Applications of Boolean Algebra

Minterms and Maxterms Expansions

Midterm – Lecture 1
 Conversion of English Sentences to
Boolean Equations
• Steps in Designing a Single Output
Combinational Switching Circuit:
– Find a switching function that specifies the
desired behavior of the circuit.
– Find the simplified algebraic expression for the
function.
– Realize the simplified function using available
logic element.
 Conversion of English Sentences to
Boolean Equations

• “if “ and the “and” are not included in the phrases

• define a two-valued variable to indicate the truth or
falsity of each phrase

• F=AB
 Conversion of English Sentences to
Boolean Equations
• Word statement of a problem to an algebraic
expression:

• Z = AB’ + CD’
 Combinational Logic Design Using a
Truth Table
• A switching circuit has three inputs and one output.
The output of the circuit is to be f = 1 if N  0112 and
f= 0 if N  0112

• f = A’BC + AB’C’ + AB’C + ABC’ + ABC = A + BC

 Combinational Logic Design Using a
Truth Table

• f in terms of the 0’s of the function

• f = (A+B+C) (A+B+C’)(A+B’+C)
• f = A + BC
• f’ = A’B’C’ + A’B’C + A’BC’
Minterm and Maxterm Expansions
• Minterm - a product of n literals in which each
variable appears exactly once in either true or
complement form, but not both
• minterm expansion or a standard sum of products
• Maxterm – the sum of n literals in which each
variable appears exactly once in either true or
complemented form, but not both
• maxterm expansion or standard product of sums
Minterm and Maxterm Expansions

Minterms

Maxterms
Minterm and Maxterm Expansions
• Find the minterm expansion of
f( a, b, c, d) = a’(b’ + d) + acd’
• Show that a’c + b’c’ + ab = a’b’ + bc + ac’
General Minterm and Maxterm
Expansions
 General Minterm and Maxterm
Expansions
• Given minterm expansions for two functions
 General Minterm and Maxterm
Expansions
• Conversion of forms

• Application
 Incompletely Specified Functions

• Incompletely Specified – if there are input combinations that never occur

• X – don’t care minterms
• Digital System divided into sub-circuits
 Examples of Truth Table
Construction
• Design a simple binary adder that adds two
1-bit binary numbers, a and b, to give a 2-bit
sum.
 Examples of Truth Table
Construction
• An adder is to be designed which adds two 2-
bit binary numbers to give a 3-bit binary sum.
 Examples of Truth Table
Construction
• Design an error detector for 6-3-1-1 binary-coded-decimal
digits. The output (F) is to be 1 iff the four inputs (A, B, C, D)
represent an invalid code combination.