BOOLEAN ALGEBRA
MRS NANCY IPOLE-ADELAIYE
Boolean Algebra
• One of the primary requirements when dealing with digital circuits is
to find ways to make them as simple as possible.
• This constantly requires that complex logical expressions be reduced
to simpler expressions that nevertheless produce the same results
under all possible conditions.
• The simpler expression can then be implemented with a smaller,
simpler circuit, which in turn saves the price of the unnecessary gates,
reduces the number of gates needed, and reduces the power and the
amount of space required by those gates.
• One tool to reduce logical expressions is the mathematics of logical
expressions, introduced by George Boole in 1854 and known today as
Boolean Algebra.
• The rules of Boolean Algebra are simple and straight-forward, and
can be applied to any logical expression.
• The resulting reduced expression can then be readily tested with a
Truth Table, to verify that the reduction was valid.
Closure
• Boolean algebra is an algebraic structure defined on a set of elements
B, together with two binary operators(+, .) provided the following
postulates are satisfied.
1. Closure with respect to operator + and Closure with respect to
operator .
Identity Element
2. An identity element with respect to + designated by
0: X+0= 0+X = X
• An identity element with respect to . designated by
1: X.1= 1.X = X
Commutive
3. Commutative with respect to +: X+Y = Y+X
.
• Commutative with respect to : X.Y = Y.X
•4
. distributive over +: X.(Y+Z) = X.Y+X.Z
+ distributive over .: X+(Y.Z) = (X+Y).(X+Z)
5. For every element x belonging to B, there exist an element xʹ or called the
complement of x such that x. xʹ=0 and x+ xʹ=1 x
6. There exists at least two elements x,y belonging to B such that x≠y
The two-valued Boolean algebra is defined on a set B={0,1} with two binary
operators + and .
x y x.y
0 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 1
x y X+y x X’
0 0 0 0 1
0 1 1 1 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
• Closure: from the tables, the result of each operation is either 0 or 1
and 1 ,0 belongs to B
• Identity: From the truth table we see that 0 is the identity element
for + and 1 is the identity element for .
• Commutative law: it is obvious from the symmetry of binary
operators table.
Distributive Law: x.(y+z) = x.y+x.z
x y z Y+z x.(y+z) x.y x.z x.y+x.z
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Distributive law of + over . can be shown as in the truth table above
From the complement table we can see that
x+ xʹ=1 i.e 1+0=1 and x. xʹ=0 i.e 1.0=0
Principle of duality of Boolean algebra
• The principle of duality state that every algebraic expression which
can be deduced from the postulates of Boolean algebra remains valid
if the operators and the identity elements are interchanged.
• This mean that the dual of an expression is obtained changing every
AND(.) to OR(+), every OR(+) to AND(.) and all 1's to 0's and
vice-versa
Laws of Boolean Algebra
• Postulate 2 :
• (a) 0 + A = A
• (b) 1.A = A
• Postulate 5 :
• (a) A + Aʹ =1
• (b) A. Aʹ=0
• Theorem1 : Identity Law
• (a) A + A = A
• (b) A A = A
• Theorem2
• (a) 1 + A = 1
• (b) 0. A = 0
• Theorem3: involution
• Aʹʹ=A
• Postulate 3 : Commutative Law
• (a) A + B = B + A
• (b) A B = B A
• Theorem4: Associate Law
• (a) (A + B) + C = A + (B + C)
• (b) (A B) C = A (B C)
• Postulate4: Distributive Law
• (a) A (B + C) = A B + A C
• (b) A + (B C) = (A + B) (A + C)
• Theorem5 : De Morgan's Theorem
• (a) (A+B)ʹ= AʹBʹ
• (b) (AB)ʹ= Aʹ+ Bʹ
• Theorem6 : Absorption
• (a) A + A B = A
• (b) A (A + B) = A
Prove Theorem 1: (a)
X+X=X
x+x=(X+X).1 by postulate 2b
=(x+x)(x+xʹ) 5a
=x+xxʹ 4b
=x+0 5b
=x 2a
Prove Theorem 1 : (b)
X.X=X
xx=(X.X)+0 by postulate 2a
=x.x+x.xʹ 5b
=x(x+xʹ) 4a
=x.1 5a
=x 2b
Prove Theorem 2 : (a)
X+1=X
x+1=1.(X+1) by postulate 2b
(x+xʹ)=(x+1) 5a
=x+xʹ.1 4b
=x+ xʹ 2b
=1 5a
Prove Theorem 2 : (b)
X.0=0
x.0=0+(X.0) by postulate 2a
(x.xʹ)=(x.0) 5b
=x.xʹ+0 4a
=x.xʹ 2a
=0 5b
Prove Theorem 6 : (a)
X+xy=X
x+xy=x.1+xy by postulate 2b
=x(1+y) 4b
=x(y+1) 3a
=x.1 2b
=x 2b
Prove Theorem 6 : (b)
• X(x+y)=X
• X(x+y)=(x+0).(x+y) by postulate 2a
• =x+0.y 4a
• =x +0 2a
• =x 2a
• Using the laws given above, complicated expressions can be
simplified.
