A Karnaugh map is a visual device that makes it easy to write functions of up to 4 variables when given a list of terms the

function must cover. For four (4) variables, it is convenient to use a specially numbered 44 array like this one.

The important characteristic of this numbering scheme is that any pair of adjacent rows (or columns) is identified by a particular state of one variable. The top and bottom rows (left and right columns) are considered adjacent. For example, the middle two rows are defined by the condition B=1. The numbers in each cell represent the decimal value of the binary bits ABCD, where A is the most significant bit. These help us locate the m and d terms of your problem statement. (A) When we identify the m and d terms, we find the map looks like this.

Now, we want to draw the largest rectangles we can that will cover all of the M cells, but none of the remaining numbered cells. (The d cells are don't care. We may cover them or not.) We want to do this with the minimum possible number of rectangles. This is how we do it.

The dimensions of the rectangles we choose must be 1, 2, or 4 cells. A 3-wide rectangle, when needed, is formed by overlapping two 2-wide rectangles. Unless you are specifically looking for an irredundant cover, it is generally acceptable, often desirable, for rectangles to overlapthough there is no point in adding a rectangle to cover a cell that has already been covered. It works best to identify cells that can only be covered one way and cover them first. (Cells 0, 3, 11, and 13 are such cells here.) Then choose a convenient way to cover the remaining cells, if any. Finally, we write the boolean expression corresponding to each rectangle. The upper left rectangle requires the conditions A=0, C=0, D=0, so can be described by the expression A'C'D'. The center square can be described by BD, and the third column by CD. Thus, our expression is F(A,B,C,D) = A'C'D' + BD + CD You can see that this neatly gives the function in sum of products form, also called disjunctive normal form (DNF). (B) Here is the map.

Recall that the left and right columns are considered to be adjacent. The pieces of the rectangle covering the two middle rows of those columns is shown overlapping the map edges to help you consider it as being one rectangle wrapped around from the first to last column. The expression can be written F(W,X,Y,Z) = Y'Z' + XZ' + WXY' (C) Note we have used a slightly smaller Karnaugh map for the final problem. Note, too, that a single rectangle can be used to cover all of the cells.

This results in every variable being don't care. In this aspect, it is a bit of a trick question. The function is F(A,B,C) = True