Digital Electronics 1 1

Boolean Algebra
Boolean algebra is a relatively simple mathematical tool that allows us to
describe the relationship between a logic circuit’s output/s and its inputs as
an algebraic equation (a Boolean expression).

Boolean Theorems
Rules that can be applied to Boolean algebra to simplify logic expressions.

• Properties of the AND Function

𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿 𝟎𝟎 = 𝟎𝟎
𝟐𝟐)𝑿𝑿 𝟏𝟏 = 𝑿𝑿
𝟑𝟑)𝑿𝑿 𝑿𝑿 = 𝑿𝑿
𝟒𝟒)𝑿𝑿 𝑿𝑿 = 𝟎𝟎

• Properties of the OR Function

𝟓𝟓)𝑿𝑿 + 𝟎𝟎 = 𝑿𝑿
𝟔𝟔)𝑿𝑿 + 𝟏𝟏 = 𝟏𝟏
𝟕𝟕)𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿 = 𝑿𝑿
𝟖𝟖)𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿 = 𝟏𝟏

• Double complementation
� = 𝑿𝑿 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 (𝑋𝑋′)′ = 𝑿𝑿
𝟗𝟗)𝑿𝑿
𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵: 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵𝑵 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒉𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘 𝒖𝒖𝒖𝒖𝒖𝒖 𝑿𝑿 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 𝑿𝑿′

• Commutative Property
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 = 𝒀𝒀𝒀𝒀
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿 + 𝒀𝒀 = 𝒀𝒀 + 𝑿𝑿

• Associative Property
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿(𝒀𝒀𝒀𝒀) = (𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿)𝒁𝒁
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿 + (𝒀𝒀 + 𝒁𝒁) = (𝑿𝑿 + 𝒀𝒀) + 𝒁𝒁

Prepared By: Engr. Mark Anthony C. Aseoche

Digital Electronics 1 2

• Distributive Property
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿(𝒀𝒀 + 𝒁𝒁) = 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)(𝑾𝑾 + 𝑿𝑿)(𝒀𝒀 + 𝒁𝒁) = 𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 + 𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿

• Absorption theorem
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 = 𝑿𝑿
Proof:
𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 = 𝑿𝑿(1 + 𝒀𝒀)
= 𝑿𝑿 (𝟏𝟏)
= 𝑿𝑿
• Identity Property
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀 = 𝑿𝑿 + 𝒀𝒀
Proof:
𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀 = 𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀
= 𝑿𝑿(𝒀𝒀 + 𝟏𝟏) + 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀
= 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀
= 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀 + 𝑿𝑿
= 𝒀𝒀(𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿) + 𝑿𝑿
= 𝒀𝒀(𝟏𝟏) + 𝑿𝑿
= 𝒀𝒀 + 𝑿𝑿
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 = 𝑿𝑿 + 𝒀𝒀
Proof:
𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 = 𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿
= 𝑿𝑿(𝒀𝒀 + 𝟏𝟏) + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿
= 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀 + 𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿
= 𝑿𝑿𝒀𝒀 + 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿
= 𝒀𝒀�𝑿𝑿 + 𝑿𝑿� + 𝑿𝑿
= 𝒀𝒀(𝟏𝟏) + 𝑿𝑿
= 𝒀𝒀 + 𝑿𝑿
= 𝑿𝑿 + 𝒀𝒀

Prepared By: Engr. Mark Anthony C. Aseoche

 Digital Electronics 1 3

De Morgan’s Theorems
The theorem explains that the complement of the sum (OR operation) of all
the terms is equal to the product (AND operation) of the complement of each
term.

𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)(𝑿𝑿 + 𝒀𝒀) = 𝑿𝑿 𝒀𝒀

Likewise, the complement of the product (AND operation) of all the terms is
equal to the sum (OR operation) of the complement of each term.

𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐)(𝑿𝑿 𝒀𝒀) = 𝑿𝑿 + 𝒀𝒀

Truth Table
A truth table is a means for describing how a logic circuit’s output depends
on the logic levels present at the circuit’s inputs.

Logic Gate Truth Tables

Input OR NOR AND NAND XOR XNOR
A B A+B A+B A B AB A⊕ B A⊕ B
0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0
1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1

Logic Gate Symbols

X = A+ B

X = AB

X = A⊕ B X = A⊕ B

X = AB + A B X = AB + A B

Prepared By: Engr. Mark Anthony C. Aseoche

 Digital Electronics 1 4

GATE CONVERSION USING INVERTERS

Frequently it is convenient to convert a logic gate to another logic function.
This can be done easily with the use of inverters. We can invert the output,
input or both to come up with another logic function.

