Karnaugh Map

Karnaugh Map

•     A Karnaugh map provides a pictorial method of grouping together expressions with common factors and therefore eliminating unwanted variables. The Karnaugh map can also be described as a special arrangement of a truth table.

•     The diagram below illustrates the correspondence between the Karnaugh map and the truth table for the general case of a two variable problem: 

Rules of simplification

•Groups may not include any cell containing a zero

•Groups may be horizontal or vertical, but not diagonal. 

•Groups must contain 1, 2, 4, 8, or in general 2n cells. 

 That is if n = 1, a group will contain two 1's since 21 = 2. 

 If n = 2, a group will contain four 1's since 22 = 4. 

•Each group should be as large as possible.

•Each cell containing a one must be in at least one group. 

Written by

Name: Woon Pei Wen

No. Matrik: B031210273