What is the degree of the following function? F(A,B,C,D) = A'B'C'D'
2023
What is the degree of the following function? F(A,B,C,D) = A'B'C'D'
- A.
4
- B.
8
- C.
0
- D.
5
Attempted by 555 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
The degree of a Boolean product (AND) term is defined as the number of literals it contains — each variable or its complement counts as exactly one literal.
The term in this function is:
A′
B′
C′
D′
Counting each literal once gives a total of 4 literals multiplied together in this single product term.
Why the other values do not fit:
8 would only follow if each literal were counted twice — once for the variable and once for its complement — instead of once per literal actually appearing in the term.
0 applies only to a constant term with no variables at all (such as F = 1 or F = 0); this term is built by multiplying several distinct complemented variables together, so it is not constant.
5 would require one more factor multiplied into the term than actually appears; the product here is built purely from the four listed literals, with nothing extra.
Final Answer
Degree = 4