K-map

Dr. Bernard Chen Ph.D.

University of Central Arkansas
Spring 2009
Karnaugh Maps (K-maps)
 Karnaugh maps -- A tool for
representing Boolean functions of
up to six variables.
 K-maps are tables of rows and
columns with entries represent 1`s
or 0`s of SOP and POS
representations.
Karnaugh Maps (K-maps)
 An n-variable K-map has 2n cells with
each cell corresponding to an n-variable
truth table value.

 K-map cells are labeled with the

corresponding truth-table row.

 K-map cells are arranged such that

adjacent cells correspond to truth rows
that differ in only one bit position
(logical adjacency).
Karnaugh Maps (K-maps)
 If mi is a minterm of f, then place a
1 in cell i of the K-map.

 If Mi is a maxterm of f, then place a

0 in cell i.

 If di is a don’t care of f, then place

a d or x in cell i.
 Examples

 Two variable K-map

f(A,B)=m(0,1,3)=A`B`+A`B+AB

A 0 1

B 0
1 0
1 1
1
 Three variable map

 f(A,B,C) =
m(0,3,5)=
A`B`C`+A`BC+AB A`B` A`B A B A B`
`C
0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0

C` 1
0 A`B`C`

C 1 1
1 A`BC AB`C
 Maxterm example

(A+B) (A+B`) (A`+B`) (A`+B)

A`B` A`B AB AB`

C C` 0 0 0

C` C 0 0

f(A,B,C) = M(1,2,4,6,7)
=(A+B+C`)(A+B`+C)(A`+B+C) )(A`+B`+C) (A`+B`+C`)
Note that the complements are (0,3,5) which are the
minterms of the previous example
Four variable example
(a) Minterm form. (b) Maxterm form.

f(a,b,Q,G) = m(0,3,5,7,10,11,12,13,14,15) = M(1,2,4,6,8,9)

Simplification of Boolean Functions
Using K-maps

 K-map cells that are physically adjacent are

also logically adjacent. Also, cells on an edge
of a K-map are logically adjacent to cells on
the opposite edge of the map.

 If two logically adjacent cells both contain

logical 1s, the two cells can be combined to
eliminate the variable that has value 1 in one
cell’s label and value 0 in the other.
 Simplification Guidelines for K-maps

 Always combine as many cells in a group

as possible. This will result in the fewest
number of literals in the term that
represents the group.
 Make as few groupings as possible to cover
all minterms. This will result in the fewest
product terms.
 Always begin with the largest group, which
means if you can find eight members group
is better than two four groups and one four
group is better than pair of two-group.
 Example
Simplify f= A`BC`+ A B C`+ A B C using;
(a) Sum of minterms. (b) Maxterms.

 Each cell of an n-variable K-map has n logically

adjacent cells.

F`= B`+ A`C F = B(A+C`)

a- f(A,B,C) = AB + BC b- f(A,B,C) = B(A + C)

Example Simplify

f(A,B,C,D) = m(2,3,4,5,7,8,10,13,15)

AB A AB A
CD 00 01 11 10 CD 00 01 11 10
0 4 12 8 0 4 12 8
00 1 1 00 1 1

1 5 13 9 1 5 13 9
01 1 1 01 1 1

3 7 15 11
D 3 7 15 11
D
11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1
C 2 6 14 10 C 2 6 14 10
10 1 1 10 1 1

B B
(a ) (b )
AB A AB A
CD 00 01 11 10 CD 00 01 11 10
0 4 12 8 0 4 12 8
00 1 1 00 1 1

1 5 13 9 1 5 13 9
01 1 1 01 1 1

3 7 15 11
D 3 7 15 11
D
11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1
C 2 6 14 10
C 2 6 14 10
10 1 1 10 1 1

B B
(c) (d )
 Example Multiple selections

f(A,B,C,D) = m(2,3,4,5,7,8,10,13,15)

AB A AB A AB A
CD 00 01 11 10 CD 00 01 11 10 CD 00 01 11 10
0 4 12 8 0 4 12 8 0 4 12 8
00 1 1 00 1 1 00 1 1
1 5 13 9 1 5 13 9 1 5 13 9
01 1 1 01 1 1 01 1 1
3 7 15 11 D 3 7 15 11 D 3 7 15 11 D
11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1
C 2 6 14 10 C 2 6 14 10 C 2 6 14 10
10 1 1 10 1 1 10 1 1

B B B
(a ) (b) (c)

c produces less terms than a

Example Redundant selections
f(A,B,C,D) = m(0,5,7,8,10,12,14,15)

AB A AB A
CD 00 01 11 10 CD 00 01 11 10
0 4 12 8 0 4 12 8
00 1 1 1 00 1 1 1

1 5 13 9 1 5 13 9
01 1 01 1

3 7 15 11
D 3 7 15 11
D
11 1 1 11 1 1
C 2 6 14 10 C 2 6 14 10
10 1 1 10 1 1

B B
(a ) (b )
AB A AB A
CD 00 01 11 10 CD 00 01 11 10
0 4 12 8 0 4 12 8
00 1 1 1 00 1 1 1

1 5 13 9 1 5 13 9
01 1 01 1

3 7 15 11
D 3 7 15 11
D
11 1 1 11 1 1
C 2 6 14 10
C 2 6 14 10
10 1 1 10 1 1

B B
(c) (d )
Example
Example
Example
f(A,B,C,D) = m(1,2,4,6,9)
S tep 2
AB A
CD 00 01 11 10
0 4 12 8
S tep 1
00 1
1 5 13 9
01 1 1
3 7 15 11 D
11
C 2 6 14 10
10 1 1

S tep 3 B
 Different styles of drawing maps
f(A,B,C) = m(1,2,3,6) = AC + BC

AB A
BC
C A 00 01 11 10
00 01 11 10
0 2 6 4
0 1 1
1 1 1
0
1 3 7 5
C 1 1 1 1 1

C B
0 1
AB
00 1
01 1 1
11
1
10
 Don’t-care condition

•Minterms that may produce either 0 or 1 for the function.

•They are marked with an in the K-map.
•This happens, for example, when we don’t input certain
minterms to the Boolean function.
•These don’t-care conditions can be used to provide further
simplification of the algebraic expression.
(Example) F = A`B`C`+A`BC` + ABC`
d=A`B`C +A`BC + AB`C
F = A` + BC`
a` f
0
Five
1
variable K-maps a
1
f
1
1 Use Two Four-variable K-Maps 6

2 1
7
3 f(a,b,c,d,e) = m(0,5,7,13,15,16,21,23,29,31)
1
4 8
5 1 a`=0 map a=1 map 1
bc bc
6 de 00 01 11 10 de 00 01 11 10 9
7 1 00 1 00 1 2
8 0

9
01
1 1 01
1 1 2 1
1
1 11 1 1 11 1 1
0 2
10 10 2
1
1 2 1
3
1
2 2
4
1 1
3 2
 a`=0 map a=1 map
bc bc
de 00 01 11 10 de 00 01 11 10

00 1 00 1
01
1 1 01
1 1
11 1 1 11 1 1
10 10

F1=a`b`c`d`e` + a`ce, F2=ace + ab`c`d`e`

f(a,b,c,d,e) = f1+f2
F=(a+a`)ce +
(a+a`)b`c`d`e`
=ce + b`c`d`e`