BooleanFunctions QA

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ICS 241: Discrete Mathematics II (Spring 2015)

12.1 Boolean Functions


Boolean algebra provides the operations and rules for working with the set {0, 1}.

Boolean Complement

• x ≡ ¬x

• 0=1

• 1=0

Boolean Sum

• x+y ≡x∨y

• 0+0=0

• 0+1=1

• 1+0=1

• 1+1=1

Boolean Product

• x·y ≡x∧y

• 0·0=0

• 0·1=0

• 1·0=0

• 1·1=1

Boolean Functions

Let B = {0, 1}. Then B n = {(x1 , x2 , . . . , xn )|xi ∈ B for 1 ≤ i ≤ n} is the set of all possible
n-tuples of 0s and 1s. The variable x is called a Boolean variable if it assumes values only from
B, that is, if its only possible values are 0 and 1. A function from B n to B is called a Boolean
function of degree n.

Boolean Expressions

The Boolean expressions in the variables, x1 , x2 , . . . , xn are defined recursively as 0, 1, x1 , x2 , . . . , xn


are Boolean expressions; if E1 and E2 are Boolean expressions, then E 1 , (E1 E2 ), and (E1 + E2 )
are Boolean expressions. Each Boolean expression represents a Boolean function.

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ICS 241: Discrete Mathematics II (Spring 2015)

Boolean Identities
Identity Name
x=x Law of the double complement
x+x=x
Idempotent laws
x·x=x
x+0=x
Identity laws
x·1=x
x+1=1
Domination laws
x·0=0
x+y =y+x
Commutative laws
xy = yx
x + (y + z) = (x + y) + z
Associative laws
x(yz) = (xy)z
x + yz = (x + y)(x + z)
Distributive laws
x(y + z) = xy + xz
(xy) = x + y
De Morgan’s laws
(x + y) = xy
x+x=1 Unit property
xx = 0 Zero property

Duality

The dual of a Boolean expression is obtained by interchanging Boolean sums and Boolean products
and interchanging 0s and 1s.

Abstract Definition of Boolean Algebra

A general Boolean algebra is a set B with elements 0 and 1, two binary operators ∧ and ∨, and a
unary operator ¬ that satisfies the following laws for all x, y, and z in B:

• Identity laws:

– x∨0=x
– x∧1=x

• Complement laws:

– x ∨ ¬x = 1
– x ∧ ¬x = 0

• Associative laws:

– (x ∨ y) ∨ z = x ∨ (y ∨ z)
– (x ∧ y) ∧ z = x ∧ (y ∧ z)

• Commutative laws:

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ICS 241: Discrete Mathematics II (Spring 2015)

– x∨y =y∨x
– x∧y =y∧x

• Distributive laws:

– x ∨ (y ∧ z) = (x ∨ y) ∧ (x ∨ z)
– x ∧ (y ∨ z) = (x ∧ y) ∨ (x ∧ z)

12.1 pg. 818 # 5

Use a table to express the values of each of these Boolean functions.

a) F (x, y, z) = xy
x y z x xy
1 1 1 0 0
1 1 0 0 0
1 0 1 0 0
1 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 1
0 1 0 1 1
0 0 1 1 0
0 0 0 1 0

b) F (x, y, z) = x + yz
x y z yz x + yz
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 0 0 1
1 0 1 0 1
1 0 0 0 1
0 1 1 1 1
0 1 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0

c) F (x, y, z) = xy + (xyz)
x y z y xy xyz (xyz) xy + (xyz)
1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1
0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1
0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1

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ICS 241: Discrete Mathematics II (Spring 2015)

d) F (x, y, z) = x(yz + yz)


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

12.1 pg. 818 # 9

What values of the Boolean variables x and y satisfy xy = x + y?

xy = x + y is only satisfied if and only if x = y. We can easily see that when x = y = 0 or when
x = y = 1 is when the equation is satisfied.

12.1 pg. 818 # 11

Prove the absorption law x + xy = x using the other laws.

x + xy
= x · 1 + xy by identity law
= x(1 + y) by distributive law
= x(y + 1) by commutative law
= x · 1 by domination law
= x by identity law

12.1 pg. 818 # 13

Show that xy + yz + xz = xy + yz + xz.

Simply create a table and list the values.

x y z x y z xy yz xz xy yz xz xy + yz + xz xy + yz + xz
1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1
1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1
1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1
0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1
0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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