Boolean Logic and Boolean Algebra

Boolean algebra:
Boolean algebra is the mathematics of logic circuits.
Devised for dealing mathematically with philosophical propositions
which have ONLY TWO possible values:
TRUE or FALSE, Light ON or OFF.
Boolean algebra deals with the rules which govern various
operations between the binary variables.

LOGIC SYSTEMS

LOGIC
SYSTEM

INPUTS

OUTPUTS

COMBINATORIAL LOGIC
Output = Logical combination of the Inputs

Zt= f (It)
For any given set of Inputs (I) you will always get the same

output (Z) and the output will not vary with time.
Examples: Gates: AND, OR ,
ADDER, MULTIPLEXER, PARITY GENERATOR, BINARY to BCD
converter
2

TRUTH TABLES
Shows the relationship between all combinations of inputs and resulting outputs.
(for n inputs there are 2n combinations - so truth tables can get pretty big).
Truth tables contain :
Inputs (>1)
Intermediate terms (only for very long functions)
Outputs (>1)
Note - multiple outputs (i.e. >1) are listed on the same table but treated separately.
Example: AND truth table (shown for two inputs and 22 outputs)

Inputs

Output

A1

B1

C1

A2

B2

C2

A3

B3

C3

A4

B4

C4

Concept of GATE

Truth Table

Timing Diagram

Inputs

Output

1
1

0
1

0
1

1 1

0 0

t1

t2

t3

t4

t5

AND gate implementation with

DTL

Truth Table
Inputs

Timing Diagram
Output

0 0

t1

t2

t3

t4

OR gate implementation with

DTL

11

Timing Diagram

Truth Table
Input

Output

A
C

t1

t2

t3

t4

t5

12

NOT Gate implementation with

BJT

NAND Gate

NAND gate implementation with

DTL

NOR Gate

NOR gate implementation with

DTL

Boolean Algebra
These are the mathematical rules which describe how logic gates
combine.
The three fundamental rules are:

AND

Z = A.B

OR

Z=A+B

NOT

Z= A

18

Rules of Boolean algebra

1. COMUTATIVE LAW:
A+B=B+A
A.B=B.A
2. ASSOCIATIVE LAW:
A + (B + C) = (A + B) + C
A(BC) = (AB)C
3. DISTRIBUTIVE LAW:
A(B + C) = AB + AC

THESE LAWS CAN BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE ANY

NUMBER OF VARIABLES.
19

Circuit presentation of DISTRIBUTIVE LAW

(B+C)
A(B + C) = AB + AC = A(B + C)

20

RULES OF BOOLEAN ALGEBRA (Continuing)

1.

A+0=A

2.

A+1=1

3.

A.0=0

4.

A.1=A

5.

A+A=A

6.

A+A=1

7.

A.A=A

8.

A.A=0

9.

A=A

10.

A + AB = A

11.

A + AB = A + B

12.

(A+B)(A+C) = A+BC
21

PROOF OF RULES 10, 11, 12:

Rule 10:
A+AB = A(1+B)
=A.1
=A
Rule 11:
A + AB =
= (A + AB) + AB
= (AA + AB) + AB
= AA +AB + AA + AB
i.e. adding AA =0
= (A+A)(A + B)
= 1 . (A + B)
=A+B

(Rule 2)
(Rule 4)

(Rule 10)
(Rule 7)
(Rule 8)
(Factoring)
(Rule 6)
22

Rule 12:
(A + B)(A + C) =
= AA + AC + AB + BC
= A +AC +AB +BC
= A(1+C) + AB + BC
= A . 1 + AB + BC
= A + AB + BC
= A(1 + B) + BC
= A .1 + BC
= A + BC

(Distributive)
(Rule 7)
(Distributive)
(Rule 4)
(Rule 2)
(Distributive)
(Rule 2)
(Rule 4)

23