Boolean Algebra

Booklet 3
Other Assessment Style Questions
Version 0.3

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1. Simplify the following expressions, showing all stages of your working.
a) AA (1)

b) A.B  B  (3)

c) A.B  B  (1)

d) (1)
A  B.C 

2. a) Name and complete the truth table for the logic gate whose symbol is shown below.

A
Q
B

Name of gate: (1)

Truth table: (1)
A B Q
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1

b) Consider the following circuit diagram:

J
A 1 L
3

5 Q

4
B 2 M
K

i) Complete the truth table for this system. (5)

A B J K L M Q
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1
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 ii) The system can be modified to perform the same function as the gate shown below. (1)
A
Q
B

Explain what change needs to be made.

3. a) Factorise the following Boolean expression and simplify the result: A.B  A.B (3)

b) Apply DeMorgan’s theorem to the following expression: A.B (1)

c) ̅+̅
Use the results to (a) and (b) to show that: A.B ̅ + ̅̅̅̅̅̅
A⋅B A⋅B ̅=1 (4)

4. Simplify the following expressions.

a) A.0  (1)
b) AA (1)
c) A.B  A  (1)

5. a) Consider the following circuit diagram: (3)

X
A Y

Q
B

Write down Boolean expressions for the outputs X, Y and Q in terms of the inputs A and B.
X=

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 Y=
Q=

b) Complete the following identities:

i) A.1  (1)
ii) A  1 (1)
iii) AA (1)

c) (4)
Simplify the following expression using De Morgan’s theorem: A.(B.A)

6. The diagram shows a cabinet designed to house

machinery. Sliding panels allow easy access.

microswitch C
microswitch B

enable switch A
The output Q of an electronic warning system triggers an alarm if the enable switch A is turned on,
when either panel is open, or both are open.

Each sliding panel closes a microswitch, when in place.

The microswitches, B and C, output a logic 0 signal when closed.
The enable switch A sends a logic 1 signal to the electronic system when turned on.
The system outputs a logic 1 to trigger the alarm.

a) Complete the truth table for the logic system. (2)

Microswitch (C) Microswitch (B) Enable Switch (A) Output (Q)
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1
1 0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
1 1 1

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 b) Write a Boolean expression for the output Q in terms of inputs C, B and A. (2)
There is no need to simplify the expression.

7. Consider the following circuit diagram:

A
Q1

Q3

Q2
B
a) Give the Boolean expressions for each of the outputs Q1, Q2 and Q3 in terms of the inputs A and B. (3)
Q1 =
Q2 =
Q3 =

b) Complete the following truth table for Q1, Q2 and Q3. (3)

INPUTS OUTPUTS
A B Q1 Q2 Q3
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1

c) Name the single 2-input gate that could produce the same function as the Q3 output. (1)

8. a) Simplify the following expressions showing all appropriate working.

i) A.1  (1)
ii) B.( A  B)  (2)

b) Apply De Morgan’s theorem to the following expression and simplify the result: ( A  B)  A  (3)

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9. Consider the following circuit diagram:

A S

B T

a) Complete the truth table for the signal at points S, T and Q. (3)
B A S T Q
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1
b) i) Name the single gate that can replace the combination of gates above. (1)
ii) Draw the symbol for this gate. (1)

10. A security system is designed to switch on a powerful floodlight when movement is detected, or a panic
button is pressed. The system should operate only when it is dark. The specifications for the three input
subsystems are given below:

Light Sensor A Dark = Logic 0

Light A Movement Sensor B Movement = Logic 1
Sensor
Panic Button C Pressed = Logic 1
Movement B Logic System
Q
Sensor

Panic C
Button

a) Complete the truth table for the logic system such that Q = logic 1 when the floodlight is on. (2)

Panic Button (C) Movement Sensor (B) Light Sensor (A) Output (Q)
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1
1 0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
1 1 1
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 b) Write down the Boolean expression for Q. (2)

11. a) Consider the following circuit diagram: (3)

D
A
E

B Q1

F
C

Give the Boolean expressions for the outputs D, E and F of the gates in the logic system in terms
of the inputs A and B.
D=
E=
F=

b) Complete the following truth table for D, E, F, and Q1. (4)

C B A D E F Q1
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1
1 0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
1 1 1

c) (4)
Use De Morgan’s theorem and Boolean Algebra to show that: (A  B).( A.B)  A  B

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12. Consider the following circuit diagram:

A Q1

Q3

B Q2

a) Write down the Boolean expressions for each of the outputs Q1, Q2 and Q3 in terms of the inputs (3)
A and B.
Q1 =
Q2 =
Q3 =

b) Complete the following truth table for Q1, Q2 and Q3. (3)
INPUTS OUTPUTS
A B Q1 Q2 Q3
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1
c) Name the single 2-input gate that could produce the same function as the Q3 output. (1)

13. A logic system must generate the output Q where: Q  C.B.A  B.A (5)
Complete the truth table for this system.

C B A Q  C.B.A  B.A
0 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1
1 0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
1 1 1

14. a) Simplify the following expressions showing all appropriate working.

i) A.0  (1)
ii) A  A.B  (3)

b) Apply De Morgan’s theorem to the following expression and simplify the result: (3)

A  (B.A) 

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Solutions:

1. a) AA 1 (1)

A.B  B 
b) ̅
𝑩 + 𝑨. 𝑩 (3)
̅)
= (𝑩 + 𝑨) ⋅ (𝑩 + 𝑩
= (𝑩 + 𝑨) ⋅ 𝟏
𝑨+𝑩

A.B  B 
c) 𝑩 (Absorption Rule) (1)

A  B.C 
d) 𝑨 ̅
̅⋅𝑩⋅𝑪 (1)

2. a) Name of gate: XOR (1)

Truth table: (1)
A B Q
0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0

b) i) A B J K L M Q (5)
0 0 1 1 0 0 1
0 1 1 0 0 1 0
1 0 0 1 1 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0 1

ii) (1)
You could change logic gate 5 to an OR gate.

