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Truth tables                      Table 1. 3: Truth table with two (2) variables
                                                                    A           B
              A truth table is a table used to represent            0            0                 Chapter One: Computer architecture
              the Boolean expression of the given
              logic  circuit.  It  is  used to  show all            0            1
          FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
              possible combinations of the inputs and               1            0
              outputs of a given logic circuit. You must            1            1
              evaluate the Boolean expression for all
              possible combinations of values for the   For three variables, A, B, and C, variable
              input variables as part of the method.
                                                       A has four (4) zeros and four (4) ones,
                                                       followed by two (2) ones and two (2)
              Construction of truth tables             zeros for variable B. Lastly, variable C
              The construction of a truth table involves   has alternating zeros and ones as shown
              some steps depending on the number of    in Table 1.4.
              inputs. The following steps are used to
              construct a truth table:                 Table 1.4: Truth table with three (3)

              Step 1: Determine  the number of                       variables
                      variables  for a given Boolean          A           B           C
                      expression, whereby, for  n
                      variables,  the number of rows          0           0           0
                      will  be 2 . For example, the           0           0           1
                                n
                      truth table will need 2 = 4 rows        0           1           0
                                           2
                      for two variables, A and B. The         0           1           1
                      variables must have all possible        1           0           0
                      combinations of 1 and 0.                1           0           1
              Note:   When you set up the truth table,        1           1           0
                      always  make  the  first  column
                      (whether a 4, 8, or 16-row table)       1           1           1
                      half  zeros (0). (1  half) and   Step 2: Identify the variables and every
                                         st
                      half ones (1) (2  half). Before          possible combination of 1 and 0
                                      nd
                      switching to 0’s,  write half as         for each variable.
                      many consecutive 1’s in the
                      next column as you did first. For   Step 3: Create a new column for each
                      instance, the truth table that has       term of the Boolean expression.
                      two variables A and B, as shown   Step 4: Compare the two statements.
                      in  Table 1.3, variable  A has
                      two (2) zeros and two (2) ones   Note:   The    two    statements    are
                      followed  by  alternating  ones          equivalent  if their  truth tables
                      and zeros for variable B.                have the same value.

                                                     15
               Student’s Book  Form Five



     Computer Science Form 5.indd   15                                                      23/07/2024   12:32
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