How many flip-flops are needed in the design of a sequential circuit that has…

To determine the number of flip-flops needed for a sequential circuit, use the formula 2^n >= N, where N is the number of states. For a circuit with 3 states, we solve for n such that 2^n >= 3. Since 2^1 equals 2 and 2^2 equals 4, the minimum number of flip-flops required is 2.