LOGIC GATES

LOGIC GATE

INTRODUCTION
A logic gate is a digital circuit which is based on certain logical relationship between the input and the output
voltages of the circuit.
The logic gates are built using the semiconductor diodes and transistors.
Each logic gate is represented by tits characteristic symbol.
The operation of a logic gate is indicated in a table, known as truth table. This table contains all possible
combinations of inputs and the corresponding outputs.
A logic gate is also represented by a Boolean algebraic expression. Boolean algebra is a method of writing
equations showing how an output depends upon the combination of inputs. Boolean algebra was invented by
George Boole.
Basic logic gates
(1) OR gate (2) AND gate, and (3) NOT gate
The OR gate : - The output and an OR gate attains the state 1 if one or more inputs attain the state 1.
Logic symbol of OR gate
A
Y = A+ B
B
The Boolean expression of OR gate is Y = A + B, read as Y equals A or B.
Truth table of a two input OR gate
Input Output
A B Y
0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 1
The AND gate : The output of an AND gat attains the state 1 if and only if all the inputs are in state 1.
Logic symbol of AND gate
A
Y = AB
B
The Boolean expression of AND gate is Y = A.B It is read as Y equal A and B
Truth table of a two input AND gate
Input Output
A B Y
0 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 1
The NOT gate : The output of a NOT gate attains the state 1 if and only if the input does not attain the state 1.
Logic symbol of NOT gate
A Y

The Boolean expression is Y  A , read as Y equals NOT A.

Truth table of NOT gate
Input Output
A B
0 1
1 0

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 LOGIC GATES

COMBINATION OF GATES :
The three basis gates (OR, AND and NOT) when connected in various combinations give us logic gates such
as NAND, NOR gates, which are the universal building blocks of digital circuits.
The NAND gate
Logic symbol of NAND gate
A
Y = AB
B

The Boolean expression of NAND gate is Y  AB

Truth table of a NAND gate
Input Output
A B Y
0 0 1
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0
The NOR gate :
Logic symbol of NOR gate
A
Y = A+ B
B
The Boolean expression of NOR gate is Y  A  B
Truth table of a NOR gate
Input Output
A B Y
0 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 0
UNIVERSAL GATES :
The NAND or NOR gate is the universal building block of all digital circuits. Repeated use of NAND gates
(or NOR gates) gives other gates. Therefore, any digital system can be achieved entirely from NAND or NOR
gates. We shall show how the repeated use of NAND (and NOR) gates will gives use different gates.
The NOT gate from a NAND gate : When all the inputs of a NAND gate are connected together, as shown
in the figure, we obtain a NOT gate
A
Y
B
Truth table of single-input NAND gate
Input Output
A B = (A) Y
0 0 1
1 1 0
The AND gate from a NAND gate : If a NAND gate is followed by a NOT gate (i.e., a single input NAND
gate), the resulting circuit is an AND gate as shown in figure and truth the table given show how an AND
gate has been obtained from NAND gates.
A
Y
B Y’
Truth table
A B Y' Y
0 0 1 0
0 1 1 0
1 0 1 0
1 1 0 1

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 LOGIC GATES

The OR gate from NAND gate : If we invert the inputs A and B and then apply them to the NAND gate,
the resulting circuit is an OR gate.

A
A
Y
B B

Truth table
A B A B Y
0 0 1 1 0
0 1 1 0 1
1 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 0 1
The NOT gate from NOR gates : When all the inputs of a NOR gate are connected together as shown in
the figure, we obtain a NOR gate.

A y
B

The AND gate from NOR gates : If we invert the inputs A and B and then apply them to the NOR gate,
the resulting circuit is an AND gate.

