NAND and NOR Gates

Gates can have multiple inputs and more than one output.

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• Combinations of gates implement Boolean functions.

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• Each appearance of a variable or its compliment in an expression –
referred as a literal.

• Three variables and 10 literals in the above expression.

• Each literal in the expression corresponds to a gate input.

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 Truth Table
• Specifies the values of a Boolean expression for every possible
combination of values of the variables in the expression.

• Lists the truth or falsity of a statement under all possible conditions.

• Specifies the output of the circuit for all possible combinations of

• A truth table for an n-variable expression will have 2n rows.

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 Contd…
• Truth Table for

• With 3 variables, 8 combinations of the values are possible.

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 Contd…
• Truth Table for

• Evaluating A+C and B’+C, then (A+C)(B’+C)

• Two expressions are equal , if they have the same value for every
possible combinations of the input variables A, B and C.
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 Contd…
• Truth Table for

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Canonical and Standard form

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Contd…

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Minterm
A product term containing all n variables of the function in either
true or completed form is called the minterm
Each Minterm is obtained by an AND operation of the variable in
their true form or complemented form
Variable value 1 when true or uncomplemented
0 when complemented

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Canonical Sum of Product Expression
When a Boolean function is expressed as logical sum of all the
minterms from the rows of truth table, for which the value of the
function is 1

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Example
Obtain canonical sum of product form of function F(A,B)=A+B

F(A,B)=A+B

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Example
Obtain canonical sum of product form of function F(A,B,C)=A+BC

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Maxterm
A sum term containing all n variables of the function In either true
or completed form is called the maxterm
Each Minterm is obtained by an OR operation of the variable in
their true form or complemented form
Variable value 0 when true or uncomplemented
1 when complemented

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Canonical Prodcut of Sum Expression
When a Boolean function is expressed as logical product of all the
maxterms from the rows of truth table, for which the value of the
function is 0

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Example

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Example

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Deriving SOP from truth table

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Deriving POS from truth table

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Example

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