EE213M Digital Circuits

Boolean algebra

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 Binary logic
• Binary logic consists of binary variable and set of logical operations.
• Binary variables will be denoted by any alphabet e.g. 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, and can have only two possible distinct values.
• Logic operations could be AND, OR and NOT.

Logic Operation Representation Explanation

AND Operation 𝑧 = 𝑥. 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑥𝑦 𝑧 will be 1 when 𝑥 and 𝑦
both will be 1.
OR operation 𝑧 =𝑥+𝑦 𝑧 will be 1 when either 𝑥 or 𝑦
or both will be 1.
Not operation 𝑧 = 𝑥,ҧ 𝑧 = 𝑥′ 𝑧 is complement of 𝑥.

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 Truth Tables of Logic operation
• A truth table is a table of all possible combinations of the variables, showing the relation between the
values that the variables may take and the result of the operation.
• For n input variables, truth table will have 2𝑛 rows.
• Here is a truth tables of different logic operations on two input variables x and y.

Inputs (𝑥 and 𝑦) AND operation OR Operation NOT Operation

𝑥 𝑦 𝑧 = 𝑥𝑦 𝑧 = 𝑥+𝑦 𝑧 = 𝑥’
0 0 0 0 1
0 1 0 1 1
1 0 0 1 0
1 1 1 1 0

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 Boolean Algebra
• In 1854, George boole developed the Boolean Algebra.

• In 1938, Claude E. Shannon introduced a two‐valued Boolean algebra called switching algebra.

A
A+B

A.B
A B

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 Boolean Algebra
• Boolean algebra is an algebraic structure defined by a set of elements, B, together with two binary
operators, + and . , provided that the following postulates are satisfied:

S. Postulates Operator Explanation 2-valued Boolean Algebra

No. {0,1} ∈ 𝐵
1. Closure + 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ 𝐵, 𝑥 = 𝑎 + 𝑏 and 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵 0+1=1 1+0=1 0,1 ∈ 𝐵
. 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ 𝐵, 𝑥 = 𝑎. 𝑏 and 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵 0.1=0 1.0=0 0,1 ∈ 𝐵
2. Identity element + 𝑥 + 0 = 𝑥, 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵, 0 is identity element 0+0=0, 1+0=0 0 is identity element
. 𝑥. 1 = 𝑥, 𝑥 ∈ 𝐵, 1 is identity element 0.1=0 1.1=1 1 is identity element
3. Commutative Law + 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑦 + 𝑥, 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ 𝐵 0+1=1+0 0,1 ∈ 𝐵
. 𝑥. 𝑦 = 𝑦. 𝑥, 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ 𝐵 0.1=1.0 0,1 ∈ 𝐵
4. Distributive Law + and . 𝑥 + 𝑦. 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 . (𝑥 + 𝑧), 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 ∈ 𝐵 Can be proved using truth table.
. and + 𝑥. 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 𝑥. 𝑦 + (𝑥. 𝑧), 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 ∈ 𝐵

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 Boolean Algebra

S. No. Postulates Operator Explanation 2-valued Boolean Algebra

{0,1} ∈ 𝐵
5. Complement + 𝑥 + 𝑥′ = 1 𝑥, 𝑥 ′ ∈ 𝐵 0+1=1+0=1 0 and 1 are complements
. 𝑥. 𝑥 ′ = 0 𝑥, 𝑥 ′ ∈ 𝐵 0.1=1.0=0 0 and 1 are complements
6. Minimum Elements NA At least two elements 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ 𝐵 exist 0 ≠ 1, 0,1 ∈ 𝐵
such that 𝑥 ≠ 𝑦

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 Distributive law for 2-valued Boolean algebra
𝑥 + 𝑦. 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 . (𝑥 + 𝑧), 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 ∈ 𝐵
𝑥. 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 𝑥. 𝑦 + (𝑥. 𝑧), 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 ∈ 𝐵

𝑥 𝑦 𝑧 𝑥 + 𝑦. 𝑧 (𝑥 + 𝑦). (𝑥 + 𝑧) 𝑥. (𝑦 + 𝑧) 𝑥. 𝑦 + (𝑥. 𝑧)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 1 0 0
1 0 0 1 1 0 0
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1

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 Duality principle
• The duality principle states that every algebraic expression deducible from the postulates of Boolean
algebra remains valid if the operators and identity elements are interchanged.

