Boolean Logic practice - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: CoffinDodger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2016, 02:54:00 am
content: So I have plenty of resources now to learn but I've learned that Boolean logic and it's associated algebra and so forth is pretty simple. The problem I'm having is the more complex stuff (the really long convoluted type of complex). Mostly because of the need for tediously tracking everything. So that brings me to my point! I need practice with complex logic circuits. Each resource I look up seems to either be weak on the complex part and/or on the feedback part. i.e. no point in trying something complex if you have no idea if the end result was right!Does anyone know off hand of games, workbooks, etc. that's helped them now or in the past with developing skills with long tedious logic circuits and equations?

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2016, 03:34:21 am
content: Philosophically we try to get away from long logic equations, particularly those that are implemented as deep levels. There are only a few logic blocks used these days: random logic (and not much of that), multiplexors, decoders, priority trees, registers, counters and, the biggee, the Finate State Machine.we don't play with MSI logic devices these days, everything is done with CPLD or FPGAs and the logic is described with a Hardware Description Language such as Verilog or VHDL.There are old logic design books from the '70s that cover logic minimization and how to minimize and implement FSAs. Any of them will do.DeMorgan's theorem, Karnaugh maps and for FSAs, Google has a lot of replies for 'minimizing state machines'.

author: Markybhoy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2016, 10:27:32 am
content: Coursera has a free course where you build a cpu with boolean logic which you might be interested in -https://www.coursera.org/learn/build-a-computer

author: danadak
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2016, 10:32:26 am
content: Most work these days is done with GUI tools and simulators. The FPGA vendorshave suites of tools for free that you can play with, and many videos to learn. Addi-tionally there are cheap boards with JTAG interface you can use to debug and protowith. May board on ebay.Regards, Dana.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 30, 2016, 11:11:53 am
content: You probably won't find many complex examples because noone in their right mind would work out anything by hand nowadays. Karnaugh maps are unweildy for more than a few input terms and boolean algebra is as prone to errors as regular algebra. If you want some examples to try and work out then a simple add subtract calculator built using asynchronous logic or a simple cpu using synchronous logic are good starting points (these were both labs back when I was at uni). The good news is that excellent simulation tools are availabe from the FPGA vendors so you can check your result and of course put it in real hardware if you want to.

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2016, 01:25:24 pm
content: This was what taught me digital logic. It's a pretty good book and has problems in it after each chapter:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0748744495/

author: CoffinDodger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2016, 05:32:32 pm
content: Thanks for all the info folks! I realize it now after reading through that I should probably take a class in getting my intentions across. Regardless though y'all gave me some topics I definitely I want to go over later.The situation I'm in is my course is a bit quick and as of recently the testing has asked some crazy things for the time allotted. Like converting 9 digit decimal numbers to octal and 7 digit decimal to binary.I'm expecting something similar this Monday for our quiz/test on Boolean algebra and DeMorgan hootenanny.Though I do really appreciate the resources and will be looking over what I can this weekend.