UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DEL ESTADO DE MEXICO

Facultad de Ingeniería

Electronic Engineering

Digital Systems

Practice – Combinational circuits - Part 2

Students: Sebastián Monroy Michua

Cristian Axel De la Rosa Diaz
Jair Gerardo Ramírez León
Jesús Emanuel Valora Castañeda

Teacher: Alejandro Bracamonte Hernandez

Semester 2023 B

26 de Agosto de 2023
 Practice 2

By: Alejandro Bracamonte

Hernandez

Objective:
To reinforce understanding and application of Boolean algebra principles, particularly
minterms and maxiterms, in the context of digital systems. By the end of this practice
exercise, participants should be able to:

• Identify Minterms and Maxiterms: Differentiate between minterms and

maxiterms and recognize their role in representing Boolean functions.
• Construct Minterm and Maxiterm Expressions: Create minterm and maxiterm
expressions for given truth tables or Boolean functions.
• Simplify Boolean Functions: Apply minterms and maxiterms to simplify complex
Boolean functions, thereby reducing the number of terms and operations
required.
• Implement Digital Logic Circuits: Translate simplified Boolean expressions
using minterms and maxiterms into logic gate implementations.
• Compare Simplification Techniques: Compare the advantages and disadvantages
of using minterms and maxiterms for simplifying Boolean functions compared to
other methods like Karnaugh maps or algebraic manipulation.

Materials:
• Protoboard.
• Dip switch.
• AND gate: 7408 (four two-input AND gates on a single chip).
• OR gate: 7432 (four two-input OR gates on a single chip).
• XOR gate: 7486 (four two-input XOR gates on a single chip).
• NOR gate: 7402 (four two-input NOR gates on a single chip).
• NOT gate: 7404 (six NOT inverters on a single chip).
• NAND gate: 7400 (four two-input NAND gates on a single chip).
• Several resistors – 330 ohms.
• Several Leds.
• Power Supply of 5V and 500 mA (minimum)
Theorical framework

As we know there are fundamental tools to analyze combinational circuits such as:
• Mathematical function of the system
• Truth table
• Simulators
In this practice we are going to use new tools to ease the analysis of combinational circuits
making this by reducing the circuits and its function.

Maxterms and Minterms

Maxterm
A maxterm is a Boolean expression resulting in a 0 for the output of a single cell
expression, and 1s for all other cells in the Karnaugh map, or truth table.
A maxterms function of a circuit is a product of sums or also called as product of maxterms.

Example:
(A’+B+C’)(A+B+C’)(A’+B’+C’) - 1

Minterm
A minterm is a Boolean expression resulting in 1 for the output of a single cell, and 0s for
all other cells in a Karnaugh map, or truth table. If a minterm has a single 1 and the
remaining cells as 0s, it would appear to cover a minimum area of 1s.
A minterm function of a circuit is a sum of products or also called as sum of minterms.

Example:
(AB’C)+(A’B’C)+(A’BC’) – 1.1
The following table shows the representation of min terms and MAX terms for 2
variables.

X y Min terms Max terms

0 0 m0=x’y’ M0=x + y

0 1 m1=x’y M1=x + y’

1 0 m2=xy’ M2=x’ + y

1 1 m3=xy M3=x’ + y’

By using maxterms and minterms we obtain functions like 1 or 1.1 with this we can apply
properties and theorems to reduce functions to their minimum expression.
Some of them are:
Example

Convert the following Boolean function into the minimum expression with minterms.

f = p’qr + pq’r + pqr’ + pqr

Step 1 − Use the Boolean postulate, x + x = x. That means, the Logical OR operation
with any Boolean variable ‘n’ times will be equal to the same variable. So, we can write the
last term pqr two more times.

⇒ f = p’qr + pq’r + pqr’ + pqr + pqr + pqr

Step 2 − Use Distributive law for 1st and 4th terms, 2nd and 5th terms, 3rd and 6th terms.

⇒ f = qr p’ + p + prq’ + q + pqr’ + r

Step 3 − Use Boolean postulate, x + x’ = 1 for simplifying the terms present in each
parenthesis.

⇒ f = qr 1 + pr 1 + pq 1

Step 4 − Use Boolean postulate, x.1 = x for simplifying above three terms.

⇒ f = qr + pr + pq

⇒ f = pq + qr + pr

This is the simplified Boolean function. f = pq + qr + pr

Karnaugh Map

we have simplified the Boolean functions using Boolean postulates and theorems. It is a
time consuming process and we have to re-write the simplified expressions after each step.

To overcome this difficulty, Karnaugh introduced a method for simplification of Boolean

functions in an easy way. This method is known as Karnaugh map method or K-map
method. It is a graphical method, which consists of 2 n cells for ‘n’ variables. The adjacent
cells are differed only in single bit position.
Minimization of Boolean Functions using K-Maps

If we consider the combination of inputs for which the Boolean function is ‘1’, then we will
get the Boolean function, which is in standard sum of products form after simplifying the
K-map.

Similarly, if we consider the combination of inputs for which the Boolean function is ‘0’, then
we will get the Boolean function, which is in standard product of sums form after
simplifying the K-map
Instructions:

1. Define:
a. Table of truth.
b. Boolean function.
c. Maxiterms
d. Miniters
e. Minimal Boolean function.

Of the next functions. Only do the function that belongs to your team.

Team 1:
F(ABCD) = {1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 12}
 2. Simulate the circuits and save into a file. Then zipped and adding to team’s
task.

Simulations:

Simulation of the reduced function by the Karnaugh map method

Reduced function: Fn=BC'D'+B'C'D+B'CD'+A'B'D

Enlace: CircuitVerse - Funcion Reducida Mapas K

 3. Design and build the physical circuit Miniterms in canonical form.
Tested on all the combination of the inputs.
For the construction of the physical circuit, the reduction of the function was
carried out by means of the Karnaugh maps in order to obtain the function
that facilitates the realization of the circuit
Attached below is a small video demonstrating the correct functioning of our
circuit
Link: https://youtu.be/RFvNhmaiYwc?si=aJgQxUXvQfd4PIo1

4. Report your work, and learnings.

In conclusion, the logic gates practice proved to be incredibly fruitful.
Successfully building a fully functional circuit and thoroughly testing it
against the truth table showcased significant progress from the
previous experience. The understanding gained in precisely placing
resistors and other essential components, stemming from lessons
learned in prior practices, greatly contributed to the seamless outcome
this time around. Collectively, this practice can be deemed an
achievement in the application of logic gate concepts and circuit
design.

Bibliography

• Digital Circuits - Canonical & Standard Forms. (2023). Retrieved August 25, 2023,

from Tutorialspoint.com website:

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/digital_circuits/digital_circuits_canonical_standard_

forms.htm

• Kuphaldt, T. R. (2015, February 17). Minterm vs Maxterm Solution. Retrieved

August 25, 2023, from Allaboutcircuits.com website:

https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/digital/chpt-8/minterm-maxterm-

solution/
• Digital Circuits - K-Map Method. (2023). Retrieved August 25, 2023, from

Tutorialspoint.com website:

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/digital_circuits/digital_circuits_k_map_method.htm