𝐷𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑢𝑎𝑙
+ . 0 1

Description Dual equivalent

𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 2 𝑥+0=𝑥 𝑥. 1 = 𝑥
𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 3 𝑥+𝑦 =𝑦+𝑥 𝑥. 𝑦 = 𝑦. 𝑥
𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 4 𝑥. 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 𝑥. 𝑦 + (𝑥. 𝑧) 𝑥 + 𝑦. 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 . (𝑥 + 𝑧)
𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 5 𝑥 + 𝑥′ = 1 𝑥. 𝑥 ′ = 0

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 Key theorems of Boolean algebra

Names Description Dual equivalent

𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚 1 𝑥+𝑥 =𝑥 𝑥. 𝑥 = 𝑥
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚 2 𝑥+1= 1 𝑥. 0 = 0
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚 3 𝐼𝑛𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑥′ ′
=𝑥
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚 4 𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑥+ 𝑦+𝑧 = 𝑥+𝑦 +𝑧 𝑥. 𝑦. 𝑧 = 𝑥. 𝑦 . 𝑧
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚 5 𝐷𝑒𝑀𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛 𝑥+𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 ′𝑦 ′ 𝑥. 𝑦 ′ = 𝑥′ + 𝑦′
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚 6 𝐴𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑥 + 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑥 𝑥. 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑥

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 Proof: Theorem 1

• Theorem 1: 𝑥+𝑥 =𝑥 • Theorem 1: 𝑥. 𝑥 = 𝑥

• Proof: 𝑥 +𝑥 = 𝑥 +𝑥 .1 P. 2d • Proof: 𝑥. 𝑥 = 𝑥. 𝑥 + 0 P. 2
= 𝑥 + 𝑥 . 𝑥 + 𝑥′ P. 5 = 𝑥. 𝑥 + 𝑥. 𝑥 ′ P. 5d
= 𝑥 + 𝑥. 𝑥 ′ P.4d = 𝑥. 𝑥 + 𝑥 ′ P. 4
=𝑥+0 P. 5d = 𝑥. 1 P. 5
=𝑥 P.2 =𝑥 P. 2d

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 Proof: Theorem 2

• Theorem 2: 𝑥+1=1 • Theorem 1: 𝑥. 0 = 0

• Proof: 𝑥 + 1 = 𝑥 + 1 .1 P. 2d • Proof: 𝑥. 0 = 𝑥. 0 + 0 P. 2
= 𝑥 + 1 . 𝑥 + 𝑥′ P. 5 = 𝑥. 0 + 𝑥. 𝑥 ′ P. 5d
= 𝑥 + 1. 𝑥 ′ P.4d = 𝑥. 0 + 𝑥 ′ P.4
= 𝑥 + 𝑥′ P. 2d = 𝑥. 𝑥 ′ P. 2
=1 P. 5 =0 P. 5d

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 Proof: Theorem 3

• Theorem 3: 𝑥 ′ ′
=𝑥
• Proof: 𝑥 + 𝑥′ = 1 P. 5
𝑥 ′+ 𝑥 ′ ′
=1 P. 5
Subtracting both the results
𝑥 − 𝑥′ ′
=0
𝑥 = 𝑥′ ′

Theorem 4 of associative law can be proven by the truth table

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 Proof: Theorem 5

′
• Theorem 5: 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑥 ′𝑦′
• Proof: 𝑥 ′ 𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 ′ 𝑦 ′ + 𝑥 + 𝑦 − (𝑥 + 𝑦)
= 𝑥 ′ 𝑦 ′ + 𝑥 + 𝑦 (𝑥+ 𝑥 ′ ) − (𝑥 + 𝑦) 𝑥 y 𝑥′ 𝑦′ 𝑥 ′𝑦 ′ 𝑥+y 𝑥+𝑦 ′

= 𝑥 ′ 𝑦 ′ + 𝑥 + 𝑥𝑦 +𝑥 ′ 𝑦 − (𝑥 + 𝑦) 0 0 1 1 1 0 1
= 𝑥 ′ 𝑦 ′ + 𝑦 + 𝑥(1 + 𝑦) − (𝑥 + 𝑦) 0 1 1 0 0 1 0
= 𝑥 ′ +𝑥 − (𝑥 + 𝑦) 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
=1 − (𝑥 + 𝑦) 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
= 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑥 + 𝑦 ′ − (𝑥 + 𝑦)
′
= 𝑥+𝑦

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 Proof: Theorem 6
Theorem 6: 𝑥 + 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑥 Theorem 6: 𝑥. (𝑥 + 𝑦) = 𝑥
Proof: 𝑥 + 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑥. 1 + 𝑥𝑦 P. 2d Proof: 𝑥. 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑥. 𝑥 + 𝑥. 𝑦 P. 4
= 𝑥. 1 + 𝑦 P. 4 = 𝑥 + 𝑥. 𝑦 Th. 1

= 𝑥. 1 Th.2 = 𝑥. 1 + 𝑦 P.4
= 𝑥.(1) Th.2
=𝑥 P. 2d
=𝑥

Theorems can also be verified by the Truth tables

𝑥 y 𝑥y 𝑥 + 𝑥𝑦 𝑥 y 𝑥+y 𝑥. (𝑥 + 𝑦)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0
1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

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 Operator Precedence
• Any Boolean equation will be evaluated in the following sequence of operations.

𝑁𝑂𝑇(′) 𝐴𝑁𝐷(. ) 𝑂𝑅(+)

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