Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

Logic Simplification
Given a logic circuit, derive the Boolean expression
Boolean algebra provides a concise way to express the operation of a logic circuit by a
combination of logic gates so that the output can be determined for all combinations of the
input values. To derive the Boolean expression (Boolean function) for a logic circuit, start at
the left-most inputs and work towards the final output, writing the expression for each gate.
There are three basic rules that must be adhered to when writing Boolean expressions.
1. Brackets have the highest precedence in Boolean expressions, so the contents of brackets
must be implemented first.
2. AND operations are performed before OR operations.
3. A NOT operator in the Boolean expression is indicated by a bar over part (or all) of the
expression. For a NOT operator, implement the part of the expression underneath the bar
first, and then invert it.
Ex. 1 Derive the Boolean expression for the following logic circuit.
A

B
F
C

Ex. 2 Derive the Boolean expression for the following logic circuit.
A

B
F
C

Ex. 3 Derive the Boolean expression for the following logic circuit.
A
F
B

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

Ex. 4 Derive the Boolean expression for the following logic circuit.
A

A
F
B

A
B
C

F A.B. C D A.B A.B.C

Given a Boolean function, derive the truth table
Ex. 5: Derive the truth table for the following function.
F A.B. C D A.B A.B.C

Method 1
Once the Boolean expression for a given circuit is determined, a truth table can be developed.
The truth table shows the expected output for each possible combination of inputs.
INPUT INPUT INPUT INPUT
A
B
C
D
A B C

A.B.C

OUTPUT
F
A.B A.B C D

A BC

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1

0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1

0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0

1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0

0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

Method 2
This is a less cumbersome method. Simplify the Boolean Function to sum of products form
and group as many terms as possible. (This will give the minimised Boolean expression.)
Then develop the truth table, from the resulting function.
F A.B.C A.B A.B. C D

A B C A.B A.B. C D

De Morgan' s Theorem

A.1 B B C A.B.(C D )

Distribution

A B C A.B. C D

Rules 2, 4

A B.1 A. C D C

Distribution

A BC

Rules 2,4

This is the minimised Boolean function in sum of products form. Now develop the truth
table for this function
INPUT INPUT INPUT INPUT
OUTPUT
A
B
C
D
A B C F A B C
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1

0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1

0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0

Ex. 6: Derive the truth table for the following function.

F A B A B
Ex. 7: Derive the truth table for the following function.
F AB A B

Ex. 8: Derive the truth table for the following function.

F AB A B

Ex. 9: Derive the truth table for the following function.

F AB AC A.B.C

1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0

A.B.C

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

Given a Boolean expression, derive the logic circuit

In interpreting the Boolean expression, the same three basic rules apply as when deriving the
Boolean expression from the logic circuit.
1

Brackets have the highest precedence in Boolean expressions, so the contents of brackets
must be implemented first.
A NOT operator in the Boolean function is indicated by a bar over part of the function. In
the presence of a NOT operator, implement the part of the function underneath the bar
first, and then invert it.
AND operations are performed before OR operations.

2
3

It is also good practice to write the value of the function at all intermediate points along the
way on the logic circuit in order to minimise errors.
Ex. 10 Derive the logic circuit for the following Boolean function
X A.B.(C.D E.F )

To derive the logic circuit for this expression, you must first have C.D E.F . To get this
term you must first have the terms C.D and E.F . Before you can have the C.D term
you must have D . In summary, logic operations must be done in the correct order.

A
B
b

A.B. C.D E.F

C.D

C.D E.F
E.F

It is usually best to reduce a circuit to its Sum of Products (SOP) form. In this case
X A.B.(C.D E.F )
A.B.C.D A.B.E.F

Distributive Law

To derive the logic circuit for this expression, you must first have A.B.C.D and
A.B.E .F . (Remember AND before OR.) However, to get A.B.C .D , you must first
have D . The correct order of evaluation for the reduced function is shown in the diagram.

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

A

A.B.C.D

B
C

D
A.B.C .D A.B.E .F

A
B

A.B.E.F

E
F

Draw the logic circuits to implement the following Boolean expressions.

Ex. 11
Ex. 12
Ex. 13
Ex. 14
Ex. 15
Ex. 16
Ex. 17
Ex. 18
Ex. 19

F A.( B C )
F A.(C .D B )

F A.B . A. B C . C B C
F A.B A.( B C ) B.( B C )
F

A.B . C B.D A.B .C

F A.B C .D A B . A.C .D B.E

F A.B.C D. E.F G

F A B .( B C ).B

Ex. 20 F C .
Ex. 21

F A.B A. B C B. B C

[ A.B.(C D).B ( A D).B]

F B.( A.C . A.D.C . A.D.C ) ( A B C D )

Ex. 22 F A. B.D B.C.D BC.D A B C D

Ex. 23

F A.( B D C BD ) CB ( AD. A D )

