1

Procedure for finding the minimal function via

K-maps (layman terms)

1. Convert truth table to K-map

2. Group adjacent ones: In doing so include
the largest number of adjacent ones (Prime Y
AB
Implicants) CD 01 11 10
00 1 0 0 1
00
3. Create new groups to cover all ones in the
0 1 0 1
map: create a new group only to include at 01
least once cell (of value 1 ) that is not
1 1 0 0
covered by any other group 11

4. Select the groups that result in the minimal 1 1 0 1

10
sum of products (we will formalize this
because its not straightforward)

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 Reading the reduced K-map
Y
AB
CD
01 11 10
00 1 0 0 1

00
0 1 0 1

01
1 1 0 0

11
1 1 0 1

10

Y = AC + ABD + ABC + BD

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 Definitions: implicant, prime implicant, essential
prime implicant
• Implicant: A product term that has non-empty
intersection with on-set F and does not intersect with
off-set R .
• Prime Implicant: An implicant that is not a proper
subset of any other implicant i.e. it is not completely
covered by any single implicant
• Essential Prime Implicant: A prime implicant with
atleast one element that is not covered by one or more
prime implicants.

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 Definition: Prime Implicant
• Implicant: A product term that has non-empty intersection with on-set F
and does not intersect with off-set R
• Prime Implicant: An implicant that is not a proper subset of any other
implicant i.e. it is not completely covered by any single implicant

Y Q: Is this a prime implicant?

AB
CD 00 01 11 10

00 1 0 0 1

A. Yes
0 1 0 1
01 B. No
1 1 0 0
11

1 1 0 1
10

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 Definition: Prime Implicant
• Implicant: A product term that has non-empty intersection with
on- set F and does not intersect with off-set R
• Prime Implicant: An implicant that is not a proper subset of any
other implicant i.e. it is not completely covered by any single
implicant

CD
AB
01 11
Q: Is this a prime implicant?
00 10
1 0 0 1

00
0 1 0 1
A. Yes
01
1 1 0 0 B. No
11
1 1 0 1

11
Definition: Prime Implicant
10

12
 Definition: Prime Implicant
• Implicant: A product term that has non-empty intersection with on-set
F and does not intersect with off-set R
• Prime Implicant: An implicant that is not a proper subset of any
other implicant i.e. it is not completely covered by any single
implicant

CD
AB Q: How about this one? Is it a
00 0 1
01
0
11
10
0 1
prime implicant?
0

0 0 1 0 1
A. Yes
1 B. No
1 1 1 0 0
1

1 1 1 0 1
0
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 Definition: Prime Implicant
• Implicant: A product term that has non-empty intersection with on-set
F and does not intersect with off-set R
• Prime Implicant: An implicant that is not a proper subset of any
other implicant i.e. it is not completely covered by any single
implicant

Y
AB
Q: Is the red group a prime
CD 00 01 11
implicant?
10

0 1 0 0 1
0
A. Yes
0 0 1 0 1
1 B. No: Because it is
1 1 1 0 0 covered by a
1
larger group
1 1 1 0 1
0
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 Definition: Essential Prime
• Essential Prime Implicant: A prime implicant with atleast one
element that is not covered by one or more prime implicants

CD
AB Q: Is the blue group an essential
00
01 11
10 prime?
00 1 0 0 1

A. Yes
01 0 1 0 1
B. No
1 1 0 0
11

1
1 1 0 1
0

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 Definition: Essential Prime
• Essential Prime Implicant: A prime implicant with atleast one
element that is not covered by one or more prime implicants

CD
AB Q: Is the blue group an essential
00
01 11
10 prime?
00 1 0 0 1

A. Yes
01 0 1 0 1
B. No
1 1 0 0
11

1
1 1 0 1
0

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 Definition: Non-Essential Prime
Non Essential Prime Implicant : Prime implicant that has no element that
cannot be covered by other prime implicant

