Combining Decision Rules in a Decision Table The techniques for minimizing logic circuits are applied to the simplification of decision tables by the combining of decision rules. This method is logically equivalent to the Quien-McCluskey method for finding prime implicants. If some of the decision rules implied in the ELSE Rule occur with low frequency, then the ELSE Rule can be used to further simplify the decision table. Several objectives merit consideration in optimizing a decision table:(1) reducing machine execution time; (2) reducing preprocessing time; (3) reducing required machine memory; (4) reducing the number of decision rules. (This often improves the clarity of the decision table to a human reader.) It will be shown that objectives (3) and (4) can be furthered with the above methods. Objective (1) is also attained if overspecified decision rules are not combined. Objective (2) must be compared against the potential benefits of objectives (1), (3), and (4) in deciding whether to use the above methods. CACM August, 1975 Shwayder, K. the Quine-McCluskey method, prime implicants, minimization, maximization, logic circuit, boolean method, coding, decision tables, flowcharting, sorting 3.5 3.74 4.12 5.31 5.6 CA750809 JB January 6, 1978 3:53 PM 1354 4 2726 1354 4 2726 1488 4 2726 1548 4 2726 1548 4 2726 1684 4 2726 2053 4 2726 2053 4 2726 2053 4 2726 2220 4 2726 2220 4 2726 2220 4 2726 2220 4 2726 2220 4 2726 2273 4 2726 2273 4 2726 2273 4 2726 2273 4 2726 2453 4 2726 2453 4 2726 2453 4 2726 2492 4 2726 2517 4 2726 2518 4 2726 2598 4 2726 2598 4 2726 2598 4 2726 2598 4 2726 2616 4 2726 2691 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2726 4 2726 2856 4 2726 2856 4 2726 2856 4 2726 2856 4 2726 3113 4 2726 3113 4 2726 1172 5 2726 1327 5 2726 1354 5 2726 1488 5 2726 1489 5 2726 1548 5 2726 2220 5 2726 2221 5 2726 2263 5 2726 2726 5 2726 2726 5 2726 2726 5 2726