INVERT
OUTPUTS

INVERT
INPUTS

INVERT
INPUTS
AND
OUTPUT

Prepared By: Engr. Mark Anthony C. Aseoche

 Digital Electronics 1 5

UNIVERSAL GATES
• NAND GATES
In looking through manufacturer’s literature you will find that NAND gate’s
wide use, we shall show it can be used to make other types of gates. We
shall be using the NAND gate as a sort of “UNIVERSAL GATE”. (NOR
gate is also a Universal Gate)
The chart below shows how you would wire NAND gates to create any of
the other basic logical functions. The logic function to be performed is
listed in the left column of the table; the symbol for the function is listed in
the center column. In the right column is a symbol diagram of how NAND
gates would be wired to perform the logic function.
LOGIC SYMBOL CIRCUIT USING GATES ONLY
FUNCTION
INVERTER A A

AND

OR

NOR
A+ B A+ B

XOR
A⊕ B A⊕ B

XNOR
A⊕ B
A⊕ B

Prepared By: Engr. Mark Anthony C. Aseoche

Digital Electronics 1 6

• NOR GATES
In similar manner, it can be shown that NOR gates can be arranged to
implement any of the Boolean operations.

LOGIC SYMBOL CIRCUIT USING GATES ONLY

FUNCTION
INVERTER A A

AND

OR

NAND
A• B
A• B

XOR
A⊕ B
A⊕ B

XNOR
A⊕ B

A⊕ B

Prepared By: Engr. Mark Anthony C. Aseoche

 Digital Electronics 1 7

Example:

Simplify the following expressions using Boolean algebra and implement

the simplified Boolean function with
A.) basic logic gates.
B.) NAND gates only
C.) NOR gates only
a. ) x = ABC + 𝐴𝐴𝐶𝐶
b.) y = (𝑄𝑄 + 𝑅𝑅)(Q + 𝑅𝑅)
𝑐𝑐. ) 𝑤𝑤 = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 𝐴𝐴𝐵𝐵𝐶𝐶 + 𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑. ) 𝑧𝑧 = (𝐵𝐵 + 𝐶𝐶)(𝐵𝐵 + 𝐶𝐶) + 𝐴𝐴 + 𝐵𝐵 + 𝐶𝐶
𝑒𝑒. ) 𝑞𝑞 = 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅(𝑅𝑅 + 𝑆𝑆 + 𝑇𝑇)
𝑓𝑓. ) 𝑥𝑥 = 𝐴𝐴̅ 𝐵𝐵� 𝐶𝐶̅ + 𝐴𝐴̅𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 + 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 𝐴𝐴𝐵𝐵�𝐶𝐶̅ + 𝐴𝐴𝐵𝐵�𝐶𝐶
𝑔𝑔. ) 𝑦𝑦 = (𝐶𝐶 + 𝐷𝐷) + 𝐴𝐴𝐶𝐶𝐷𝐷 + 𝐴𝐴𝐵𝐵�𝐶𝐶̅ + 𝐴𝐴̅𝐵𝐵� 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 + 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐷𝐷
ℎ. ) 𝑧𝑧 = (𝐵𝐵 + 𝐶𝐶)(𝐵𝐵 + 𝐶𝐶) + (𝐴𝐴 + 𝐵𝐵 + 𝐶𝐶)

Assignment No.1

Simplify the following expressions using Boolean algebra and implement

the simplified Boolean function with
A.) basic logic gates.
B.) NAND gates only
C.) NOR gates only
a. ) x = ABC + A'B'C + A'BC + ABC' + A'B'C'
b.) y = 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 + 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴′ + 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵
𝑐𝑐. )𝑤𝑤 = [(𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶)′ + 𝐴𝐴]′ + 𝐴𝐴 + 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 + 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑. )𝑧𝑧 = (𝐴𝐴 + 𝐶𝐶 + 𝐷𝐷)(𝐴𝐴 + 𝐶𝐶 + 𝐷𝐷′)(𝐴𝐴 + 𝐶𝐶′ + 𝐷𝐷)(𝐴𝐴 + 𝐵𝐵′)
𝑒𝑒. )𝑠𝑠 = 𝐵𝐵′𝐷𝐷 + 𝐴𝐴′𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵′ + 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 𝐴𝐴′𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵

Prepared By: Engr. Mark Anthony C. Aseoche