LOGISIM

MANUAL

FUNDAMENTALS OF
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ITIS101

DEPARTMENT OF IT

Logisim Manual Page 1

 Table of contents

1.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………….3
1.2 Basic Gates……………………………………………………………………...4
1.3 Universal Gates…………………………………………………………………6
1.4 Logisim Tool…………………………………………………………………….8
1.5 Logic circuit design using logisim……………………………………………..22
1.6 Exercises ………………………………………………………………………..25
1.7 References……………………………………………………………………….25

Logisim Manual Page 2

1.1 Introduction

Logic gates are electronic circuits that operate on one or more input signals to produce standard
output signal. Logic gates are the building blocks of all the circuits in a computer system. The
name logic gate is derived from the ability of such device to make decisions, in the sense that
it produces one output level when some combinations of input levels are present, and a different
output level when other combinations of input levels are present.
There are only three basic types of basic gates, AND gate, OR gate and NOT gate. The fact
that computers are able to perform very complex operations, from the way these basic gates
are interconnected. The interconnection of gates to perform a variety of logical operations is
called logic design.

Logic gates are electronic circuits as they are made up of number of electronic devices and
components. Each gate is dedicated to specific logic operation. Input and output to logic gates
can occur only in two levels. These two levels are called as LOW and HIGH, or TRUE and
False or ON and OFF or simply 1 and 0. A table which lists all the possible combinations of
input variables and the corresponding outputs is called truth table.

Logisim Manual Page 3

 1.2 Basic gates

Logic gate is electronic device, which can have one or more inputs but only one output.
The output will be HIGH or LOW based on the value/s of the input/s. There are three
basic gates. AND, OR gate and NOT gate.
We will study each gate in details.

1.2.1 The AND Gate

An AND gate has two or more inputs but only one output. The out will be high (1) only
when all of its inputs are high (1). The out will be low (0) even one of its input is low
(0).Therefore AND gate is defined as a device whose output is high, if and only if all its
input are high.
The logic symbol, and truth table of two input AND gate is shown in fig 1.2.1a and

1.2.1b respectively. The Symbol for AND operation is ‘.’

Fig 1.2.1a. Logic symbol

Fig 1.2.1b Truth Table

Logisim Manual Page 4

1.2.2 The OR gate

The OR gate may have two or more inputs but only one output. The out will be high (1) even
if one of its input is high (1). Its output will be low (0) when each of its input is low (0).
Therefore OR gate is defined as a device whose output is high, even if one of its input is high.

The logic symbol, and truth table of two input OR gate is shown in fig 1.2.2a and
1.2.2b respectively. The Symbol for OR operation is ‘+’.

Fig 1.2.2a. Logic symbol

Fig 1.2.2b Truth Table

1.2.3 NOT gate

A NOT gate also called as inverter has only one input and only one output. The NOT gate
generates an output signal which is reverse of the input signal. It means if its input is low then
output will be high. And if its input is high then its output will be low i.e. the output is
complement of its input, so it is called inverter.
The logic symbol, and truth table of NOT gate is shown in fig 1.2.3a and
1.2.3b respectively. The Symbol for NOT operation is ‘-‘(bar)

Logisim Manual Page 5

 Fig 1.2.3a. Logic symbol

Fig 1.2.3b Truth Table

1.3 Universal Gates

The NAND gate and NOR gates are called universal gates because using these gates any
logic circuit can be realized single-handedly. (means using NOR gates only you
can build any logic circuit or Using NAND gates only you can build any logic circuits)

1.3.1 NAND gate

NAND gate is complemented AND gate. (i.e. AND output is NOTed. So NAND gate is
combination of AND gate and NOT gate. The output of NAND gate is 1 if any one of the
input is 0. The output will be 0 when all the inputs are 1.

The logic symbol, and truth table of NAND gate is shown in fig 1.3.1a and 1.3.1b
respectively.

Fig 1.3.1a. Logic symbol

Logisim Manual Page 6

 Fig 1.3.1b Truth Table

1.3.2 NOR gate

NOR gate is a Complemented OR gate. (i.e. OR output is NOTed. So NOR gate is
combination of OR gate and NOT gate. The output of OR gate is 1 when all inputs are
0. The output will be 0 if any of the input is 1.