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

Simplification of Logic Circuits using Boolean Algebra

Using the Rules and Laws of Boolean Algebra, it is possible to simplify a Boolean expression
for a logic circuit. A simplified Boolean expression uses the fewest gates possible to
implement a given expression. This is best described by taking an example.
Ex 24 Simplify the following Boolean expression
F A.B A. B C B. B C

Draw the logic circuit for the original expression and for the simplified expression and
compare the number of gates.
A.B A. B C B. B C A.B A.B A.C B.B B.C

Distributive Law

A.B A.B A.C B B.C

A.B A.C B B.C

Rule7
Rule 5

A.B A.C B.1 B.C

Rule 4

A.B A.C B.(1 C )

Distributive Law

A.B A.C B.1

Rule 2

B.( A 1) A.C
B.1 A.C

Distributive Law
Rule 2

B A.C

Rule 4

As can be seen from the diagram given below, the number of gates used to implement the
network has been reduced from 5 in the original form to 2 in the minimised form. It should be
noted that while the output functions are different, the actual outputs produced are identical
for all possible input logic combinations.

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

A
AB
B
A
A.(B+C)

C
B.(B+C)

AC

Simplify the following Boolean expressions for logic circuits as much as possible. Draw the
logic circuit for the original expression and for the simplified expression and compare the
number of gates.
Ex. 25 F A.B . A. B C . C B C
Ex. 26 F A.B. C B.D A.B .C
Ex. 27

F A A.B A.B.C

Ex. 28

F A B .C A.B.C

Ex. 29

F A.B.C BD CDE AC

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

Standard forms of Boolean Expressions

The form of Boolean expression indicates the type of logic gate to be used to implement the
function. The two most common forms are the sum of products form and the product of sums
form. Both types are made up of AND, OR and NOT gates.

The Sum-of-Products (SOP) Form

Example
X A.B A.B.C

A.B.C

A
B

A
B

A
B

B
C

The Product-of-Sums (POS) Form

Y A B . A B C . A B C
Example
A
B

A
B

A
B

B
C

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

A SOP may contain a single variable term (for example

may also contain a single variable.

A single bar representing an inverter can NOT extend over more than one variable in
both the SOP and POS formats.

The domain of a general Boolean expression is defined as the set of variables

contained in the SOP/POS expression. For example, the domain of the function
F A.B A.B.C D is the set of variables A,B,C,D.

Any logic expression can be converted to SOP or POS form by applying Boolean
algebra techniques.

F A A.B.C

). A POS

The Standard SOP Form

A standard SOP expression is one in which all the variables in the domain appear in each
product term in the expression.
For example

F A.B.C.D A.B.C.D A.B.C.D

A non-standard SOP is converted into a standard form using Boolean algebra rule 6 A A 1 . Multiply each nonstandard product by a term made up of the sum of a missing
variable and its complement. Repeat until all product terms contain all variables in the
domain.

Ex 30 Convert

F A.B.C A. B A.B.C.D

into standard SOP form.

A BC A.B.C(D D ) A BCD A BC D
A.B A.B(C C ) A.BC A.B.C
A.B.C(D D ) A.B.C.D A.B.C.D
A.B.C(D D ) A.B.C.D A.B.C.D

F A.B.C .D A.B.C .D A.B.C .D A.B.C.D A.B.C .D A.B.C .D A.B.C .D

The Standard POS Form

A standard POS expression is one in which all the variables in the domain appear in each sum
term in the expression.
For example

F ( A B C).( A B C )( A B C )

A non-standard POS is converted into a standard form using Boolean algebra rule 8 A. A 0 . Add to each nonstandard product a term made up of the product of a missing
variable and its complement. Apply rule 12 - A B.C A B . A C . Repeat until all
sum terms contain all variables in the domain

Digital Electronic Systems Unit 7

Ex 31 Convert

F ( A B C ).(B C D)

into standard POS form

( A B C ) A B C D.D ( A B C D).( A B C D )
(B C D) B C D A A (A B C D).( A B C D)

F ( A B C D).( A B C D ) .(A B C D) .( A B C D)

Introduction to Minterms
Minterms are the various outputs produced when the various combinations of input variables
(or their complements) are ANDed together. The concept is more clearly explained by the
following example.
Input
A
0

Input
B
0

Input
C
0

Minterms

m 0=

A.B.C

m 1=

A.B.C

m 2=

A.B.C

m 3=

A.B.C

m 4=

A.B.C

m 5=

A.B.C

m 6=

A.B.C

m 7=

A.B.C

For a logic function with three inputs, there are eight minterms (m 0-m7). The function F is
given by
F A.B.C A.B.C A.B.C
m1 m2 m7

m1,2,7

Thus a function can be expressed as a sum of minterms, that is the minterms are ORed
together.

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