Karnaugh Maps (K-Maps) are a visual method used to simplify Boolean expressions without the need for Boolean algebra theorems. They are particularly useful in digital circuits and practical problems where minimizing the number of variables is essential¹.

Forms of K-Maps

K-Maps can be represented in two forms:

• Sum of Products (SOP)

• Product of Sums (POS)

Steps to Solve Expressions Using K-Maps

1. Select the K-map according to the number of variables.

2. Identify minterms or maxterms as given in the problem.

3. For SOP, place 1’s in the K-map blocks corresponding to the minterms (0’s elsewhere).

4. For POS, place 0’s in the K-map blocks corresponding to the maxterms (1’s elsewhere).

5. Make rectangular groups containing terms in powers of two (2, 4, 8, etc.) and try to cover as many elements as possible in one group.

6. Find the product terms from the groups and sum them up for the SOP form.

Example of SOP Form

K-map for 3 Variables

Given the expression ( Z = \Sigma(A, B, C)(1, 3, 6, 7) ):