Q: Is the blue group a non-essential prime implicant?

ab
00 01 11 10
cd A. Yes
00 1 1 1 B. No
01 1 1

11 1 1

10 1 1 1

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 Definition: Non-Essential Prime
Non Essential Prime Implicant : Prime implicant that has no element that
cannot be covered by other prime implicant

Q: Is the blue group a non-essential prime implicant?

ab
00 01 11 10
cd A. Yes
00 1 1 1 B. No
01 1 1

11 1 1

10 1 1 1

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 Procedure for finding the minimal function
via K-maps (formal terms)

Y
AB
CD 01 11 10
1. Convert truth table to K-map
00 1 0 0 1
0
2. Include all essential primes 0
0 1 0 1
01
3. Include non essential primes as
needed to completely cover the onset 11
1 1 0 0

(all cells of value one) 1 1 0 1

10

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 K-maps with Don’t Cares

Y A B C D Y
AB
CD 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 1 0 01 11 10
00 0 0 1 0 1
0 0 1 1 1
0 1 0 0 0 00
0 1 0 1 X
0 1 1 0 1
0 1 1 1 1 01
1 0 0 0 1
1 0 0 1 1
1 0 1 0 X 11
1 0 1 1 X
1 1 0 0 X
1 1 0 1 X 10
1 1 1 0 X
1 1 1 1 X

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 K-maps with Don’t Cares
Y A B C D Y
AB 0 0 0 0 1
CD 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 1 0 1 01 11 10
00 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 X 1
0 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 X 00
0 1 1 0 1 0 X X 1
0 1 1 1 1
1 0 0 0 1 01
1 0 0 1 1 1 1 X X
1 0 1 0 X
1 0 1 1 X 11
1 1 0 0 X 1 1 X X
1 1 0 1 X
1 1 1 0 X 10
1 1 1 1 X

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 K-maps with Don’t Cares
Y
AB
A B C D Y CD
0 0 0 0 1 01 11 10
0 0 0 1 0 00 1 0 X 1
0 0 1 0 1
0 0 1 1 1 00
0 1 0 0 0 0 X X 1
0 1 0 1 X
0 1 1 0 1 01
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 X X
1 0 0 0 1
1 0 0 1 1 11
1 0 1 0 X 1 1 X X
1 0 1 1 X
1 1 0 0 X 10
1 1 0 1 X
1 1 1 0 X Y = A + BD + C
1 1 1 1 X

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 Reducing Canonical expressions
Given F(a,b,c,d) = Σm (0, 1, 2, 8, 14)
D(a,b,c,d) = Σm (9, 10)
1. Draw K-map
ab
00 01 11 10
cd
00

01

11

10

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 Reducing Canonical Expressions

Given F(a,b,c,d) = Σm (0, 1, 2, 8, 14)

D(a,b,c,d) = Σm (9, 10)
1. Draw K-map
ab
00 01 11 10
cd
0 4 12 8

00
1 5 13 9
01
3 7 15 11
11
2 6 14 10
10

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 Reducing Canonical Expressions

Given F(a,b,c,d) = Σm (0, 1, 2, 8, 14)

D(a,b,c,d) = Σm (9, 10)
1. Draw K-map
ab
00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8

00 1 0 0 1
1 5 13 9
01 1 0 0 X
3 7 15 11
11 0 0 0 0
2 6 14 10
10 1 0 1 X

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 Reducing Canonical Expressions
1. Draw K-map
2. Identify Prime implicants
3. Identify Essential Primes

ab
00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8

00 1 0 0 1
PI Q: How many primes (P)
1 5 13 9
and essential primes (EP)
01 1 0 0 X
are there?
3 7 15 11
11 A. Four (P) and three (EP)
0 0 0 0
B. Three (P) and two (EP)
2 6 14 10 C. Three (P) and three (EP)
10 1 0 1 X D. Four (P) and Four (EP)

