evaluate-boolean-expression
About
This skill simplifies Boolean expressions to their minimal form using truth tables, algebraic laws, and Karnaugh maps for up to six variables. Use it to verify logical equivalence, reduce expressions to sum-of-products or product-of-sums forms, or prepare minimized functions for gate-level implementation. It supports key simplification techniques like De Morgan's, distributive, and absorption laws.
Quick Install
Claude Code
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Documentation
Booleschen Ausdruck auswerten
Reduzieren a Boolean expression to its minimal form by parsing it into canonical notation, constructing a truth table, applying algebraic simplification laws, performing Karnaugh map minimization (up to six variables), and verifying that the simplified expression is logically equivalent to the original.
Wann verwenden
- Simplifying a Boolean expression vor mapping it to logic gates
- Verifying that two Boolean expressions are logically equivalent
- Generating a minimal sum-of-products (SOP) or product-of-sums (POS) form
- Teaching or reviewing Boolean algebra identities and reduction techniques
- Preparing input for the design-logic-circuit skill
Eingaben
- Erforderlich: Boolean expression in any common notation (e.g.,
A AND (B OR NOT C),A * (B + C'),A & (B | ~C)) - Erforderlich: Target form -- minimal SOP, minimal POS, or both
- Optional: Variable ordering preference for the Karnaugh map
- Optional: Don't-care conditions (minterms or maxterms that are unspecified)
- Optional: A second expression to check equivalence gegen
Vorgehensweise
Schritt 1: Parsen and Normalize to Canonical Form
Konvertieren die Eingabe expression into a standard internal representation:
- Tokenize: Identifizieren variables (single letters or short names), operators (AND, OR, NOT, XOR, NAND, NOR), and grouping (parentheses).
- Establish operator notation: Adopt a consistent notation durchout --
*for AND,+for OR,'for NOT (complement),^for XOR. - Bestimmen variable count: Auflisten all unique variables. Zuweisen each a bit position (A = MSB, ... Z = LSB by default, or use the provided ordering).
- Erweitern to canonical SOP: Erweitern the expression into a sum of all minterms by introducing missing variables via the identity
X = X*(Y + Y'). - Erweitern to canonical POS: Alternatively, expand into a product of all maxterms via
X = X + Y*Y'.
## Normalized Expression
- **Variables**: [A, B, C, ...]
- **Variable count**: [n]
- **Original expression**: [as given]
- **Canonical SOP (minterms)**: Sigma m(i, j, k, ...)
- **Canonical POS (maxterms)**: Pi M(i, j, k, ...)
- **Don't-care set**: d(i, j, ...) [if any]
Erwartet: The expression is converted to canonical SOP and/or POS with all minterms/maxterms explicitly listed and don't-care conditions separated.
Bei Fehler: If the expression contains syntax errors or ambiguous operator precedence, request clarification. Standard precedence is: NOT (highest) > AND > XOR > OR (lowest). If the variable count exceeds 6, note that the K-map step will require the Quine-McCluskey algorithm stattdessen.
Schritt 2: Construct Truth Table
Erstellen the complete truth table to establish die Funktion's behavior over all input combinations:
- Enumerate rows: Generieren all 2^n input combinations in binary counting order (000, 001, 010, ...).
- Bewerten output: Fuer jede row, substitute values into the original expression and compute die Ausgabe (0 or 1).
- Mark don't-cares: If don't-care conditions were provided, mark those rows with
Xstattdessen of 0 or 1. - Cross-check with minterms: Sicherstellen, dass the rows producing output 1 match the minterm list from Step 1.
## Truth Table
| A | B | C | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | _ |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | _ |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
Erwartet: A complete truth table with 2^n rows, outputs matching the canonical form, and don't-cares ordnungsgemaess marked.
Bei Fehler: If the truth table disagrees with the canonical form, recheck the expansion in Step 1. A common error is misapplying De Morgan's law waehrend the canonical expansion -- verify each expansion step individually.
Schritt 3: Anwenden Algebraic Simplification
Reduzieren the expression using Boolean algebra identities:
- Identity and null laws:
A + 0 = A,A * 1 = A,A + 1 = 1,A * 0 = 0. - Idempotent law:
A + A = A,A * A = A. - Complement law:
A + A' = 1,A * A' = 0. - Absorption law:
A + A*B = A,A * (A + B) = A. - De Morgan's theorems:
(A * B)' = A' + B',(A + B)' = A' * B'. - Distributive law:
A * (B + C) = A*B + A*C,A + B*C = (A + B) * (A + C). - Consensus theorem:
A*B + A'*C + B*C = A*B + A'*C(the B*C term is redundant). - XOR simplification: Recognize patterns like
A*B' + A'*B = A ^ B. - Dokumentieren each step: Schreiben out the expression nach each law application, citing the law used.
## Algebraic Simplification Trace
1. Original: [expression]
2. Apply [law name]: [result]
3. Apply [law name]: [result]
...
n. Final algebraic form: [simplified expression]
Erwartet: A step-by-step reduction with each law application cited, converging on a simpler expression. The trace provides a verifiable proof of equivalence.
