Digital Circuits

Binary Logic and Boolean

Algebra
Introduction
● Digital circuits are the fundamental building blocks of all electronic
devices and systems around us.
● From smartphones, computers, TVs, automobiles to industrial automation
systems – all employ digital circuits extensively for processing and
controlling digital signals.
● Digital circuits operate on discrete signal values representing binary 1s
and 0s, in contrast to analog circuits handling continuously variable
signals.
Introduction
● The basic working principle of digital circuits involves:
○ Representing information as binary digits (bits)
○ Using logic gates like AND, OR, NOT to process the bits
○ Combining gates into complex circuits to perform functions
○ Using binary arithmetic for mathematical operations
● Digital signals have only two definite levels – high/low, on/off, true/false –
corresponding to logic 1 and 0.
● Circuits detect and regenerate these logic levels reliably allowing complex
processing using simple Boolean logic.
Number Systems
● If base or radix of a number system is ‘r’, then the numbers present in
that number system are ranging from zero to r-1.
● The total numbers present in that number system is ‘r’. So, we will get
various number systems, by choosing the values of radix as greater than
or equal to two.
● The most commonly used number systems are:
○ Decimal Number system
○ Binary Number system
○ Octal Number system
○ Hexadecimal Number system
Decimal Number System
● The base or radix of Decimal number system is 10. So, the numbers
ranging from 0 to 9 are used in this number system.
● The part of the number that lies to the left of the decimal point is known
as integer part.
● Similarly, the part of the number that lies to the right of the decimal point
is known as fractional part.
● In this number system, the successive positions to the left of the decimal
point having weights of 100, 101, 102, 103 and so on.
● Similarly, the successive positions to the right of the decimal point having
weights of 10-1, 10-2, 10-3 and so on.
● That means, each position has specific weight, which is power of base 10
Decimal Number System - Example
● Consider the decimal number 1358.246.
● Integer part of this number is 1358 and fractional part of this number is 0.246.
● The digits 8, 5, 3 and 1 have weights of 100, 101, 102 and 103 respectively.
Similarly, the digits 2, 4 and 6 have weights of 10-1, 10-2 and 10-3 respectively.
● Mathematically, we can write it as

1358.246 = (1 × 103) + (3 × 102) + (5 × 101) + (8 × 100) + (2 × 10-1) + (4 × 10-2) + (6 ×

10-3)

● After simplifying the right hand side terms, we will get the decimal number,
which is on left hand side.
Binary Number System
● All digital circuits and systems use this binary number system.
● The base or radix of this number system is 2. So, the numbers 0 and 1 are used
in this number system.
● The part of the number, which lies to the left of the binary point is known as
integer part.
● Similarly, the part of the number, which lies to the right of the binary point is
known as fractional part.
● In this number system, the successive positions to the left of the binary point
having weights of 20, 21, 22, 23 and so on.
● Similarly, the successive positions to the right of the binary point having weights
of 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 and so on.
● That means, each position has specific weight, which is power of base 2.
Binary Number System - Example
● Consider the binary number 1101.011.
● Integer part of this number is 1101 and fractional part of this number is 0.011.
● The digits 1, 0, 1 and 1 of integer part have weights of 20, 21, 22, 23 respectively.
● Similarly, the digits 0, 1 and 1 of fractional part have weights of 2 -1, 2-2, 2-3
respectively.
● Mathematically, we can write it as

1101.011 = (1 × 23) + (1 × 22) + (0 × 21) + (1 × 20) + (0 × 2-1) + (1 × 2-2) + (1 × 2-3)

● After simplifying the right hand side terms, we will get a decimal number, which
is an equivalent of binary number on left hand side.
Octal Number System
● The base or radix of octal number system is 8. So, the numbers ranging
from 0 to 7 are used in this number system.
● The part of the number that lies to the left of the octal point is known as
integer part.
● Similarly, the part of the number that lies to the right of the octal point is
known as fractional part.
● In this number system, the successive positions to the left of the octal
point having weights of 80, 81, 82, 83 and so on.
● Similarly, the successive positions to the right of the octal point having
weights of 8-1, 8-2, 8-3 and so on.
● That means, each position has specific weight, which is power of base 8.
Octal Number System - Example
● Consider the octal number 1457.236.
● Integer part of this number is 1457 and fractional part of this number is
0.236.
● The digits 7, 5, 4 and 1 have weights of 80, 81, 82 and 83 respectively.
● Similarly, the digits 2, 3 and 6 have weights of 8 -1, 8-2, 8-3 respectively.
● Mathematically, we can write it as

1457.236 = (1 × 83) + (4 × 82) + (5 × 81) + (7 × 80) + (2 × 8-1) + (3 × 8-2) + (6 × 8-3)

