A Level Computer Science OCR Practice Exam

How is the Absorption law typically represented?

1. A OR (A AND B)

2. ¬Av¬B

3. A AND (A OR B)

4. X XOR Y

The correct answer is: A AND (A OR B)

The Absorption law is a fundamental property in Boolean algebra that simplifies expressions involving logical operations. Specifically, the law states that if you take a variable A and combine it with another variable B through logical operations, you can absorb the effect of B in relation to A. The representation of the Absorption law can be expressed as \( A \land (A \lor B) = A \). This indicates that when A is true, the entire expression evaluates to A, regardless of the value of B. In practical terms, this means that the AND operation combined with the OR operation simplifies down to just A itself, demonstrating how A absorbs the influence of B. Therefore, when considering the provided answer, it succinctly captures this principle and highlights how logical expressions can be reduced in complexity by recognizing the relationships between the variables.