Half-adders full-adders and electronics

[btiffin]

So, how many compsci.ca members know about the logic and electronics of computing?

Did you know that a half-adder (take 2 bits and returns a sum and a carry) is the simple application of an xor for the sum and an and for the carry? Or that a full-adder (take 2 bits plus a carry and return a sum and a carry) is the equivalent of oring two half-adders? Or that a string of full-adder circuits can add up any number of bits; usually in 8, 16, 32 or 64 (or more) bit chunks? Or how this boolean thinking can go from whoa? to whoa! in its ability to perform complex tasks?

Just curious,
Cheers

[apomb]

Yep... thats much like the stuff I did in my digital electronics course this past year. only we didnt use adders and half adders, we used different flipflops to do adding, counting and boolean hubub. I found it extremely enjoyable.

[tenniscrazy]

yes! i did this stuff last semester in computer engineering. It was pretty fun making all the circuits. Its like finally finding out HOW a computer essentially works at the simplest level. And also gives some meaning to machine coding and how hard and much longer it was

[apomb]

what grade comp eng.?

[tenniscrazy]

grade 11.

they just added in grade 10 engineering for this year or i would've taken it last year

[apomb]

its an interesting feild, especially if you're more of a hands-on learner, but also like to be academic. What are you planning for post-secondary?

[tenniscrazy]

i'm planning on focusing on math, because that is what everything that i'm interested in is based on in the most basic level. Also i got a taste of university math theory when i visited Guelph, and i REALLY enjoyed it. But i could branch out into computer science or computer engineering.

[rizzix]

Had to do it. It's part of the curriculum.

[rdrake]

I too did it in school. Computer Architecture I, interesting course.

[Skynet]

Yep, but I have a less CS-y background than most.

[jernst]

I wish I would have taken more if it in high school when I was there, instead I stuck with mostly programming type courses so when I finally got a chance to do that type of stuff in Uni I found it a little tricky

[Bobrobyn]

Yeah, I did this stuff in highschool, and a course (I can't remember the title) in university -- the same course we learned assembly in.

[Epic Tissue]

Had a course in this too.

[apomb]

Epic Tissue @ Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:36 am wrote:

Had a course in this too.

Thanks for that riveting commentary...

If anyone is interested in electronics/ microcontrollers, check out this instructable for choosing an appropriate one for your project.

I'm very interested in a Motorola one, since i already know the command set.

[Epic Tissue]

apomb @ Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:04 pm wrote:

Epic Tissue @ Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:36 am wrote:

Had a course in this too.

Thanks for that riveting commentary...

What?