2210 · 0478Paper 2 · Algorithms, Programming and Logic

10. Boolean Logic

Logic gates (NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR), logic circuits, truth tables and logic expressions.

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Statometer61CoreNext Paper 291%

Marks a paper8.7 · 12%Rank#10 of 10 · #4 on P2Trend · last 12→Full stats

Everything for this topic — study hub

O Level / IGCSE · 2210 · 0478 · Paper 2

Statometer — what 25 real papers say about this topic and each of its 4 syllabus bullets

Core · #10 of 10 in O Level / IGCSE · recomputed with every new session

Core#10 of 10 in O Level / IGCSE#4 on Paper 2→ Steady

A regular, well-paid topic — you cannot afford a gap here.

Next Paper 2: 91%; 9 in 10 chance it is set
Marks a paper: 8.7 / 75; 12% of Paper 2 · fair share 25%
Appeared in: 24 / 25; Paper 2 sittings 2023–2026
Last set: May/Jun 2026; 0478/23 · Q7 · 8 marks · 11-series streak

Marks in each of the last 12 Paper 2 sittingsOct/Nov 24 → May/Jun 26

What the papers say

Set in 24 of 25 Paper 2 sittings on the current syllabus — treat it as certain.
Worth about 8.7 marks a paper (12% of Paper 2, well under its fair share of 25%).
Last set May/Jun 2026 · 0478/23 · Q7 for 8 marks — in the most recent series.
Set in each of the last 11 series without a miss.
Steady at around 9 marks a paper year on year.
Lives on “Complete” and “Draw” — 97% of its questions: you must produce something — code, a diagram, a table — practise doing it, not reading it.
99% of its questions involve a diagram, table or figure — practise with pen and paper.
82% of its questions are set out as code, pseudocode or a table to complete.
Most of its marks (95%) come in extended questions of 6+ marks — plan the answer before writing.
Its biggest question so far: 14 marks (Oct/Nov 2025 · 0478/21 · Q4).
Inside the topic, Truth tables from a problem statement, logic expression or logic circuit carries the most marks (33%) and Logic circuits from a problem statement, logic expression or truth table the least (19%).
It is examined almost entirely as AO2 (Apply to a context, 93%) — you must apply it to the scenario or the given data — a definition alone will not score.
The examiner has commented on 56 of its questions — read “What the examiner said” before you practise.

Command words

Share of questions using the word (a question can use several). What each wants →

Question shapes

1–2 mk0
3–4 mk8
5–6 mk3
7–9 mk50
10+ mk30

Average 8.6 marks a question · 99% with a figure or table · 82% with code · biggest 14 marks

Assessment objectives — how it is examined

Every part of every current-syllabus question filed under Cambridge's AO1 / AO2 / AO3 (from its command word and what it asks you to do), so you know whether this topic pays for definitions, for applying, or for judging and building.

AO2 93%

AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply to a context
AO3 Evaluate & judge

Paper 2 as a whole

Paper 2	Syllabus	Measured
AO1 Knowledge & understanding	20%	27%
AO2 Apply to a context	60%	51%
AO3 Evaluate & judge	20%	22%

Syllabus = Cambridge's grid; measured = the bank's current-syllabus papers.

Inside the topic — every syllabus bullet, measured

Each part of each question is filed under the bullet it examines; the numbers are per Paper 2 sitting, exactly like the topic's. Open a bullet for its own Statometer.