The logic symbol, and truth table of NOR gate is shown in fig 1.3.2a and 1.3.2b
respectively.

Fig 1.3.2a. Logic symbol

Fig 1.3.2b Truth Table

Logisim Manual Page 7

 1.4 LOGISIM TOOL

Welcome to Logisim!

Logisim allows you to design and simulate digital circuits. It is intended as an educational
tool, to help you learn how circuits work.

To practice using Logisim,

Example 1: Let’s build a two input AND Gate.

Step 1: Open the Logisim Tool

Step 2: Click on Gates

Logisim Manual Page 8

Step3: Select the AND gate symbol and select number of inputs 2 in the below tool box

Logisim Manual Page 9

Step4: click on editing Area where you want the And Gate to go.

Step5: Notice the two dots on the left side of the AND gate and one dot on right side of the

AND gate. These are spots where wires can be attached (dragged).

Logisim Manual Page 10

Step 6: Add the two inputs A and B into the diagram. Select the input ( ) pin and
attach the pins to the two left side wires. You should also place an ( ) output
pin next to the AND gate's output as shown below.

Logisim Manual Page 11

Step 7: Adding text to the circuit.
Adding text is not necessary to make it work; but if you want to show your circuit to
somebody (like a teacher), then some labels help to communicate the purpose of the different
pieces of your circuit.

Select the text tool ( ). You can click on an input pin and start typing to give it a
label. (It's better to click directly on the input pin than to click where you want the text to go,
because then the label will move with the pin.) You can do the same for the output pin.

Step 8: Testing the gate with different input values

Note that the input pins both contain 0s; and so does the output pin. This already tells us that
the circuit already computes a 0 when both inputs are 0.

Now to try another combination of inputs. Select the poke tool ( ) and start poking the
inputs by clicking on them. Each time you poke an input, its value will toggle (toggle means
changes from 1 to 0 or 0 to 1).

Logisim Manual Page 12

 When both inputs are 1, the output is 1.

Note: Students should try all other combinations of input values and check the corresponding
output. The Truth table is given below.

Logisim Manual Page 13

Example 2: Building two input OR gate and verifying its Truth table

Step1: Open the Logisim Tool

Step 2: Click on Gates

Logisim Manual Page 14

Step 3: Select the OR gate symbol and select number of inputs 2 in the below tool box

Step 4 : Click on editing Area where you want the OR Gate to go.

Logisim Manual Page 15

Step 5: Notice the two dots on the left side of the OR gate and one dot on right side of the
OR gate. These are spots where wires can be attached (dragged).

Logisim Manual Page 16

Step 6: Add the two inputs A and B into the diagram. Select the input pin ( ), and

attach the pins to the two left side wires. You should also place an output pin ( ) next to
the OR gate's output as shown below.

Step 7: Adding text to the circuit.

Adding text is not necessary to make it work; but if you want to show your circuit to
somebody (like a teacher), then some labels help to communicate the purpose of the different
pieces of your circuit.

Select the text tool ( ). You can click on an input pin and start typing to give it a
label. (It's better to click directly on the input pin than to click where you want the text to go,
because then the label will move with the pin.) You can do the same for the output pin.

Logisim Manual Page 17

Step 8: Testing the gate with different input values

Note that the input pins both contain 0s; and so does the output pin. This already tells us that
the circuit already computes a 0 when both inputs are 0.

Now to try another combination of inputs. Select the poke tool ( ) and start poking the
inputs by clicking on them. Each time you poke an input, its value will toggle(toggle means
changes from 1 to 0 or 0 to 1).

When any one input is 1 , the output will be 1.

Logisim Manual Page 18

Note: Students should try all other combinations of input values and check the corresponding
output. The Truth table is given below.

Exercises

1. Design a NOT gate and verify its truth table

2. Design Two input NOR gate and verify its truth table
3. Design a two input NAND gate and verify its truth table

Example 3: Design a two input Ex-OR (XOR- Exclusive OR gate)

Note:: An X-OR gate is a two input , one output logic circuit, whose output assumes logic 1
state when one and only one of its two inputs assumes a logic 1 state.

