Member Avatar for bloodbender

Hi guys,
Is there a way to confirm your answers for simplifying boolean algebra OTHER THAN truth tables?

AND = *
OR = +

p * q * r + p * r is simplified into just p * r, which of course is the correct answer, but how can I confirm this? If I create truth tables, p * r is missing the "q", so can someone explain to me how to check it please?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by stultuske

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Member Avatar for stultuske

honestly, I have no idea of what you are doing, or why I should automatically assume why
p * r should be the correct answer. could you elaborate a bit more?

Member Avatar for bloodbender

Absolutely!

p * q * r + p * r
.. using Associative law ..
(p * r) + ((p * r) * q)
.. using Absorption/Redundancy law --> A + (A * B) = A ..
p * r

That's the correct answer, I checked on a few sites online to confirm as well. Here's one:
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=P+AND+Q+AND+R+OR+P+AND+R

But how can I check my answers without having the aids of these sites in a test? Truth table for p * r is obviously a lot smaller and different that p * q * r. How can I prove them to be equal to check my answer?

Am I making sense? lol

Member Avatar for NormR1

In java syntax:
AND is coded as &
OR as |

Member Avatar for NormR1

Since this is a java forum, I expected to see questions about java programming.
How does your problem relate to java programming? Do you have any java programming questions?

Member Avatar for bloodbender

Boolean algebra is a java question (not specifically java, most programming languages wouldn't you say?). I wouldn't put it under math even if there was a math section.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Member Avatar for stultuske

AND = *
OR = +
p * q * r + p * r is simplified into just p * r, which of course is the correct answer

The way I read this, based on the above, was:

p AND q AND r - OR - p AND r

simplified is

p AND r ...


basically: A or B is automatically B ...

see why I didn't get the logic? :)

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