Two-input gate table
Evaluate an AND/OR/NOT network one intermediate result at a time.
Adult planning suggestion: about 9–12 · Logic & rule checking
- Players
- 1–4 cooperatively
- Time
- 15–25 minutes
- Materials
- Four input rows and intermediate columns U,V,W,Y
Prepare
Use only paper bits 0 and 1; do not connect batteries or household circuits. AND is 1 only when both inputs are 1. OR is 1 when at least one is 1. NOT changes 0 to 1 and 1 to 0.
Play
For each pair A,B compute U=A OR B, V=A AND B, W=NOT V, then Y=U AND W. Complete the columns in that order. W negates V, not A or the whole network.
Worked example
For A=1,B=0: U=1,V=0,W=1,Y=1. For 1,1: U=1,V=1,W=0,Y=0. These two rows distinguish OR alone from the full network.
Finish and check
Complete all four input pairs 00,01,10,11 exactly once. The Y column is 0,1,1,0: output 1 means the two inputs differ. Changing the order of rows does not change any row’s result.
Adaptation and limits
Partners independently calculate and compare every intermediate column, then stop. State that the network has no memory: repeating the same inputs must give the same output, regardless of which row came before it. A wrong intermediate value should be fixed at its first occurrence.
Purpose, observation and provenance
Within this activity: Evaluate an AND/OR/NOT network one intermediate result at a time.
Check that all four input rows include U,V,W and Y, so the earliest wrong intermediate value can be located.
Our rules, examples and printable diagrams are separately prepared. The earliest inventor of the broader mechanism is not established here.
All About Circuits: Multiple-input gates — Reference explains combinational gates; our four-column exercise is separately prepared.
Secondary practice: Cooperation and explaining a check.
For a class of 30, use ten groups of three. Prepare one player-material set per group and keep the host key with the adult. Rotate operator, recorder and checker after each worked example; a reader or scribe may help without choosing answers. Avoid public ranking or diagnostic labels.
Age bands are planning suggestions. Background references may address older learners and do not validate suitability for this age band. Goals describe observable actions, not measured long-term gains or institutional endorsement.
Free alternative: Copy the supplied grids, labels and cards onto reused paper. No specialist product is needed. Adults may prepare pieces or act as a scribe.
Printable materials
Preview at 100% scale, with browser headers and footers off. Cut with suitable help. Keep host keys separate. This is a manual tabletop kit, not an online opponent, automatic judge or solver.
Rules to keep beside the materials
- Use only paper bits 0 and 1; do not connect batteries or household circuits. AND is 1 only when both inputs are 1. OR is 1 when at least one is 1. NOT changes 0 to 1 and 1 to 0.
- For each pair A,B compute U=A OR B, V=A AND B, W=NOT V, then Y=U AND W. Complete the columns in that order. W negates V, not A or the whole network.
- For A=1,B=0: U=1,V=0,W=1,Y=1. For 1,1: U=1,V=1,W=0,Y=0. These two rows distinguish OR alone from the full network.
- Complete all four input pairs 00,01,10,11 exactly once. The Y column is 0,1,1,0: output 1 means the two inputs differ. Changing the order of rows does not change any row’s result.
- Partners independently calculate and compare every intermediate column, then stop. State that the network has no memory: repeating the same inputs must give the same output, regardless of which row came before it. A wrong intermediate value should be fixed at its first occurrence.
Two-input gate table — play materials
| A | B | U=A OR B | V=A AND B | W=NOT V | Y=U AND W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | ||||
| 0 | 1 | ||||
| 1 | 0 | ||||
| 1 | 1 |
Host check — keep private until finished
Rows 00/01/10/11: U0/1/1/1; V0/0/0/1; W1/1/1/0; Y0/1/1/0.
These are model answers or legal examples, not records of an experiment or learner outcomes.