Question

A student makes a mistake somewhere in the process of simplifying the following Boolean expression:

ab + a (b+c)
       = ab+ab+c
       = ab+c

Determine, where the mistake was made, and what proper sequence of steps should be used to simplify the original expression.

Answer 1

The student expanded a(b + c) incorrectly.

a(b + c) = ab + ac

not ab + c

Correct steps:

ab + a(b + c) ​= ab + ab + ac

= ab + ac

= a(b + c)​

Simplified expression:

a(b + c)