ITBP205

Digital Design and Computer

Organization
Unit 4
Boolean Algebra
Prof. Walid Ibrahim

Outline
History

Laws &
Rules of
Boolean
Algebra

Simplify
Logic
Design

commutative
laws

The associative
laws
The
distributive
laws

Duality

History
Logical algebra was published by
George Boole in 1854
Logic Algebra is known today as
Boolean Algebra
It is a way of expressing and
analyzing the operation of logic
circuits.
Claude Shannon was the first to apply
Booles work to the analysis and
design of logic circuits in 1938.
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Laws & Rules of Boolean Algebra

The
basic
laws
of
Boole
an
algeb
ra:

The commutative
laws
The associative laws
The distributive laws

Commutative Laws
The commutative law of addition for two variables
is written as: A+B = B+A
A
B

A+
B

B+
A

B
A

The commutative law of multiplication for two

variables is written as: AB = BA
A
B

AB

B
A

BA

Associative Laws
The associative law of addition for 3
variables is written as: A+(B+C) = (A+B)
+C
A+(B+C)

B
C

B+C

A
B
C

A+B
(A+B)+C

The associative law of multiplication for 3

variables is written as: A(BC) = (AB)C
A
B
C

A(BC)
BC

A
B

AB
(AB)C

C
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Distributive Laws
The distributive law is written for 3
variables as follows: AB + AC =
A(B+C)
B

B+C

A
X

A
C

X=A(B+C)

AB

AC

X=AB+AC

Duality
The dual of an expression is obtained by exchanging
( and +), and (1 and 0) in it, provided that the
precedence of operations is not changed.
Cannot exchange A with A
Proving one formula also proves its dual.

Exampl
e:

9/19/16

Find , the dual of

Boolean Algebra

PJF - 8

Basic Boolean Rules

Boolean Rules

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Simplify Logic Design

A simplified circuit uses the fewest
gates possible to implement a given
expression.
Examp Use Boolean Algebra to Simplify the
following circuits to the fewest
le
possible gates

B
C

AB+A(B+C)
+B(B+C)

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Boolean Simplification
AB + A (B + C) + B (B + C)
A

= AB + AB + AC + BB + BC
= AB + AC + B + BC
= AB + AC + B (1 +

B
C
C)

AB+A(B+C)
+B(B+C)

= AB + AC + B
= B (A + 1) + AC
= B + AC

B+A
C

A
C

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Example

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Exercise
Simplify the following functions to
the simplest form.

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Homework

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