[ECE] 4–5 Logic Simplification Using Boolean Algebra

A logic expression can be reduced to its simplest form or changed to a more convenient form to implement the expression most efficiently using Boolean algebra. The approach taken in this section is to use the basic laws, rules, and theorems of Boolean algebra to manipulate and simplify an expression.

After completing this section, you should be able to

u Apply the laws, rules, and theorems of Boolean algebra to simplify general expressions

ex: AB + A(B + C) + B(B + C)

The following is not necessarily the only approach.

Step 1: Apply the distributive law to the second and third terms in the expression, as follows: AB + AB + AC + BB + BC

Step 2: Apply rule 7 (BB = B) to the fourth term. AB + AB + AC + B + BC

Step 3: Apply rule 5 (AB + AB = AB) to the first two terms. AB + AC + B + BC

Step 4: Apply rule 10 (B + BC = B) to the last two terms. AB + AC + B

Step 5: Apply rule 10 (AB + B = B) to the first and third terms. B + AC

At this point the expression is simplified as much as possible.

Once you gain experience in applying Boolean algebra, you can often combine many individual steps