Boolean Algebra
• In the latter part of the nineteenth century, George Boole
incensed philosopher and mathematicians, suggested that
logical thought could be represented through
mathematical equations.
• Computers, as we know them today, are implementations
of Boole’s Law of Thought.
• John Atanasoff and Claude Shannon were among the
first to see this connection.
• In the middle of the 20th century, computers were
commonly known as thinking machines and electronic
brains.
o Many fearful were fearful of them
• Nowadays, we rarely ponder the relationship between
electronic digital computers and human logic. Computers
are accepted as part of our lives.
• Boolean Algebra is a mathematical system for the
manipulation of variables that can have one of two
values.
o In formal logic, these values are true and false.
o In digital systems, these values are on and off, 1
and 0, or high and low.
• Boolean expression are created by performing
operation on Boolean variables.
o Common Boolean operators include AND, OR
and NOT.
• A Boolean operator
can be completely
describes using a
truth table.
• The AND operator is
also known as a
Boolean Product.
The OR operator is
the Boolean Sum.
• The NOT operation
is most often
designated by the
overbar. It is
sometimes indicated
by a prime mark (‘)
or and elbow ( ).
• A Boolean function has:
1. At least one Boolean variable,
2. At least one Boolean operator, and
3. At least one input set {0, 1}
• To make evaluation
of the Boolean
function easier, the
truth table contains
extra columns to
hold evaluations of
subparts of the
function.
Rules of precedence
• The NOT operator has
the highest priority,
followed by AND and
then OR.
Boolean Algebra Examples:
Example 2:
F(A, B, C) = A’B +ABC + AC
Example 3:
F(A, B, C) = ABC +A + ABC
Example 4:
F(X, Y, Z) = XYZ’ + XY + Y’Z
• Digital Computers contain circuits that implement Boolean
functions.
• The simpler the Boolean function, the smaller the circuit that
will result.
o Simpler circuits are cheaper to build, consume less
power, and run faster than complex circuits.
• With this in mind, we always want to reduce our Boolean
functions to their simpler form.
• There are number of Boolean identities that help us to do this.
Most Boolean identities have an AND (product) form as well as
an OR (sum) form. Our first group is rather intuitive:
Second group of Boolean identities should be familiar to you in
your study of algebra:
• The last group of Boolean identities are perhaps the most
useful.
• The last group of Boolean identities are perhaps the most
useful.
We can use Boolean identities to simplify the function:
F (x, y, z) = (x + y) (x + y’) (xz’)
F(a, b, c) = A’B’C’ + A’BC’ + A’ BC + ABC’ + ABC
• There are two canonical forms for Boolean
expressions: Sum-of-Products and Product-of Sum.
o Recall the Boolean product is AND operation and the
Boolean sum is the OR operation.
• In the sum of products form, ANDed variables are
ORed together.
o For example: F(x,y,z) = xy + xz + yz
• In the product of sum form, Ored variables are
ANDed together.
o For example: F(x,y,z) = (x + y) (x+z) (y + z)
• It is easy to convert a function
of sum of products form using
its truth table.
o Remember the canonical form
and minimal form.
• SOP Form :
o X’ = 0
o X= 1
• POS Form
o X’ = 1
o X=0
Logic Gates
• The three simplest gates are AND, OR and NOT gates.
• They correspond directly to their respective Boolean
operations.
• Another very useful gate is the exclusive OR (XOR) gate.
• The output of XOR operation is true only when of the
inputs differ.
Note the special symbol
for the XOR operation.
NAND and NOR
NAND and NOR are
known as universal
gates because they are
inexpensive to
manufacture and any
Boolean function can
be constructed using
only NAND or only NOR
gates.
TRUTH TABLE EXAMPLE
1. ABC + BC
2. A’BC’ + AB +B’C
3. X’+Y’ + XY
Gates can have multiple inputs and
more than one output
The main thing to remember is that the
combinations of gates implement Boolean
function. The circuit below implement the
Boolean function: F (x,y,z) = x + y’z
We simplify our Boolean expressions
so that we can create simpler circuits.