Fig. Logic symbol.

Let us design the EX-OR gate using logisim Tool.

Students can follow the same steps which is explained in example 1. In step 3 Select the X-
OR gate with two inputs.

Logisim Manual Page 19

 Fig : X-OR gate design using Logisim

Students can verify the output for different combinations of input values with the help of
following truth table .

Fig: Truth table of X-OR gate.

Example 4:: Design a two input Ex-NOR ( X-NOR - Exclusive NOR gate)

Note: An X-NOR gate is a combination of an X-OR gate and a NOT gate. The X-NOR gate
is a two input , one output logic circuit, whose output assumes a 1 state only when both the
inputs assumes a 0 state or when both the inputs assumes a 1 state. It is used as equality
detector because its output s a1 only when its inputs are equal.

Fig. Logic symbol.

Let us design the X-NOR gate using logisim Tool.

Logisim Manual Page 20

Students can follow the same steps which is explained in example 1. In step 3 Select the X-
NOR gate with two inputs.

Fig: X-NOR gate design using Logisim

When both the inputs are having same value (both are zero), you can see the out is 1, similarly
for other input combinations, you can verify the output with the help of following truth table.

Fig: Truth table of X-NOR gate

1.5 Logic circuit design using logisim

Example 1: Design a logic circuit using logisim for the given expression Y= A (B+C) and
verify its Truth table.

Solution: The final step and the truth table for the given expression is given for your
reference. You can verify its output by changing the input values.

Logisim Manual Page 21

 Fig: Logic circuit using logisim

Note: For the Input values A=1, B=1 and C=0 the output y=1 is shown in the above diagram. For the
other input values, students can verify the output with the help of following truth table.

A B C (B+C) A(B+C)
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 0
0 1 1 1 0
1 0 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 1
1 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 1 1

Fig: Truth table for Y=A (B+C)

Example 2: Design a logic circuit using logisim for the given expression
Y= (AB)’ +A + (B+C)’ and verify its Truth table.

Solution: The final step and the truth table for the given expression is given for your
reference. You can verify its output by changing the input values.

Logisim Manual Page 22

 Fig: Logic circuit using logisim

Note: For the Input values A=0, B=0 and C=0 the output y=1 is shown in the above diagram. For the
other input values, students can verify the output with the help of following truth table.

A B C (A.B)’ (B+C)’ Y=(AB )’ + A + (B+C)’

0 0 0 1 1 1
0 0 1 1 0 1
0 1 0 1 0 1
0 1 1 1 0 1
1 0 0 1 1 1
1 0 1 1 0 1
1 1 0 0 0 1
1 1 1 0 0 1

Fig : Truth table for Y=(AB )’ + A + (B+C)’

Logisim Manual Page 23

1.6 Exercises using Logisim

1. Construct a Three input AND gate and verify its truth table.
2. Construct a Three Input NOR gate and verify its Truth table.
3. Design the logic circuit for Y=AB+A’ +BC and verify its truth table
4. Design a logic circuit for Q=P(Q+R) and verify its truth table
5. Design a logic circuit for Y=ST+RS’+(TR)’ and verify its truth table
6. Design a logic circuit for T=M+NP+Q and verify its truth table
7. Design a logic circuit for Y=ABC+A’BC+BC and verify its truth table
8. Design a logic circuit for Q= ((PS)’ +(SQ)’ )’ and verify its truth table
9. Design a logic circuit for Y= (A+ B’)( A’+ C) and verify its truth table
10. Design a logic circuit for Y= A(B+C’)+BC and verify its truth table

1.7 References:

[1] Kumar, A. (2001). Fundamentals of Digital Circuits. Prentice-hall of India Private limited
New Delhi.

[2] Logic gate simulator https://academo.org/demos/logic-gate-simulator/

[3] The Guide to Being a Logisim User http://engold.ui.ac.ir/~nikmehr/logisim_tutorial.pdf

Logisim Manual Page 24