AQA Computer Science A-Level

4.6.4 Logic gates

Intermediate Notes

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Specification:

[Link] Logic gates:

Construct truth tables for the following logic gates:
● NOT
● AND
● OR
● XOR
● NAND
● NOR
Be familiar with drawing and interpreting logic gate circuit diagrams
involving one or more of the above gates.
Complete a truth table for a given logic gate circuit.
Write a Boolean expression for a given logic gate circuit.
Draw an equivalent logic gate circuit for a given Boolean expression.
Recognise and trace the logic of the circuits of a half-adder and a
full-adder.
Construct the circuit for a half-adder.
Be familiar with the use of the edge-triggered D-type flip-flop as a
memory unit.

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 Logic Gates

Logic gates are devices which apply ​logical operations​ to one or more ​Boolean ​(​TRUE​or
FALSE​ )​ inputs​ in order to produce a ​single Boolean output​.

Within a computer’s processor, logic gates are ​combined ​to form ​logic circuits​ which can
perform ​more complex operations​.

Logic Gate Symbols

Each of the six required logic gates has a symbol which you should learn. The symbols
have inputs on the left and outputs on the right.

NOT AND OR XOR NAND NOR

Truth Tables

A truth table shows ​every possible combination​ of inputs and the corresponding output for
a logic gate or logic circuit. The inputs are​ labelled alphabetically ​starting with A and the
output is usually labelled ​Q​.

NOT
The NOT gate has ​one input ​and ​one output​. The gate’s output is always ​the opposite​ of
its input. For example, if the input to the gate is a ​1​
, it will output ​0.​

A Q

0  1 

1  0 

The ​truth table​ for the NOT gate has just two columns, the input A and the output Q. There
are just two possible inputs, ​1​and ​0​
.

Q = A

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AND
The AND gate has ​two inputs​, labelled A and B in the truth table below, and outputs the
two inputs ​multiplied ​together.

A B Q

0  0  0 

0  1  0 

1  0  0 

1  1  1 

Q = A × B
The AND gate only outputs ​TRUE​(​1​
) when ​both inputs​ are ​TRUE​
, otherwise it outputs
FALSE​
.

OR
In the same way that AND multiplies its inputs, OR ​adds them together​.

A B Q

0  0  0 

0  1  1 

1  0  1 

1  1  1 

Q = A + B 
OR only outputs ​FALSE​when ​both inputs​ are ​FALSE​
. When ​one or more​ of the gate’s
inputs are ​TRUE​
, the logic gate outputs ​TRUE​
.

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XOR
The ​XOR ​gate’s full name is ​exclusively or​ and it outputs ​TRUE​when ​exactly one​ of its
inputs is ​TRUE​. The gate’s truth table is the same as the OR gate with the exception of the
last line in which ​FALSE​is output with two ​TRUE​inputs.

A B Q

0  0  0 

0  1  1 

1  0  1 

1  1  0 

 
Q = A XOR B 
 
NAND
NAND is short for ​NOT AND​. The NAND gate is actually a ​combination of two gates​ which
we’ve already covered, the NOT gate and the AND gate.

AND NOT NAND

The NAND gate’s truth table is the same as the AND gate’s truth table, but the output is
reversed​.
A B Q

0  0  1 

0  1  1 

1  0  1 

1  1  0 
 

Q = A × B 

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NOR
NOR, short for ​NOT OR ​is a ​combination ​of the two logic gates NOT and OR.

OR NOT NOR

Therefore, the NOR gate’s truth table is the same as the OR gate’s table, just with the output
reversed​.

A B Q

0  0  1 

0  1  0 

1  0  0 

1  1  0 

 
Q = A + B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 Combining Logic Gates

Logic gates can be ​combined​ to form ​more complex ​circuits. You may be asked to draw or
interpret a logic circuit involving ​multiple logic gates​.

 
 
The logic circuit above combines​ three logic gates ​and can be
represented using the​ ​logical expression ​below.

Q = (B×C) + A
In order to create a truth table for this circuit, we first need to fill in ​all the possible
permutations of inputs​ like so:

A B C

0  0  0 

0  0  1 

0  1  0 

0  1  1 

1  0  0 

1  0  1 

1  1  0 

1  1  1 

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Next, we ​add columns for each of the elements​ that make up the logical expression such
as B × C ​and A . This will make it easier for us to​ combine them​ to form the final
expression.

A B C B×C A (B × C) + A

0  0  0  0  1  1 

0  0  1  0  1  1 

0  1  0  0  1  1 

0  1  1  1  1  1 

1  0  0  0  0  0 

1  0  1  0  0  0 

1  1  0  0  0  0 

1  1  1  1  0  1 

Once the column in the truth table for the​ finished expression ​is complete, the columns
used for working ​can be removed ​and the final column ​renamed Q .

A B C Q

0  0  0  1 

0  0  1  1 

0  1  0  1 

0  1  1  1 

1  0  0  0 

1  0  1  0 

1  1  0  0 

1  1  1  1 

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 Adders

An adder is a ​logic circuit ​that can be used to ​add Boolean values together​. There are ​two
types​ of adder that you need to be aware of: half adders and full adders.

Half adders
A half adder is a logic circuit ​two inputs​, ​two outputs​ and ​two logic gates​. The circuit can
be used to ​add two Boolean values​.

The two inputs are labelled A and B and the outputs are labelled S and C. Short for ​sum
and ​carry​.

A B S C

0  0  0  0  0 + 0 = 0 

0  1  1  0  0 + 1 = 1 

1  0  1  0  1 + 0 = 1 

1  1  1  1  1 + 1 = 1 ​
carry​ 1 

You need to be able to ​draw the logic circuit​ for a half adder.

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Full adders
A full adder has​ three inputs ​and ​two outputs​.

The three inputs are labelled A, B and C​in​ for ​carry in​. The two outputs are labelled S for
sum ​and C​out​ for ​carry out​.

You need to be able to ​recognise ​this circuit as a full adder, but you’re ​not expected​ to be
able to draw it.

The full adder’s​ truth table​ looks like this:

A B C​in S C​out

0  0  0  0  0 

0  0  1  1  0 

0  1  0  1  0 

0  1  1  0  1 

1  0  0  1  0 

1  0  1  0  1 

1  1  0  0  1 

1  1  1  1  1 

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 Edge-triggered D-type flip-flop

An edge-triggered D-type flip-flop is a logic circuit which can be used as a ​memory unit​ for
storing the value of a ​single bit​.

An edge-triggered D-type flip-flop has​ two inputs​, one for ​data ​and another for a ​clock
signal​. There is ​one output​, which always holds the ​value of the stored bit​.

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