TITLE

Optimizing Boolean
Expressions with
Quine-McCluskey
Method

Joe K. Karam
Logic design (Gel 311)
To Doctor Pascal
Damien
Submitted in
11/30/2023
 1. Introduction:
Logic circuit simplification is the most practical usage of Boolean algebra. If a logic circuit's
purpose is converted into symbolic (Boolean) form, a circuit with fewer components can
nonetheless do the same task. By using particular algebraic methods to reduce the number of
terms and/or arithmetic operations in the resulting equation, the simplified equation may then be
converted back into circuit form. Reducing the number of parts needed to perform a given
function will result in lower manufacturing costs and increased manufacturing dependability.
(referenced by: “All About Circuits” |
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/digital/chpt-7/boolean-rules-for-simplification/ |
November 29, 2023)
Boolean functions can be reduced to up to five variables previously using the K-map technique.
However, shortening the Boolean functions for the five variables using this method is difficult.
Thus, for the simplification of Boolean functions with more than four variables, the Quine-
McCluskey tabular method is a very useful and appropriate technique. This tabular approach
makes use of the prime implicants idea. Accordingly, the prime implicant is a sum term or
product that cannot be further reduced by combining with any other Boolean function sum terms
or products. The Quine McCluskey method is a tabulation technique used to minimize the
Boolean functions. The expression of Boolean with prime implicants is made simpler by using
this method. Therefore, for the four input variables mentioned above, this method is very helpful
in simplifying Boolean expressions. Edward J. McCluskey expanded on the 1952 method
developed by Willard V. Quine. (Referenced by: “Quine McCluskey Method : Algorithm,
Example & Its Applications | https://www.elprocus.com/quine-mccluskey-method/ | July 25,
2023)

2. Quine-McCluskey Method:
The terms implicant, prime implicant, and essential prime implicant are used in the Quine
McCluskey Method.
 An implication is a grouping of one's for minterm.
 The primary group of one's for minterm is known as the prime implicant.
 A group that covers as a minimum single minterm that cannot be enclosed with other
applicants is an essential prime implicant. Therefore, this method makes use of binary (B)
to decimal (D) representation.
Below is a discussion of the Quine-McCluskey Method of minimization's step-by-step process:
The provided minimum terms must first be arranged in ascending order, then groups must be
formed based on the quantity of 1s included in each term's binary representation. Therefore, if a
Boolean function contains 'n' Boolean variables, then there will be approximately 'n+1' groups; if
not, there will be n-bits in the binary representation of the min terms.
The current minimum terms must then be compared in the groupings that follow. Obtain the pair
of the two minimum terms if the change occurs just in the 1-bit position. Place this "_" symbol

1
inside the modified bit location and keep the remaining bits the same. (Referenced by: “Quine
McCluskey Method: Algorithm, Example & Its Applications | https://www.elprocus.com/quine-
mccluskey-method/ | July 25, 2023)

Figure 1:Quine-McCluskey method

The previous procedure must then be repeated for each newly produced term until all prime
implicants are obtained.
Make a table containing a set of rows and columns for the prime implicants. Prime implicants
can be organized in rows and min terms in columns in this table. Put "one" in the cells that
correspond to the minimum terms included in each prime implicant.
Observe each column to identify the primary implicants. The element of the reduced Boolean
function will be the essential prime implicant if the min term is encompassed by a single prime
implicant.
Simply eliminate each fundamental prime implicant in the row and the columns corresponding to
the minimum terms encircling that fundamental prime implicant to reduce the size of the prime
implicant database. For the reduced prime implicant table, proceed as before. This process must
be terminated once the Boolean function's all min terms have been reached.
(Referenced by: “Quine McCluskey Method: Algorithm, Example & Its Applications |
https://www.elprocus.com/quine-mccluskey-method/ | July 25, 2023)
The bare minimum of words required to cover every output 1 in the truth table is represented by
explicit implicants. To make the logic function simpler, they are employed in logic optimization
techniques as Quine-McCluskey method and Karnaugh maps.

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Prime Implicants: All conceivable groups produced in K-Map are referred to as prime implicants
(PI), which are sets of squares or rectangles composed of several contiguous minterms that are
permitted by the K-Map concept.
Sub cubes (groups) that cover at least one minterm that cannot be covered by any other prime
implicant are known as essential prime implicants. Prime implicants that are always present in
the final solution are known as essential prime implicants, or EPI.
(referenced by: “Various Implicants in K-Map” | https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/various-
implicants-in-k-map/ | September 21, 2023)

Figure 2: A 4 variable Kmap

As for an Example we can use the Quine-McCluskey tabular technique to simplify a Boolean
function such as F(a,b,c,d,e,f,g) = ∑m(20,28,52,60), with minterms 20, 28, 52 and 60. To solve
this problem we Sort the provided minterms in order of the quantity of ones they have inside the
representation of binary data after converting them to their binary representation.
(referenced by: “Quine McCluskey Method” | https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/quine-mccluskey-
method/ | April 26, 2022)

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Figure 3

20 is retained in one group (0) since it has two 1s in its representation. In a similar vein, numbers
28 and 52 are retained in the next group (1) since they represent three 1s. 60 in the second group
(2).
In table 2, minterms from consecutive groups (simultaneous group only) with a representational
difference of no more than one bit are taken, and they are merged to form a group of pairs from
the merged groups (for instance, group 0 is added to group 1 because 20 is from group 0 and
group 1 is added to group 0). 20 is preserved in the same group in table 2 since it belongs to
group 0 in table 1 and group 1 in table 1. Likewise, create every conceivable combination using
the table above and indicate the places where it differs slightly.
(referenced by: “Quine McCluskey Method” | https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/quine-mccluskey-
method/ | April 26, 2022)

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Figure 4

To replicate the process for table 3, take two successive groups in pairs, merge them when the
difference is only one bit, and then group them into groups based on the groups from which the
bit difference is merged and put.

