Some Definitions
Cube = product term, e.g. bcd’
Literal = an instance of a variable (or its complement) in an expression
- (ab + a’b’) has 4 literals
Prime implicant (cube) = Cube for which no literal can be removed
Essential implicant (cube) = Prime cube that must be used because there is a member of the on-set that no other cube covers
sup(f) = Support of f
- the set of variables that the function depends on
- i.e. not a don’t care variable
- How can you determine whether x ? sup(f)?
Cover = set of “points” that a function covers