Karnaugh Maps (K maps)

What are Karnaugh maps?

• Karnaugh maps provide an alternative way of simplifying
logic circuits.
• Instead of using Boolean algebra simplification
techniques, you can transfer logic values from a Boolean
statement or a truth table into a Karnaugh map.
• The arrangement of 0's and 1's within the map helps
you to visualise the logic relationships between the
variables and leads directly to a simplified Boolean
statement.
 Karnaugh maps
• Karnaugh maps, or K-maps, are often used to simplify logic problems with 2, 3
or 4 variables.
AB
Cell = 2n ,where n is a number of variables

For the case of 2 variables, we form a map consisting of 22=4 cells

as shown in Figure
A A A
0 1 0 1 0 1
B B B
0 A B A  B 0 00 10 0 AB
0 2

A B A  B 01 11
1 1
1 3
1
A B AB
Maxterm Minterm
 Karnaugh maps
• 3 variables Karnaugh map

Cell = 23=8

AB
C 00 01 11 10
0 2 6 4
0 A B C A BC ABC AB C
1 3 7 5
1 A B C A BC ABC AB C
 Karnaugh maps
• 4 variables Karnaugh map
AB
CD 00 01 11 10
0 4 12 8
00
1 5 13 9
01
3 7 15 11
11

2 6 14 10
10
 Karnaugh maps
• The Karnaugh map is completed by entering a '1‘(or
‘0’) in each of the appropriate cells.
• Within the map, adjacent cells containing 1's (or 0’s)
are grouped together in twos, fours, or eights.
 Example
2-variable Karnaugh maps are trivial but can be used to introduce
the methods you need to learn. The map for a 2-input OR gate
looks like this:
A
0 1
B
A
Y 0 1
B
A
1 1 1
A B Y
0 0 0
B
0 1 1
1 0 1
A+B
1 1 1
 Example
AC
A B C Y
0 0 0 1 AB
C 00 01 11 10
0 0 1 1
0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1
0 1 1 0
1 0 0 1 1 1 1
1 0 1 1
1 1 0 1
B  AC
1 1 1 0 B
Plotting Functions on the
K-map
SOP Form
 Canonical SOP Form

Three Variable Example

F  ABC  ABC  ABC  ABC

using shorthand notation
F  m6  m3  m1  m5

F  A, B, C    m 1,3,5,6 
Three-Variable K-Map Example
Plot 1’s (minterms) of switching function

ab
c 00 01 11 10

0 1

1 1 1 1

F  a, b, c    m 1,3,5,6 
Three-Variable K-Map Example
Plot 1’s (minterms) of switching function

ab
c 00 01 11 10
ab
bc
0 1

1 1 1 1

F  a, b, c   ab  bc
 Guidelines for Simplifying
Functions
• Each square on a K-map of n variables has n logically
adjacent squares. (i.e. differing in exactly one variable)
• When combing squares, always group in powers of 2m ,
where m=0,1,2,….
• In general, grouping 2m variables eliminates m variables.
• Group as many squares as possible. This eliminates
the most variables.
• Make as few groups as possible. Each group
represents a separate product term.
• You must cover each minterm at least once.
However, it may be covered more than once.
 Four Variable K –Map Example
• Use a K-Map to simplify the following Boolean
expression

F  a, b, c, d    m  0, 2,3,6,8,12,13,15
 Four-variable K-Map
ab
cd 00 01 11 10

00 1 1 1
01 1
11
1 1
10 1 1
F  a, b, c, d    m  0, 2,3,6,8,12,13,15
 Four-variable K-Map
ab
cd 00 01 11 10

00 1 1 1
01 1
11
1 1
10 1 1
F   m  0, 2,3,6,8,12,13,15
 Four-variable K-Map
ab
cd 00 01 11 10

00 1 1 1
01 1
11
1 1
10 1 1

F  abd  abc  acd  abd  acd

 Example
• Use a K-Map to simplify the following Boolean
expression

F  a, b, c, d    m  0, 2, 6,8,12,13,15 
 d  3,9,10 
D=Don’t care (i.e. either 1 or 0)
 Four-variable K-Map
ab
cd 00 01 11 10

00
1 d 1 1
01
1 d
11
d 1
10
1 1
F  a, b, c, d    m  0, 2, 6,8,12,13,15  d  3, 4,9 
Four-variable K-Map
ab
cd 00 01 11 10

00 1 d 1 1
01 1 d
11
d 1
10 1 1

F  ac  ad  abd
Five variable K-map- F  a, b, c, d , e 

Use two four variable K-maps

A=1

A=0
Use Two Four-variable K-Maps

A=0 map A=1 map

bc bc
de 00 01 11 10 de 00 01 11 10

00 00

01 01

11 11

10 10
 Five variable example
F  a, b, c, d , e    m  5,7,13,15, 21, 23, 29,31
Use Two Four-variable K-Maps
A=0 map A=1 map
bc bc
de 00 01 11 10 de 00 01 11 10

00 00

01 1 1 01 1 1
11
1 1
11
11
10 10

F2  a  ce 
F1  a  ce 

F  F1  F2  a  ce   a  ce   ce