Figure 5

The procedure is terminated after table 3 since the remaining group minterms in the concurrent
groups of table 3 do not differ by one bit. The prime implicants for the specified Boolean
function are now represented by the remaining quads in table 3. Thus, we create a prime
implicants table with the provided minterms as columns and the obtained prime implicants as

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rows. Put 1 in the location that the minterm can relate to. If this prime implicant only covers the
specified minterm, then add the minterm to the simplified Boolean statement.
Table 3 yields A'CEF'G' since A, F, and G include 0 so A'F'G', C, and E contain 1 so CE.

Figure 6

Since only this prime implicant covers all minimum phrases, A'CEF'G' has a simplified function.
(referenced by: “Quine McCluskey Method” | https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/quine-mccluskey-
method/ | April 26, 2022)

3. Comparative Analysis with Karnaugh Maps (K-maps):

Because the Quine-McCluskey approach and a Karnaugh map have different advantages and
disadvantages, the result of simplifying an expression using both techniques may differ.
An effective graphical technique for reducing the number of terms required to represent an
expression is the Karnaugh map, which can be used to simplify Boolean equations. Small to
medium-sized expressions work well with it, and it can be simpler to utilize than other
techniques. Large expressions can benefit from the Quine-McCluskey approach, which is a
tabular technique for simplifying Boolean statements. Although it can be more difficult to utilize
than other ways, it is more methodical and effective. Both approaches can be utilized to create
equivalent expressions and are generally helpful for streamlining Boolean expressions.
Nevertheless, the simplified expression and the method of simplification will determine the
result of each procedure. (referenced by: “Karnaugh map & Quine McCluskey” |
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75325859/karnaugh-map-quine-mccluskey |March 01,
1969)

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The following are some of the benefits of the Quine McCluskey approach:
 For a lot of inputs, such as the four mentioned above, the Quine–McCluskey technique is
employed.
 Identification of patterns is not required.
 This technique gets around the problem with Karnaugh maps, which is that they make
pattern identification difficult and time-consuming when there are more inputs.
 Boolean functions can be reduced to up to five variables using the k-map method.
 The Quine McCluskey approach is much faster than the Kmap method.
The following are some of the drawbacks of the Quine McCluskey approach:
 These are complicated since we must tabulate four or five tables in order to discover the
minimal Boolean statement.
 The computational complexity of this method is large.
(Referenced by: “Quine McCluskey Method: Algorithm, Example & Its Applications |
https://www.elprocus.com/quine-mccluskey-method/ | July 25, 2023)

Figure 7: advantages and disadvantages of a kmap

The advantages of a kmap:

 Simplifies Boolean Expressions: K-Maps' ability to simplify Boolean expressions is one
of its main features. This implies that intricate formulations can be distilled into more
digestible, straightforward forms, which facilitate comprehension and manipulation.
 Visual Representation: Boolean expressions are represented visually with K-Maps, which
facilitates the identification of patterns and correlations. People can have a better
understanding of the relationships between the various variables in a Boolean statement
by using this visual representation.

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  Quicker Than Other Approaches Compared to alternative approaches, such algebraic
manipulation, K-Maps can simplify Boolean equations considerably more quickly. This is
very helpful when dealing with intricate and huge expressions.
 Reduces Errors: When simplifying Boolean equations, K-Maps reduce the possibility of
errors. The approach is less prone to error than other methods because it includes filling
up a table and visually spotting patterns.
 Finally, K-Maps are a versatile tool since they may be applied to expressions that contain
more than two variables. This implies that they have a broad range of applications,
ranging from computer programming to digital logic circuits.
The disadvantages of a kmap:
 Restrictions on variables: K-Maps are limited to six variables. This implies that you must
choose an alternative strategy to simplify your Boolean statement if your set of variables
is more than six.
 Needs skill: To utilize K-Maps properly, one must possess a particular level of ability and
comprehension. They could be perplexing or challenging for beginners to utilize, but with
time and effort, they can be an invaluable tool.
 Time-consuming to produce - Although K-Maps are a great approach to simplify Boolean
statements, they can take a while to create, particularly when there are a lot of variables.
They may become unworkable in larger circuits as a result.
 K-Maps are only helpful for somewhat simple circuits; they are not appropriate for
complex circuits. More sophisticated instruments and simplification methods are needed
for circuits that are more complex.
 prone to errors at times K-Maps are a manual process, thus if they are not handled
correctly, they may be prone to errors. It's crucial to go over your work again to make
sure you fill in the cells and choose the right groups.
(referenced by: “Advantages and Disadvantages of K-Map” |
https://aspiringyouths.com/advantages-disadvantages/k-map/ | October 14, 2023)

4. Conclusion:
In conclusion, it is easy to choose between the two methods to simplify a Boolean expression. If
the function has more than 4 variables, we use quine McCluskey’s method, else we use the
Karnaugh map method. As a result, before choosing the best approach, it's crucial to take the
expression's size and complexity into account. In the end, other methods to simplify a Boolean
expression exist and for example: Algebraic manipulation which is the simplest method of them
all; and there is Petric method which is an extension of quine McCluskey method, and it is used
for large Boolean functions. Furthermore, there is the quadratic Boolean programing which it’s
also used for large Boolean functions; and we cannot forget about the tabulation method which it
minimizes Boolean functions using up to 6 variables, and the use of the consensus theorem is
also an option.