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 Reducing Canonical Expressions
1. Prime implicants: Σm (0, 1, 8, 9), Σm (0, 2, 8, 10), Σm (10, 14)
2. Essential Primes: Σm (0, 1, 8, 9), Σm (0, 2, 8, 10), Σm (10, 14)

ab 00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8 PI Q: Do the E-primes
00 1 0 0 1 cover the entire on set?
1 5 13 9 A. Yes
01
1 0 0 X B. No
11 3 7 15 11
0 0 0 0
2 6 14 10
10
1 0 1 X 27
 Reducing Canonical Expressions
1. Prime implicants: Σm (0, 1, 8, 9), Σm (0, 2, 8, 10), Σm (10, 14)
2. Essential Primes: Σm (0, 1, 8, 9), Σm (0, 2, 8, 10), Σm (10, 14)
3. Min exp: Σ (Essential Primes)=Σm (0, 1, 8, 9) + Σm (0, 2, 8, 10) + Σm (10, 14)

f(a,b,c,d) = ?

ab
00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8 PI Q: Do the E-primes
00 1 0 0 1 cover the entire on set?
1 5 13 9 A. Yes
01 1 0 0 X B. No
3 7 15 11
11 0 0 0 0
2 6 14 10
10 1 0 1 X
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 Reducing Canonical Expressions
1. Prime implicants: Σm (0, 1, 8, 9), Σm (0, 2, 8, 10), Σm (10, 14)
2. Essential Primes: Σm (0, 1, 8, 9), Σm (0, 2, 8, 10), Σm (10, 14)
3. Min exp: Σ (Essential Primes)=Σm (0, 1, 8, 9) + Σm (0, 2, 8, 10) + Σm (10, 14)
f(a,b,c,d) = b’c’ + b’d’+ acd‘

ab
00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8
PI Q: Do the E-primes
00 1 0 0 1 cover the entire on set?
1 5 13 9 A. Yes
01 1 0 0 X B. No
3 7 15 11
11 0 0 0 0
2 6 14 10
10 1 0 1 X
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 Another example
Given F(a,b,c,d) = Σm (0, 3, 4, 14,
15)
D(a,b,c,d) = Σm (1, 11, 13)
ab
00 01 11 10
cd
0 4 12 8

00
1 5 13 9
01
3 7 15 11
11
2 6 14 10
10

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 Another example
Given F(a,b,c,d) = Σm (0, 3, 4, 14,
15)
D(a,b,c,d) = Σm (1, 11, 13)
ab
00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8

00 1 1 0 0
1 5 13 9
01 X 0 X 0
3 7 15 11
11 1 0 1 X
2 6 14 10
10 0 0 1 0

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 Reducing Canonical Expressions
1. Prime implicants: Σm (0, 4), Σm (0, 1), Σm (1, 3), Σm (3, 11), Σm (14, 15),
Σm (11, 15), Σm (13, 15)
2. Essential Primes: Σm (0, 4), Σm (14, 15)

ab
00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8

00 1 1 0 0
1 5 13 9
01 X 0 X 0
3 7 15 11
11 1 0 1 X
2 6 14 10
10 0 0 1 0

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 Reducing Canonical Expressions
1. Prime implicants: Σm (0, 4), Σm (0, 1), Σm (1, 3), Σm (3, 11), Σm (14, 15), Σm
(11, 15), Σm (13, 15)
2.Essential Primes: Σm (0, 4), Σm (14, 15)
3.Min exp: Σm (0, 4), Σm (14, 15), (Σm (3, 11) or Σm (1,3) )
f(a,b,c,d) = a’c’d’+ abc+ b’cd (or a’b’d)

ab
00 01 11 10
cd 0 4 12 8

00 1 1 0 0
1 5 13 9
01 X 0 X 0
3 7 15 11
11 1 0 1 X
2 6 14 10
10 0 0 1 0 32
Reading

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