Digital Electronics

B. Bacher
Olivia Whitfield
11/5/14

The purpose of this project was to practice simplifying circuits using Boolean algebra, applying it to a
very complicated problem. We worked alone.
Materials:
-Pen
-Paper (notebook)
-CDS (Multisim)
-Breadboard and parts needed to make the design (including gates, wires, and such)
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Take the word problem and create the truth table

Derive the logic expression from the truth table
Design the circuit directly created from the truth table in notebook and in the CDS
Use Boolean algebra to demonstrate the simplification of the circuit
Design the simplified version in notebook and CDS

Concepts:
Simplification with Boolean algebra was the concept covered in this project.
Summary:
Because I am incompetent, my greatest difficulty was in simplifying the equationthe entire purpose
for this project. Bread boarding and making the circuits was pretty straightforward. Maybe the premise
was a little mundane, but I guess that just made it easier to understand.
Letter to Grandma
Dear Nana,
I understand from where your distrust of these electronic voting systems stems, but you must
understand that your distrust is faulty. Knowing how to work the machines and how they themselves
function would be most useful in increasing your comfort, and you can pass this knowledge on to
whomever you please; I refuse to write letters to every dubious individual in your area.
This particular design was called Majority Vote and was designed with a small group of
officials voting on a decision in mind. The officials are named as a President, Vice President, Secretary,
and Treasurer. The President has more power than the other three, therefore the presidents vote
counts as two; this is also useful in avoiding a tie in votes. When there are 3 out of the 5 votes, a light
comes on to indicate the decision yes (or some related word of the affirmative) has been made; the
light will stay off if the decision no (or any word related to the negative) has been made.

My voting machine design may not serve the same purpose, but I hope that you can use the
design process I used to help you understand the new electronic voting system. I began the design with
the tedious process of creating the truth table, that is, a list of all circumstances that will result in certain
outcomes, here, whether a decision will be made/passed or not. This is a relatively simple device, so it
didnt take very long. Within this table, I indicated which circumstances would equal a majority out of 5
votes (2 for the president, and 1 each for the other 3 positions of VP, Secretary, and Treasurer). From
this table, I was able to derive an expression that would show only what circumstances would yield the
decision being made. Now, this expression was very complicated and using it to build the final machine
would have been hideous and pointless. So, my job was to take this needlessly complex expression and
simplify it like any other algebraic expression, but with different math rules applied. (These rules were
created by a guy named Boole and are perfect in application to Digital Electronics.) I then took this
simplified equation and built a much simpler and neater circuit than I might have had originally. The
simpler circuit was easier to connect correctly since there was much less that could go wrong, and the
design worked without a problem.
So, I hope this letter was a boon to you. I hope that you can take this knowledge and go vote on
the electronic machines with a new confidence. Peaceskies.
Love,
Livvy
Artifacts:

Breadboarded Circuit

Notebook