● After simplifying the right hand side terms, we will get a decimal number,
which is an equivalent of octal number on left hand side.
Hexadecimal Number System
● The base or radix of Hexa-decimal number system is 16. So, the numbers
ranging from 0 to 9 and the letters from A to F are used in this number system.
● The decimal equivalent of Hexa-decimal digits from A to F are 10 to 15.
● The part of the number, which lies to the left of the hexadecimal point is known
as integer part.
● Similarly, the part of the number, which lies to the right of the Hexa-decimal
point is known as fractional part.
● In this number system, the successive positions to the left of the Hexa-decimal
point having weights of 160, 161, 162, 163 and so on.
● Similarly, the successive positions to the right of the Hexa-decimal point having
weights of 16-1, 16-2, 16-3 and so on.
● That means, each position has specific weight, which is power of base 16.
Hexadecimal Number System - Example
● Consider the Hexa-decimal number 1A05.2C4.
● Integer part of this number is 1A05 and fractional part of this number is 0.2C4.
The digits 5, 0, A and 1 have weights of 160, 161, 162 and 163 respectively.
● Similarly, the digits 2, C and 4 have weights of 16-1, 16-2 and 16-3 respectively.
● Mathematically, we can write it as

1A05.2C4 = (1 × 163) + (10 × 162) + (0 × 161) + (5 × 160) + (2 × 16-1) + (12 × 16-2) + (4 ×

16-3)

● After simplifying the right hand side terms, we will get a decimal number, which
is an equivalent of Hexa-decimal number on left hand side.
Reading Assignment
● Base conversions
● Signed-magnitude binary representation
● 1’s complement binary representation
● 2’s complement binary representation
Boolean Algebra
● Boolean Algebra is an algebra, which deals with binary numbers & binary
variables. Hence, it is also called as Binary Algebra or logical Algebra.
● A mathematician, named George Boole developed this algebra in 1854.
● The variables used in this algebra are also called as Boolean variables.
● The range of voltages corresponding to Logic ‘High’ is represented with ‘1’
and the range of voltages corresponding to logic ‘Low’ is represented with
‘0’.
Boolean Postulates
● Consider the binary numbers 0 and 1, Boolean variable x and its
complement x′.
● Either the Boolean variable or complement of it is known as literal.
● The four possible logical OR operations among these literals and binary
numbers are shown below.
x+0=x
x+1=1
x+x=x
x + x’ = 1
Boolean Postulates
● Similarly, the four possible logical AND operations among those literals and binary
numbers are shown below.
x.1 = x
x.0 = 0
x.x = x
x.x’ = 0
● These are the simple Boolean postulates. We can verify these postulates easily, by
substituting the Boolean variable with ‘0’ or ‘1’.
● The complement of complement of any Boolean variable is equal to the variable itself.
i.e., x′’=x.
Basic Laws of Boolean Algebra
● Commutative law
● Associative law
● Distributive law
Commutative Law
● If any logical operation of two Boolean variables give the same result
irrespective of the order of those two variables, then that logical
operation is said to be Commutative.
● The logical OR & logical AND operations of two Boolean variables x & y are
shown below:

x+y=y+x

x.y = y.x
Associative Law
● If a logical operation of any two Boolean variables is performed first and
then the same operation is performed with the remaining variable gives
the same result, then that logical operation is said to be Associative.
● The logical OR & logical AND operations of three Boolean variables x, y & z
are shown below:

x + (y + z) = (x + y) + z

x.(y.z) = (x.y).z
Distributive Law
● If any logical operation can be distributed to all the terms present in the
Boolean function, then that logical operation is said to be Distributive.
● The distribution of logical OR & logical AND operations of three Boolean
variables x, y & z are shown below:

x (y+z) = x.y + x.z

x + (y.z) = (x+y).(x+z)

● We can verify these laws easily, by substituting the Boolean variables with
‘0’ or ‘1’.
Theorems of Boolean Algebra
● Duality theorem
● DeMorgan’s theorem
Duality Theorem
● Dual expression is equivalent to write a negative logic of the given
boolean relation. For this,
○ Change each OR sign by an AND sign and vice-versa.
○ Complement any 0 or 1 appearing in the expression.
○ Keep literals as it is.
● For every Boolean function, there will be a corresponding Dual function.
Exercise
1. What are the dual functions for:
● Associative law expressions
● Distributive law expressions
2. What is the dual of A(B+C)?
DeMorgan’s Theorem
DE Morgan’s Theorem represents two of the most important rules of boolean
algebra.

1. The complement of the product of variables is equal to the sum of their

individual complements.

(A . B)' = A' + B'

2. The complement of the sum of variables is equal to the product of their

individual complements.

(A + B)' = A' . B'

Truth Tables
● A truth table represents all the combinations of input values and outputs
in a tabular manner.
● All the possibilities of the input and output are shown in it and hence the
name truth table.
● In logic problems, truth tables are commonly used to represent various
cases. T or 1 denotes ‘True’ & F or 0 denotes ‘False’ in the truth table.
● The number of rows in the truth table depends on the total boolean
variables used in that function. It is given by using the formula:
Number of Rows in Truth Table = 2n
where “n” is the number of boolean variables used.
Example
Draw the truth table of the conditions A + B and A.B
Example
Draw the truth table for expression (P.Q)’ = (P)’ + (Q)’
Example
Draw the truth table for expression (P + Q)’ = (P)’.(Q)’
Exercise
1. Use a truth table to prove that P + P.Q = P
2. Draw truth table for the boolean expression P.Q + P + Q