ELEN 5000

Winter 1999

Homework Assignment 3

98765

 

1. For the formula f = xy + y'z + xyz

(Note: this is the same function as problem 1, homework assignment 1)

(a) Find the prime implicants using the tabular method.

SOLUTION:

x

y

z

f(x,y,z)

minterms

0

0

0

0

 

0

0

1

1

x'y'z

0

1

0

0

 

0

1

1

0

 

1

0

0

0

 

1

0

1

1

xy'z

1

1

0

1

xyz'

1

1

1

1

xyz

 

x'y'z *

y'z

xy'z *

xyz' *

xz

xy

xyz *

 
   

Prime implicants are xz, xy, y'z

 

(b) Find the prime implicants using the iterated consensus method.

SOLUTION:

f = xy + y'z + xyz

= xy + y'z + xyz + xz (adding the consensus term for the first two terms of f)

= xy + y'z + xz (xz includes xyz so xyz can be deleted)

2. For the incompletely specified function f(x,y,z) represented by the interval [x'y, xz'+y] find the

prime implicants using the tabular method.

(Note: this is the same interval as Problem 2, homework assignment 2).

SOLUTION:

f = x'y

d= xz' + xy

x

y

z

f

minterms (f)

d

minterms (d)

0

0

0

0

 

0

 

0

0

1

0

 

0

 

0

1

0

1

x'yz'

0

 

0

1

1

1

x'yz

0

 

1

0

0

0

 

1

xy'z'

1

0

1

0

 

0

 

1

1

0

0

 

1

xyz'

1

1

1

0

 

1

xyz

 

x'yz' *

xy'z' d *

x'y *

yz' *

xz' d

y

x'yz *

xyz' d *

yz *

xy d *

 

xyz *

   

The term xz' is entirely contained in d hence it is not a prime implicant. The prime implicant of f is y.

 

3. Consider a function with n minterms.

(a) What is the minimum number of prime implicants it can have? ONE (or zero for n=0)

(b) What is the maximum number of prime implicants it can have? n