A
Y

The OR gate from NOR gate : If a NOR gate is followed by a single input NOR gate (NOT gate), the resulting
circuit is an OR gate.
A
Y
B
XOR AND XNOR GATE :
The exclusive - OR gate (XOR gate) : The output of a two -input XOR gate attains the state 1 if one and
only one input attains the state 1.
Logic symbol of XOR gate
A
Y
B

The Boolean expression of XOR gate is Y  A B  AB or Y  A  B

Truth table of a XOR gate

Input Ouput
A B Y
0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0

Exclusive : NOR gate (XNOR gate) The output is in state 1 when its both input are the same that is, both
0 or both 1.

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 LOGIC GATES

Logic symbol of XNOR gate

A
Y
B

The Boolean expression of XNOR gate is Y = A.B + A.B or Y = A  B

Truth table of a XNOR gate

Input Ouput
A B Y
0 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 1
Laws of Boolean Algebra
Basic OR, AND, and NOT operations are given below :
OR AND NOT
A + 0 = A A. 0 = 0 A + A = 1

A + 1 = 1 A. 1 = 1 A. A = 0

A + A = A A . A = A A . A = A
Boolean algebra obeys commutative, associative and distributive laws as given below :
Commutative laws :
A + B = B + A ;
AB = BA
Associative laws :
A + (B + C) = (A + B) + C;
A. (B. C) = (A. B). C
Distributive laws :
A (B + C) = AB + AC
Some other useful identities :
(i) A + AB = A;
(ii) A. (A + B) = A.

(iii) A + A B = A + B

(iv) A. ( A + B) = AB

(v) A + BC = (A + B) (A + C)

(vi) ( A + B) (A + C) = A C
De Morgan’s theorem :
First theorem :

A  B  A.B

Second theorem :

A.B  A  B

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 LOGIC GATES

RAPID REVISION PACKAGE

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 LOGIC GATES

EXERCISE # 2
Q.1 Following circuit performs the logic function of - [CBSE PM/PD-2003]
[1] AND gate [2] NAND gate [3] OR gate [4] XOR gate
Q.2 Boolean algebra is essentially based on - [AIIMS-1999]
[1] logic [2] truth [3] numbers [4] symbol
Q.3 Which of the following gates will have an output of 1 - [CBSE PM/PD-1998]
1 0 0 0
0 0 1 1
1 1 1 0
(a) (b) (c) (d)
[1] a and b [2] b and c [3] c and d [4] a and d
Q.4 How many AND gate are required to form NAND gate - [BHU-1997]
[1] 1 [2] 3 [3] 2 [4] 4
Q.5 The truth table shown below is for which of the following gate - [CBSE PM/PD-1997]
A B Y
1 1 0
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1
[1] AND [2] NAND [3] XOR [4] NOR
Q.6 The symbol represents - [CBSE PM/PD - 1996]
A
Y
B
[1] NAND gate [2] OR gate [3] AND gate [4] NOR gate
Q.7 Given below are symbols for some logic gates - [AFMC-1994]

(a) (b) (c) (d)

The XOR gate and NOR gate respectively are
[1] a and b [2] b and c [3] c and d [4] a and d

Q.8 In the Boolean algebra A.B equals - [BHU-1994]

[1] A + B [2] A  B [3] A . B [4] A.B

Q.9 Which of the following gate corresponds to the truth table given below - [CBSE PM/PD-1994,95]

A B Y
0 0 1
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0
[1] NAND [2] AND [3] XOR [4] OR
Q.10 In Boolean algebra Y = A + B implies that - [CBSE PM/PD-1993]
[1] Output Y exists when both input A and B exist
[2] output Y exists when either input A exists or input B exist or both inputs A and B exist
[3] Output Y exists when either input A exists or input B exist but not when both inputs A and B exist.
[4] Output Y exists when both inputs A and B exist but not when either input A or B exists.

