Boolean Algebra and Its Applications (Dover Books on Computer Science)

This introduction to Boolean algebra explores the subject on a level accessible even to those with a modest background in mathematics. The first chapter presents the algebra of sets from an intuitive point of view, followed by a formal presentation in chapter two of Boolean algebra as an abstract algebraic system, with no reference to applications. Succeeding chapters offer concise accounts of applications to symbolic logic, focusing on topics of logic common to elementary mathematics and discussing concepts of valid argument and indirect proofs. Additional topics include the algebra of circuits - switching, relay, and computer - as well as the application of the algebra of sets to probability theory. Problems appear throughout the text, with answers to selected problems at the end of the book. Geared toward students of mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering, this text can be appreciated by anyone who understands college-level mathematics. It will prove particularly valuable to philosophy students and others wishing to study symbolic logic and its applications to computer science.