Boolean function simplification is one of the basics of

Digital Electronics. The quine-McCluskey method also called the tabulation

method is a very useful and convenient method for simplification of the
Boolean functions for a large number of variables (greater than 4). This
method is useful over K-map when the number of variables is larger for which
K-map formation is difficult. This method uses prime implicants for
simplification.
In this method, we construct multiple tables according
to the question and at the last, we make a prime implicant table which is used
to obtain essential prime implicants which are present in the simplified
boolean expression. This method requires prior knowledge of decimal to
binary representation and the basics of boolean algebra. It is a suitable method
for a large number of input variables which can be easily solved by this
method but the computation complexity is high. Majorly, this method includes
the use of minterms, and prime implicants and obtains essential prime
implicants which are further used in the simplified boolean functions.

Quine McCluskey Method (QMC):

 Quine McCluskey method also known as the tabulation method is used to

minimize the Boolean functions.
 It simplifies boolean expression into the simplified form using prime
implicants.
 This method is convenient to simplify boolean expressions with more than
4 input variables.
 It uses an automatic simplification routine.

Terminologies:

Implicant: Implicant is defined as a group of 1’s(for minterm).

Prime implicant: It is the largest possible group of 1’s(for minterm).
Essential Prime implicant: Essential prime implicants are groups that cover
at least one minterm which cannot be covered by other applicants.

Note: This method uses decimal to binary representation.

Steps for Quine McCluskey Method:

1. Arrange the given minterms according to the number of ones present in

their binary representation in ascending order.
2. Take the minterms from the continuous group if there is only a one-bit
change to make their pair.
3. Place the ‘-‘ symbol where there is a bit change accordingly and keep the
remaining bits the same.
4. Repeat steps 2 to 3 until we get all prime implicants (when all the bits
present in the table are different).
5. Make a prime implicant table that consists of the prime implicants
(obtained minterms) as rows and the given minterms (given in problem) as
columns.
6. Place ‘1’ in the minterms (cell) which are covered by each prime implicant.
7. Observe the table, if the minterm is covered by only one prime implicant
then it is an essential to prime implicant.
8. Add the essential prime implicants to the simplified boolean function.
Example: Simplify using tabulation method : F(A,B,C,D) =∑
m(0,1,2,4,6,8,9,11,13,15)
Solution: Convert the given minterms into their binary representation and
arrange them according to the number of ones present in the binary
representation.
TABLE 1

Group Minterm A B C D

0 0 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 1
2 0 0 1 0
1
4 0 1 0 0
8 1 0 0 0

2 6 0 1 1 0
 TABLE 1

Group Minterm A B C D

9 1 0 0 1

11 1 0 1 1
3
13 1 1 0 1

4 15 1 1 1 1
As 0 has no 1 in its representation it is kept in one group(0). Similarly, 1 2 4,
and 8 contain one 1 in their representation so it is kept in the next group(1). 6
and 9 in the next group(2), 11, and 13 in the next group(3), 15 in the last
group(4).
Now, for table-2 take minterms from successive groups(simultaneous group
only) which have an only a 1-bit difference in their representation and form
their pair by merging them and making a group of the pairs which are from the
same groups that are merged (for example 0 is from group 0 and 1 is from
group 1 so it is added to the group 0. 0 belongs to group 0 in table 1 and 2
belongs to group 1 in table 1 so its kept in the same group in table 2. Similarly,
make all the possible pairs with the help of the above table and mark – where
there is a bit difference.

TABLE-2

Grou
p Pair A B C D

(0,1) 0 0 0 –
(0,2) 0 0 – 0
0
(0,4) 0 – 0 0
(0,8) – 0 0 0

1 (1,9) – 0 0 1
(2,6) 0 – 1 0
(4,6) 0 1 – 0
 TABLE-2

Grou
p Pair A B C D

(8,9) 1 0 0 –

(9,11) 1 0 – 1
2
(9,13) 1 – 0 1

(11,15) 1 – 1 1
3
(13,15) 1 1 – 1

For table 3 repeat the same step by taking pairs of successive groups merging
them where there is only a 1-bit difference and keeping them in groups
according to the groups from where they are merged and placed – in bit
difference.

