Binary Functions and their Applications (Lecture Notes in Economics and Mathematical Systems)

In this book binary functions and their representation by implicants or implicates are described. In particular minimal representations by prime implicants or prime implicates are given. Such representations generalize the minimal representations of the usual Boolean functions. It is shown that implicants (implicates) of discrete functions may be constructed with the help of implicants (implicates) of binary functions. One substantial application is the description of the reliability structure of technical systems, another is the use of binary respectively discrete functions to classify objects which are described by the grades of certain attributes. Finally a class of Boolean algebras of practical importance (set algebras, indicator algebras, algebras of classes of propositions) are considered. The elements of such algebras have representations which are strongly connected with the representations of binary functions.