3. a) A.B  A.B (3)

̅ ⋅ (𝑨 + 𝑨
=𝑩 ̅)
̅ ⋅𝟏
=𝑩
̅
=𝑩

b) A.B (1)
̅+𝑩
=𝑨

c) ̅+̅
A.B ̅ + ̅̅̅̅̅̅
A⋅B A⋅B ̅ (4)
̅ +𝑨
=𝑩 ̅+𝑩

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 ̅+𝑩+𝑩
=𝑨 ̅
̅+𝟏
=𝑨
=1
4. a) A.0  𝟎 (1)
b) AA 𝑨 (1)
c) A.B  A  𝑨 (1)

5. a) X= ̅
𝑨 (3)
Y= ̅+𝑩
𝑨
Q= ̅ + 𝑩) ⋅ 𝑩
(𝑨 ̅

b) i) A.1  𝑨 (1)
ii) A  1 𝟏 (1)

iii) AA 𝟏 (1)

c) A.(B.A) (4)
̅ + (𝑩 ⋅ 𝑨)
=𝑨
̅ + 𝑩) ⋅ (𝑨
= (𝑨 ̅ + 𝑨)
̅ + 𝑩) ⋅ 𝟏
= (𝑨
̅+𝑩
=𝑨

Microswitch (C) Microswitch (B) Enable Switch (A) Output (Q)

0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 1 0 0
0 1 1 1
1 0 0 0
1 0 1 1
1 1 0 0
6. a) (2)
1 1 1 1

b) (2)
𝑸 = (𝑪 + 𝑩) ⋅ 𝑨

7. ̅⋅𝑩
̅ (3)
a) Q1 = 𝑨
Q2 = 𝑨⋅𝑩
Q3 = ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
̅⋅𝑩
(𝑨 ̅ ) + (𝑨 ⋅ 𝑩)

b) (3)
INPUTS OUTPUTS
A B Q1 Q2 Q3
0 0 1 0 0
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 0 1 0 0 1
1 0 0 0 1
1 1 0 1 0
(1)
c) XOR
8. (1)
a) i) A.1  𝑨
B.( A  B)  ̅ ⋅𝑨+𝑩
̅⋅𝑩 (2)
ii) 𝑩
̅ ⋅𝑨+𝟎
=𝑩
̅ ⋅𝑨
=𝑩

( A  B)  A  (3)
b)
= ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
(𝑨 + 𝑩) ⋅ 𝑨
= ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑨⋅𝑨+𝑩⋅𝑨
= ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑨+𝑩⋅𝑨
=𝑨̅
9. a) (3)
B A S T Q
0 0 1 0 0
0 1 0 0 1
1 0 0 0 1
1 1 0 1 0

b) (1)
i) XOR

(1)
ii)

10. a) (2)
Panic Button (C) Movement Sensor (B) Light Sensor (A) Output (Q)
0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 1 0 0
0 1 1 1
1 0 0 0
1 0 1 1
1 1 0 0
1 1 1 1

b) (2)
𝑸 = (𝑪 + 𝑩) ⋅ 𝑨

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11. a) ̅ (3)
D= 𝑨
E= ̅⋅𝐵
𝑨
F= 𝑩+𝑪

b) C B A D E F Q1 (4)
0 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 1 1 0
0 1 1 0 0 1 1
1 0 0 1 0 1 1
1 0 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 1 0
1 1 1 0 0 1 1

c) ̅) (4)
(𝑨 + 𝑩) ⋅ (𝑨 ⋅ 𝑩
𝑨 + 𝑩 + ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
= ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅ 𝑨⋅𝑩 ̅ (De Morgan)
= ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑨+𝑩+𝑨 ̅+𝑩 (De Morgan)
̅⋅𝑩
=𝑨 ̅ +𝑨
̅+𝑩 (De Morgan)
̅+𝑩
=𝑨 (Absorbtion)

12. a) (3)
Q1 = 𝑨+𝑩
Q2 = ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑨⋅𝑩
Q3 = (𝑨 + 𝑩) ⋅ ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑨⋅𝑩

b) INPUTS OUTPUTS (3)

A B Q1 Q2 Q3
0 0 0 1 0
0 1 1 1 1
1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0
c) (1)
XOR

13. ̅ ̅ ̅⋅𝑩
̅⋅𝑨 ̅⋅𝑨
̅ (5)
C B A ̅
𝑪 𝑩 𝑨 𝑪 𝑩 Q  C.B.A  B.A
0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1
0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1
1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

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 14. a) (1)
i) A.0  𝟎
(3)
ii) A  A.B  ̅ ) ⋅ (𝑨 + 𝑩)
(𝑨 + 𝑨 (Distributive)
= 𝟏 ⋅ (𝑨 + 𝑩)
=𝑨+𝑩

b) A  (B.A)  𝑨⋅𝑩⋅𝑨
(3)

=𝑨⋅𝑨⋅𝑩
=𝑨⋅𝑩

References:

System simplification using Boolean Algebra

www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/4891.doc?language_id=1

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