TABLE-3

Grou
p Quad A B C D

(0,1,8,9) – 0 0 –
0
(0,2,4,6) 0 – – 0

1 (9,11,13,15) 1 – – 1
After table 3 the process is stopped as there is no 1-bit difference in the
remaining group minterms in the simultaneous groups of table 3.
Now, the remaining quads present in table 3 represent the prime implicants for
the given boolean function. So, we construct prime implicants table which
contains the obtained prime implicants as rows and the given minterms as
columns. Place 1 in the corresponding place which the minterm can represent.
Add the minterm to the simplified boolean expression if the given minterm is
only covered by this prime implicant.
 PRIME IMPLICANT TABLE

Minterms ⇢
Prime Implicants ⇣
0 1 2 4 6 8 9 11 13 15

B’C’ (0,1,8,9) 1 1 1 1

A’D'(0,2,4,6) 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1
AD(9,11,13,15)

Simplified Boolean function = B’C’ + A’D’ + AD

B’C’ is in simplified function as minterm 1 is only covered by B’C’. Similarly,
minterms 2,4,6 are only covered by A’D’ and minterms 11,13,15 are only
covered by AD.
Example: Simplify using tabulation method : F(A,B,C,D,E,F,G) =
∑m(20,28,52,60)
Solution: Convert the given minterms in their binary representation and
arrange them according to number of one’s present in the binary
representation.
TABLE-1

Group Minterms A B C D E F G

0 20 0 0 1 0 1 0 0

28 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
1
52 0 1 1 0 1 0 0

2 60 0 1 1 1 1 0 0
As 20 has 2 1s in its representation it is kept in one group(0). Similarly, 28 and
52 contain 3 1s in their representation so it is kept in the next group(1). 60 in
the next group(2).
Now, for table-2 take minterms from successive groups(simultaneous group
only) which have an only a 1-bit difference in their representation and form
their pair by merging them and making a group of the pairs which are from the
same groups that are merged (for example 20 is from group 0 and 28 is from
group 1 so it is added to the group 0. 20 belongs to group 0 in table 1 and 52
belongs to group 1 in table 1 so its kept in the same group in table 2. Similarly,
make all the possible pairs with the help of the above table and mark – where
it is a bit different.

TABLE-2

Grou
p Pair A B C D E F G

(20,28) 0 0 1 – 1 0 0
0
(20,52) 0 – 1 0 1 0 0

(28,60) 0 – 1 1 1 0 0
1
(52,60) 0 1 1 – 1 0 0

For table 3 repeat the same step by taking pairs of successive groups merging
them where there is only a 1-bit difference and keeping them in groups
according to the groups from where they are merged and placed – in bit
difference.

TABLE-3

Group Quad A B C D E F G

(20,28,52,60
0 0 – 1 – 1 0 0
)
After table 3 the process is stopped as there is no 1-bit difference in the
remaining group minterms in the simultaneous groups of table 3.
Now, the remaining quads present in table 3 represent the prime implicants for
the given boolean function. So, we construct prime implicants table which
contains the obtained prime implicants as rows and the given minterms as
columns. Place 1 in the corresponding place which the minterm can represent.
Add the minterm to the simplified boolean expression if the given minterm is
only covered by this prime implicant.
A’CEF’G’ is obtained from table 3 as A, F, G contains 0 so A’F’G’, C, and E
contain 1 so CE.
 Prime Implicants Table

Minterms ⇢
Prime Implicants ⇣
20 28 52 60

A’CEF’G'(20,28,52,60) 1 1 1 1

Simplified Boolean Function = A’CEF’G’

A’CEF’G’ is in simplified function as it is the only prime implicant that covers
all minterms.

Advantages of Quine McCluskey Method:

 This method is suitable for a large number of inputs(n>4) for which K-map
construction is a tedious task.
 It does not require pattern recognition.

Disadvantages of Quine McCluskey Method:

 The computational complexity of this method is high.

In previous chapter, we discussed K-map method, which is a convenient method for
minimizing Boolean functions up to 5 variables. But, it is difficult to simplify the
Boolean functions having more than 5 variables by using this method.

Quine-McClukey tabular method is a tabular method based on the concept of prime

implicants. We know that prime implicant is a product or sum term, which can’t be
further reduced by combining with any other product or sum terms of the given
Boolean function.

This tabular method is useful to get the prime implicants by repeatedly using the
following Boolean identity.
x y + x y’ = x y + y′ = x.1 = x
Procedure of Quine-McCluskey Tabular Method

Follow these steps for simplifying Boolean functions using Quine-McClukey tabular
method.

Step 1 − Arrange the given min terms in an ascending order and make the groups
based on the number of ones present in their binary representations. So, there will
be at most ‘n+1’ groups if there are ‘n’ Boolean variables in a Boolean function or
‘n’ bits in the binary equivalent of min terms.

Step 2 − Compare the min terms present in successive groups. If there is a change in
only one-bit position, then take the pair of those two min terms. Place this symbol ‘_’
in the differed bit position and keep the remaining bits as it is.

