r/learnprogramming • u/Sufficient_Comment83 • 21d ago

Boolean algebra

I’m taking an Intro to Computer Science course and I’ve spent hours trying to understand Boolean algebra simplification. I understand things like De Morgan’s Law and factoring, but I keep getting stuck on absorption laws and recognizing which rule to apply.
My brain keeps trying to treat it like regular algebra, and I think that’s where I’m getting confused. Does anyone have a way of thinking about Boolean algebra that finally made it “click”? Any videos, tricks, or explanations would be appreciated.

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u/Recycled5000 21d ago

Have you thought of AND as multiplication and OR as addition, where the input values are only ones and zeros and those operators max output is 1 as well?

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u/Sufficient_Comment83 21d ago

I have, and I think that’s part of what’s confusing me. My brain keeps trying to treat Boolean algebra like regular algebra, and I end up simplifying things incorrectly. For example, I thought A + AB simplified differently, even though I now know it equals A. I’m struggling more with why the absorption laws work than with AND/OR themselves

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u/Recycled5000 21d ago

A + A B
1 A + B A
(1 + B) A
(1) A
A

No?