Construct a logic circuit

Published by Patrick Mutisya · 14 days ago

Cambridge A-Level Computer Science 9618 – Logic Gates and Logic Circuits

3.2 Logic Gates and Logic Circuits

Objective: Construct a logic circuit

In this topic you will learn how to translate a Boolean expression into a physical arrangement of logic gates. The process involves:

  • Identifying the required logical operations (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR, XNOR).
  • Choosing the appropriate gate symbols.
  • Connecting the gates so that the output matches the given truth table or Boolean expression.
  • Verifying the circuit by constructing its truth table.

Common Logic Gates

GateSymbolBoolean FunctionTruth Table
AND\$A \cdot B\$

\$A\$\$B\$\$A \cdot B\$
000
010
100
111

OR\$A + B\$

\$A\$\$B\$\$A + B\$
000
011
101
111

NOT¬\$\overline{A}\$

\$A\$\$\overline{A}\$
01
10

Step‑by‑Step Construction Procedure

  1. Write down the required Boolean expression or the target truth table.
  2. Simplify the expression using Boolean algebra or Karnaugh maps, if possible.
  3. Identify each logical operation in the simplified expression.
  4. Choose a gate for each operation (e.g., AND for multiplication, OR for addition, NOT for inversion).
  5. Draw the circuit diagram, connecting the outputs of earlier gates to the inputs of later gates as dictated by the expression.
  6. Label all inputs, intermediate signals, and the final output.
  7. Verify the circuit by constructing its truth table and confirming that it matches the original specification.

Worked Example

Construct a circuit that implements the Boolean function \$F = (A \cdot B) + (\overline{C})\$ and verify it against the truth table.

1. Identify the sub‑expressions

  • Term 1: \$A \cdot B\$
  • Term 2: \$\overline{C}\$
  • Final OR: \$(A \cdot B) + (\overline{C})\$

2. Choose gates

  • One AND gate for \$A \cdot B\$.
  • One NOT gate for \$\overline{C}\$.
  • One OR gate to combine the two results.

3. Sketch the circuit (suggested diagram)

Suggested diagram: AND gate with inputs A and B, NOT gate with input C, both outputs feeding an OR gate whose output is F.

4. Truth table verification

\$A\$\$B\$\$C\$\$A \cdot B\$\$\overline{C}\$\$F\$
000011
001000
010011
011000
100011
101000
110111
111101

The output column \$F\$ matches the expression \$ (A \cdot B) + (\overline{C}) \$, confirming that the constructed circuit is correct.

Practice Questions

  1. Given the Boolean expression \$G = \overline{(A + B)} \cdot C\$, draw the corresponding logic circuit and produce its truth table.
  2. Design a circuit that outputs 1 only when exactly two of the three inputs \$X\$, \$Y\$, \$Z\$ are 1. Provide the Boolean expression, the circuit diagram, and a verification table.
  3. Use a Karnaugh map to simplify \$H = A B \overline{C} + A \overline{B} C + \overline{A} B C + A B C\$ and then construct the minimal circuit.

Attempt each question, then compare your solutions with the answer key provided by your teacher.