Bei Fehler: If the expression nicht simplify further but appears non-minimal, proceed to Step 4 (K-map). Algebraic methods sind nicht guaranteed to find the global minimum -- they depend on the order in which laws are applied.
Schritt 4: Minimieren via Karnaugh Map
Use a K-map to find the provably minimal SOP or POS form (for up to 6 variables):
- Draw the K-map: Arrange the map using Gray code ordering on axes.
- 2 variables: 2x2 grid
- 3 variables: 2x4 grid
- 4 variables: 4x4 grid
- 5 variables: two 4x4 grids (stacked)
- 6 variables: four 4x4 grids (stacked)
- Fill cells: Place 1s (minterms), 0s (maxterms), and Xs (don't-cares) in the corresponding cells.
- Group adjacent 1s: Form rectangular groups of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 adjacent cells (powers of 2 only). Groups may wrap around edges. Einschliessen don't-cares in groups if they enlarge the group.
- Extrahieren prime implicants: Each group yields a product term. Variables that are constant across the group appear in the term; variables that change are eliminated.
- Auswaehlen essential prime implicants: Identifizieren minterms covered by only one prime implicant -- those implicants are essential.
- Cover remaining minterms: Use the fewest additional prime implicants to cover any uncovered minterms (Petrick's method if needed).
- Schreiben minimal expression: Kombinieren selected prime implicants into the minimal SOP. For minimal POS, group the 0s stattdessen.
## K-map Result
- **Prime implicants**: [list with covered minterms]
- **Essential prime implicants**: [list]
- **Minimal SOP**: [expression]
- **Minimal POS**: [expression, if requested]
- **Literal count**: [number of literals in minimal form]
Erwartet: A minimal SOP (and/or POS) with the fewest literals possible, with all prime implicants and essential prime implicants documented.
Bei Fehler: If groupings are ambiguous (multiple minimal covers exist), list all equivalent minimal forms. If the variable count exceeds 6, switch to the Quine-McCluskey tabular method or Espresso heuristic and note the change in approach.
Schritt 5: Verifizieren Simplified Expression Matches Original
Bestaetigen logical equivalence zwischen the simplified and original expressions:
- Truth table comparison: Bewerten the simplified expression for all 2^n input combinations and compare gegen the truth table from Step 2. Every non-don't-care row must match.
- Algebraic proof (optional): Derive the original from the simplified form (or vice versa) using the laws from Step 3.
- Spot-check critical cases: Verifizieren the all-zeros input, all-ones input, and any input that was involved in a tricky simplification step.
- Dokumentieren result: State whether equivalence holds and record the final minimal form.
## Equivalence Verification
- **Method**: [truth table comparison / algebraic proof / both]
- **Mismatched rows**: [none, or list row numbers]
- **Verdict**: [Equivalent / Not equivalent]
- **Final minimal expression**: [the verified result]
Erwartet: The simplified expression matches the original on all non-don't-care inputs. The final minimal form is stated clearly.
Bei Fehler: If any row mismatches, trace der Fehler back durch Steps 3-4. Common causes: incorrect K-map grouping (non-rectangular or non-power-of-2 group), forgetting wrap-around adjacency, or accidentally grouping a 0 cell.
Validierung
- All variables in the original expression are accounted for
- Canonical SOP/POS lists the correct minterms/maxterms
- Truth table has exactly 2^n rows with correct outputs
- Don't-care conditions are handled korrekt (included in groups but not in coverage requirements)
- Algebraic steps each cite a specific law and are individually verifiable
- K-map uses Gray code ordering on both axes
- All groups in the K-map are rectangular and have power-of-2 size
- Essential prime implicants are korrekt identified
- Simplified expression matches the original on all non-don't-care inputs
- The final form has the minimum number of literals
Haeufige Stolperfallen
- Incorrect K-map adjacency: Forgetting that the leftmost and rightmost columns (and top and bottom rows) are adjacent in a K-map. This wrap-around is essential for finding the largest possible groups.
- Non-power-of-2 groups: Grouping 3 or 5 cells together. Every K-map group must contain exactly 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 cells. An irregular group nicht correspond to a valid product term.
- Ignoring don't-cares: Treating don't-care conditions as 0s stattdessen of using them to enlarge groups. Don't-cares sollte included in groups when doing so reduces the expression, but they must not be required for coverage.
- Operator precedence errors: Assuming AND and OR have equal precedence. Standard Boolean precedence is NOT > AND > OR. Misreading
A + B * Cas(A + B) * Cstattdessen ofA + (B * C)changes die Funktion entirely. - Stopping at algebraic simplification: Algebraic methods may find a local minimum, not the global minimum. Always cross-check with a K-map (or Quine-McCluskey for >6 variables) to confirm minimality.
- Confusing minterms and maxterms: Minterms are AND terms (product terms) that appear in SOP; maxterms are OR terms (sum terms) that appear in POS. Minterm m3 for 3 variables is A'BC; maxterm M3 is A+B'+C'.
Verwandte Skills
design-logic-circuit-- map the minimized expression to a gate-level circuitargumentation-- structured logical reasoning that shares formal logic foundations
GitHub Repository
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