Documentation on: Applications Of Boolean

Algebra

Subject Name: Discrete Mathematics for

Computer Science
Subject code: 610003
Group No:-10
Year:-2010-11
Substitute of Chaudhri Technical
Institute

Developed By:
1. Bhatt Bhargavi (10MCA08)
2.Parmar Stephy (10MCA55)

Guided By,
Ms. Arpita Patel
Acknowledgement:
It’s our pleasure to introduce the study on “Applications of Boolean Algebra” as a part of our
study of M.C.A. (1st sem.), Chaudhari Technical Institute.

We are thankful to Director of Chaudhari Technical Institute Mr.Jitendra sir and Lec.Arpita
madam who were been to help us whenever we approached them. And finally our sincere thanks to all the
Group members who have provided us with innumerable discussion on many technicalities and friendly
tips with their cordial and friendly support this activity would be much tougher.

Preface
 We had tried our best o express our knowledge for our documentation topic ‘Applications
of Boolean Algebra’.

Keeping in the view of reader’s simplicity, simple languages are used for explanations
and examples. We had tried our full efforts to provide the correct explanations, including the
source from where we had collected information.

We admit that any work may not be always perfect. There may be some error in work.
We have taken enough care make the user friendly and more interactive.

Lastly, we are heartily thankful to all who have helped us directly and indirectly to make
this presentation work complete. During the term of documentation work, if we have done
anything that has caused distress to anybody, then are extremely sorry for that.

Index
No. Contents Page No.

1. Introduction 5

2. Applications

2.1 Introduction of Boolean 6

Algebra
7
2.2 How it works?
3. Conclusion 10

4. References 11

1. Introduction of Boolean Algebra:

 The usefulness of Boolean algebra comes from the fact that its rules can be shown
to apply to logical statements.
A logical statement, or proposition, can either be true or false, just as an equation
with real numbers can be true or false depending on the value of the variable.
In Boolean algebra, however, variables do not represent the values that make a
statement true; instead they represent the truth or falsity of the statement.
That is, a Boolean variable can only have one of two values. In the context of
symbolic logic these values are true and false.
Boolean algebra is also extremely useful in the field of electrical engineering. In
particular, by taking the variables to represent values of on and off (or 0 and 1), Boolean
algebra is used to design and analyze digital switching circuitry, such as that found in
personal computers, pocket calculators, cd players, cellular telephones, and a host of
other electronic products.

Algebra being a fundamental tool in any area amenable to mathematical

treatment, these considerations combine to make the algebra of two values of
fundamental importance to computer hardware, mathematical logic, and set theory.

Two-valued logic can be extended to multi-valued logic, notably by replacing the

Boolean domain {0,1} with the unit interval [0,1], in which case rather than only taking
values 0 or 1, any value between and including 0 and 1 can be assumed.

Algebraically, negation (NOT) is replaced with 1 − x, conjunction (AND) is

replaced with multiplication (xy), and disjunction (OR) is defined via De Morgan's law.
Interpreting these values as logical truth values yields a multi-valued logic, which forms
the basis for fuzzy logic and probabilistic logic.

In these interpretations, a value is interpreted as the "degree" of truth – to what

extent a proposition is true, or the probability that the proposition is true.

2. Applications of Boolean Algebra:

(2.1)Introduction:
Programmers programming in machine code, assembly language, and other programming
languages that expose the low-level digital structure of the data registers operate on whatever
symbols were chosen for the hardware, invariably bit vectors in modern computers for the above
reasons.

Such languages support both the numeric operations of addition, multiplication, etc.
performed on words interpreted as integers, as well as the logical operations of disjunction,
conjunction, etc. performed bit-wise on words interpreted as bit vectors.

Programmers therefore have the option of working in and applying the laws of either
numeric algebra or Boolean algebra as needed.

(2.2) How it works?

Let us begin our exploration of Boolean algebra by adding numbers together:
0 + 0= 0
0 + 1= 1
1 + 0= 1
1 + 1= 1
• The first three sums make perfect sense to anyone familiar with elementary addition. The
last sum, though, is quite possibly responsible for more confusion than any other single
statement in digital electronics, because it seems to run contrary to the basic principles of
mathematics. Well, it does contradict principles of addition for real numbers, but not for
Boolean numbers.
• Remember that in the world of Boolean algebra, there are only two possible values for
any quantity and for any arithmetic operation: 1 or 0. There is no such thing as "2" within
the scope of Boolean values. Since the sum "1 + 1" certainly isn't 0, it must be 1 by
process of elimination.
• It does not matter how many or few terms we add together, either. Consider the following
sums:
0 +1 +1 =1
1 +1 +1 =1
0 +1 +1 +1=1
1 +0 +1 +1 +1=1
 Take a close look at the two-term sums in the first set of equations. Does
that pattern look familiar to you? It should! It is the same pattern of 1's and 0's as
seen in the truth table for an OR gate. In other words, Boolean addition
corresponds to the logical function of an "OR" gate, as well as to parallel switch
contacts:

There is no such thing as subtraction in the realm of Boolean mathematics. Subtraction

implies the existence of negative numbers: 5 - 3 is the same thing as 5 + (-3), and in Boolean
algebra negative quantities are forbidden. There is no such thing as division in Boolean
mathematics, either, since division is really nothing more than compounded subtraction, in the
same way that multiplication is compounded addition.
 Multiplication is valid in Boolean algebra, and thankfully it is the same as in real-number
algebra: anything multiplied by 0 is 0, and anything multiplied by 1 remains unchanged:

This set of equations should also look familiar to you: it is the same pattern found in the
truth table for an AND gate. In other words, Boolean multiplication corresponds to the logical
function of an "AND" gate, as well as to series switch contacts:

Like "normal" algebra, Boolean algebra uses alphabetical letters to denote variables.
Unlike "normal" algebra, though, Boolean variables are always CAPITAL letters, never lower-
case. Because they are allowed to possess only one of two possible values, either 1 or 0, each and
every variable has a complement: the opposite of its value. For example, if variable "A" has a
value of 0, then the complement of A has a value of 1. Boolean notation uses a bar above the
variable character to denote complementation, like this:

We have a symbology for denoting Boolean variables, and their complements.

Boolean algebra differs from ordinary algebra in three ways: in the values that variables
may assume, which are of a logical instead of a numeric character, prototypically 0 and 1; in the
operations applicable to those values; and in the properties of those operations, that is, the laws
they obey.

Conclusion

Digital techniques are useful because it is easier to get an electronic device to

switch into one of a number of known states than to accurately reproduce a continuous
 range of values. Digital electronic circuits are usually made from large assemblies of
logic gates, simple electronic representations of Boolean logic functions.

The basic definition of Boolean quantities has led to the simple rules of addition
and multiplication, and has excluded both subtraction and division as valid arithmetic
operations.

Boolean algebra as the calculus of two values is fundamental to digital logic,

computer programming, and mathematical logic, and is also used in other areas of
mathematics such as set theory and statistics.

References:
1. http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_4/chpt_7/2.html
2. Boolean Algebra - body, used, form, system, Applications http://www.scienceclarified.com/Bi-
Ca/Boolean-Algebra.html#ixzz1449BXe20

3. http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Boolean_algebra

4. Boolean Algebra - Applications - Set, Sets, Elements, —the, Values, and True
http://science.jrank.org/pages/992/Boolean-Algebra-Applications.html#ixzz176MEkK2I