Karnaugh Map (K-Map)

A Karnaugh map (or K-map) is a graphic means of depicting Boolean functions. K-maps are used to simplify Boolean functions and expressions without using algebra-based Boolean methods.

A K-map is another form of the truth table used by digital designers. Use of K-maps is not always simple, because the more variables are used to implement a function, the more complicated the K-map becomes, and the more difficult it is to simplify the map using the K-map technique.

Generally, a K-map is used for minimizing Boolean expressions with less than six or seven variables.