Step 3 − Repeat step2 with newly formed terms till we get all prime implicants.

Step 4 − Formulate the prime implicant table. It consists of set of rows and columns.
Prime implicants can be placed in row wise and min terms can be placed in column
wise. Place ‘1’ in the cells corresponding to the min terms that are covered in each
prime implicant.

Step 5 − Find the essential prime implicants by observing each column. If the min
term is covered only by one prime implicant, then it is essential prime implicant.
Those essential prime implicants will be part of the simplified Boolean function.

Step 6 − Reduce the prime implicant table by removing the row of each essential
prime implicant and the columns corresponding to the min terms that are covered in
that essential prime implicant. Repeat step 5 for Reduced prime implicant table. Stop
this process when all min terms of given Boolean function are over.
Example

Let us simplify the following Boolean function, f(W,X,Y,Z)=∑m(2,6,8,9,10,11,14,15)

using Quine-McClukey tabular method.

The given Boolean function is in sum of min terms form. It is having 4 variables W,
X, Y & Z. The given min terms are 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 15. The ascending order
of these min terms based on the number of ones present in their binary equivalent is 2,
8, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 15. The following table shows these min terms and their
equivalent binary representations.

Group
Min terms W X Y Z
Name

2 0 0 1 0
GA1
8 1 0 0 0

6 0 1 1 0

GA2 9 1 0 0 1

10 1 0 1 0

11 1 0 1 1
GA3
14 1 1 1 0

GA4 15 1 1 1 1

The given min terms are arranged into 4 groups based on the number of ones present

in their binary equivalents. The following table shows the possible merging of min

terms from adjacent groups.

Group
Min terms W X Y Z
Name

2,6 0 - 1 0

2,10 - 0 1 0
GB1
8,9 1 0 0 -

8,10 1 0 - 0

GB2 6,14 - 1 1 0

9,11 1 0 - 1
 10,11 1 0 1 -

10,14 1 - 1 0

11,15 1 - 1 1
GB3
14,15 1 1 1 -

The min terms, which are differed in only one-bit position from adjacent groups are

merged. That differed bit is represented with this symbol, ‘-‘. In this case, there are
three groups and each group contains combinations of two min terms. The following
table shows the possible merging of min term pairs from adjacent groups.

Group
Min terms W X Y Z
Name

2,6,10,14 - - 1 0

2,10,6,14 - - 1 0
GB1
8,9,10,11 1 0 - -

8,10,9,11 1 0 - -

10,11,14,15 1 - 1 -
GB2
10,14,11,15 1 - 1 -

The successive groups of min term pairs, which are differed in only one-bit position
are merged. That differed bit is represented with this symbol, ‘-‘. In this case, there are
two groups and each group contains combinations of four min terms. Here, these
combinations of 4 min terms are available in two rows. So, we can remove the
repeated rows. The reduced table after removing the redundant rows is shown below.

Group
Min terms W X Y Z
Name

GC1 2,6,10,14 - - 1 0

8,9,10,11 1 0 - -

GC2 10,11,14,15 1 - 1 -
Further merging of the combinations of min terms from adjacent groups is not
possible, since they are differed in more than one-bit position. There are three rows in
the above table. So, each row will give one prime implicant. Therefore, the prime
implicants are YZ’, WX’ & WY.

The prime implicant table is shown below.

Min terms / Prime

2 6 8 9 10 11 14 15
Implicants

YZ’ 1 1 1 1

WX’ 1 1 1 1

WY 1 1 1 1

The prime implicants are placed in row wise and min terms are placed in column wise.
1s are placed in the common cells of prime implicant rows and the corresponding min
term columns.

The min terms 2 and 6 are covered only by one prime implicant YZ’. So, it is
an essential prime implicant. This will be part of simplified Boolean function. Now,
remove this prime implicant row and the corresponding min term columns. The
reduced prime implicant table is shown below.

Min terms / Prime

8 9 11 15
Implicants

WX’ 1 1 1

WY 1 1

The min terms 8 and 9 are covered only by one prime implicant WX’. So, it is
an essential prime implicant. This will be part of simplified Boolean function. Now,
remove this prime implicant row and the corresponding min term columns.

Min terms /
Prime 15
Implicants

WY 1
The min term 15 is covered only by one prime implicant WY. So, it is an essential
prime implicant. This will be part of simplified Boolean function.

In this example problem, we got three prime implicants and all the three are essential.
Therefore, the simplified Boolean function is

fW,X,Y,Z = YZ’ + WX’ + WY.