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EXERCISE # 1
Q.24 What would be the output of the circuit whose Boolean expression -
[1] 1 [2] 0 [3] both 1 & 2 [4] none of these
Q.23 An OR gate is followed by a single input NAND gate. Using two inputs A and B, the Boolean expression
of the output Y is -

[1] Y  A  B [2] Y = A + B [3] Y = AB [4] Y = AB

Q.22 Which of the following relations is valid for Boolean algebra -

[1] A + A = A [2] A. A = A [3] A. A  0 [4] A + 1 = 1

[5] All
Q.21 The output Y of the combination of gates shown in equal to -
A Y
AND
B
OR
[1] A [2] A [3] A + B [4] AB
Q.20 The truth table shown in of -
A B Y
0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0
[1] NAND gate [2] NOR gate [3] XOR gate [4] XNOR gate
Q.19 ‘Output is LOW if and only if all the inputs are HIGH’ Indicate the logic gate for which the above statement
in true. -
[1] AND [2] OR [3] NOR [4] NAND
Q.18 The output of a two input NOR gate is in state 1 when -
[1] either input terminals is at 0 state [2] either input terminals is at 1 state
[3] both input terminals are at 0 state [4] both input terminals are at 1 state
Q.17 The NOR gate is logically equivalent to an OR gate followed by -
[1] an inverter [2] a NOR gate [3] a NAND gate [4] an OR gate
Q.16 A NAND gate followed by a NOT gate is -
[1] an OR gate [2] an AND gate [3] a NOR gate [4] a XOR gate
Q.15 Which of the following paris are universal gates -
[1] NAND, NOT [2] NAND, AND [3] NOR, OR [4] NAND, NOR
Q.14 When all the inputs of a NAND gate are connected together, the resulting circuit is -
[1] a NOT gate [2] an AND gate [3] an OR gate [4] a NOR gate
Q.13 The truth table shown below is for which of the following gates -

A B Y
1 1 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
0 0 1
[1] NAND [2] AND [3] XOR [4] NOR

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Q.12 Given below are four logic symbols. Those for OR, NOR and NAND gates are respectively. -

A A A A
Y Y Y Y
B B B B
(a) (b) (c) (d)
[1] a, d, c [2] d, a, b [3] a, c, d [4] d, b, a
Q.11 In Boolean algebra Y = A + B means that -
[1] Y is the sum of A and B
[2] Y exists when either A or B or both A and B exist
[3] Y exists only when both A and B exist
[4] Y exists when either A or B exists but not when both A and B exist
Q.10 Which of the following relation is valid in Boolean algebra -
[1] A  A  0 [2] A + A = 2A [3] A  A  1 [4] A  A  A
Q.9 Digital circuits can be made by repetitive use of -
[1] OR gate [2] AND gate [3] NOT gate [4] NAND gate
Q.8 In Boolean algebra, which of the following is not equal to zero. -

[1] A. A [2] A.0 [3] A  A [4] A.0

Q.7 Which of the following Boolean expression is not correct -

[1] A.B  A  B [2] A  B  A .B [3] (A.B).(A.B)  A B [4] 1  1  1

Q.6 You are given two circuits as shown in following figure. The logic operation carried out by the two circuit
are respectively -

A Y
A Y
Y
B
B

[1] AND, OR [2] OR, AND [3] NAND, OR [4] NOR, AND
Q.5 An XOR gate produces an output only when its two inputs are
[1] same [2] different [3] low [4] high
Q.4 The output of gate is low when at least one of its input is high. This is true for -
[1] NOR [2] OR [3] AND [4] NAND
Q.3 The arrangement shown in figure performs the logic function of a/an ......... gate -
A
Y
B
[1] OR [2] XOR [3] NAND [4] AND
Q.2 The truth table given below if for -

A B Y
0 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 1
[1] OR gate [2] AND gate [3] XNOR gate [4] XOR gate
Q.1 The output of the given logic gate is 1 when inputs A, B and C are such that -
[1] A = 1, B = 0, C = 1 [2] A = 1, B = 1, C = 0 [3] A = B = C = 0 [4] A = B = C = 1

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