Standard symbols and functions of the NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR and XOR gates (NOT has one input; the others have two)#19 of 19 on Paper 2Occasional · 2232% next paper1 marks8/25 sittings↘ Oct/Nov 2025Occasional · 2232%
1 · 20% of topic8/25Oct/Nov 20252 series ago · ↘
Rotated in occasionally — the bullet students skip and then meet.
Next Paper 2
32%
1 in 4
Marks a paper
1
1% of the paper · 20% of the topic
Asked in
8 / 25
Paper 2 sittings · 45 questions
Last asked
Oct/Nov 2025
0478/21 · Q4 · 2 marks · 2 series ago
Asked in 8 of 25 Paper 2 sittings — roughly one paper in 3.
About 1 marks a paper (1% of Paper 2; 20% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked Oct/Nov 2025 · 0478/21 · Q4 (2 marks), 2 seriess ago.
Easing: 1.8 → 0.5 marks a paper.
Usually “Draw” or “Complete”: you must produce something — code, a diagram, a table — practise doing it, not reading it.
Biggest chunk of marks so far: 8.5 in Oct/Nov 2023 · 2210/23 · Q6.
It is examined mostly as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 53%), the rest AO2 (48%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
Last 12 sittings↘ Easing
Assessment objectives
AO1 53%
AO2 48%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply to a context
AO3 Evaluate & judge
Draw76%
Complete69%
Consider40%
Identify16%
Practise its 45 questions Biggest: 8.5 marks · Oct/Nov 2023
Logic circuits from a problem statement, logic expression or truth table#16 of 19 on Paper 2Occasional · 3356% next paper1.3 marks14/25 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Occasional · 3356%
1.3 · 19% of topic14/25May/Jun 2026latest series · →
Rotated in occasionally — the bullet students skip and then meet.Syllabus: drawn as stated, up to three inputs and one output
Next Paper 2
56%
6 in 10
Marks a paper
1.3
2% of the paper · 19% of the topic
Asked in
14 / 25
Paper 2 sittings · 52 questions
Last asked
May/Jun 2026
0478/23 · Q7 · 2 marks · 6-series streak
Asked in 14 of 25 Paper 2 sittings — about 6 papers in 10.
About 1.3 marks a paper (2% of Paper 2; 19% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 0478/23 · Q7 (2 marks) — in the most recent series.
Asked in each of the last 6 series.
Usually “Draw” or “Complete”: you must produce something — code, a diagram, a table — practise doing it, not reading it.
It is examined almost entirely as AO2 (Apply to a context, 100%) — you must apply it to the scenario or the given data — a definition alone will not score.
Last 12 sittings→ Steady
Assessment objectives
AO2 100%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply to a context
AO3 Evaluate & judge
Draw90%
Complete87%
Consider46%
Write12%
Practise its 52 questions Biggest: 3 marks · Oct/Nov 2025
Truth tables from a problem statement, logic expression or logic circuit#10 of 19 on Paper 2Core · 5684% next paper2.5 marks22/25 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Core · 5684%
2.5 · 33% of topic22/25May/Jun 2026latest series · →
A regular earner inside the topic — most papers touch it.
Next Paper 2
84%
8 in 10
Marks a paper
2.5
3% of the paper · 33% of the topic
Asked in
22 / 25
Paper 2 sittings · 75 questions
Last asked
May/Jun 2026
0478/23 · Q7 · 2 marks · 11-series streak
Asked in 22 of 25 Paper 2 sittings — nearly every paper.
About 2.5 marks a paper (3% of Paper 2; 33% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 0478/23 · Q7 (2 marks) — in the most recent series.
Asked in each of the last 11 series.
Usually “Complete” or “Draw”: you must produce something — code, a diagram, a table — practise doing it, not reading it.
Biggest chunk of marks so far: 4 in May/Jun 2026 · 2210/21 · Q8.
It is examined almost entirely as AO2 (Apply to a context, 100%) — you must apply it to the scenario or the given data — a definition alone will not score.
Last 12 sittings→ Steady
Assessment objectives
AO2 100%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply to a context
AO3 Evaluate & judge
Complete96%
Draw68%
Consider53%
Write21%
Practise its 75 questions Biggest: 4 marks · May/Jun 2026
Logic expressions from a problem statement, logic circuit or truth table#8 of 19 on Paper 2Core · 5983% next paper3 marks21/25 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Core · 5983%
3 · 28% of topic21/25May/Jun 2026latest series · →
A regular earner inside the topic — most papers touch it.
Next Paper 2
83%
8 in 10
Marks a paper
3
4% of the paper · 28% of the topic
Asked in
21 / 25
Paper 2 sittings · 58 questions
Last asked
May/Jun 2026
0478/23 · Q7 · 4 marks · 11-series streak
Asked in 21 of 25 Paper 2 sittings — about 8 papers in 10.
About 3 marks a paper (4% of Paper 2; 28% of the topic's marks across its 4 bullets).
Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 0478/23 · Q7 (4 marks) — in the most recent series.
Asked in each of the last 11 series.
Usually “Complete” or “Draw”: you must produce something — code, a diagram, a table — practise doing it, not reading it.
Biggest chunk of marks so far: 4.5 in May/Jun 2026 · 2210/22 · Q8.
It is examined almost entirely as AO2 (Apply to a context, 100%) — you must apply it to the scenario or the given data — a definition alone will not score.
Last 12 sittings→ Steady
Assessment objectives
AO2 100%
AO1 Knowledge & understanding
AO2 Apply to a context
AO3 Evaluate & judge
Complete91%
Draw79%
Consider64%
Write28%
Practise its 58 questions Biggest: 4.5 marks · May/Jun 2026

5% of the topic's marks sit in question parts that belong to another topic (scenario questions cross sections) or that no bullet claims; they count for the topic, not for a bullet.

Marks a paper, year by year

11121314151617181920212223242526

Grey years are the previous syllabus (2011–2022, 63 questions) — history, not counted in the rates.

By exam series

Feb/Mar4/4 · 8.5 mk
May/Jun11/12 · 7.6 mk
Oct/Nov9/9 · 10 mk

Practise 91 real questions Smart Notes Quiz Flashcards Every topic on the Statometer

What you need to know4syllabus section 10

Standard symbols and functions of the NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR and XOR gates (NOT has one input; the others have two)
Logic circuits from a problem statement, logic expression or truth table — drawn as stated, up to three inputs and one output
Truth tables from a problem statement, logic expression or logic circuit
Logic expressions from a problem statement, logic circuit or truth table

Video lectures15ZAK's YouTube channel · play here

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Open in the video library ZAK's channel

Infographics2draw these the way the examiner expects · download as PNG

Logic gate symbols

O LevelAS

From logic circuit to truth table

O LevelASA2

Browse all infographics →

Key terms9use these exact words in the exam

NOTANDORNANDNORXORtruth tablelogic circuitlogic expression

Dotted terms are defined in the glossary.

Code help1referenced to the Cambridge pseudocode guide

Evaluate a logic expression for every input

pseudocode Run in Playground

DECLARE A, B, C, X : BOOLEAN
DECLARE i : INTEGER
FOR i ← 0 TO 7
   A ← (i DIV 4) MOD 2 = 1
   B ← (i DIV 2) MOD 2 = 1
   C ← i MOD 2 = 1
   X ← (A AND B) OR NOT C
   OUTPUT A, " ", B, " ", C, " -> ", X
NEXT i

💡 This prints the full truth table — compare with the Logic Gates Lab.

Playground examples1runnable program for this topic

Truth table for a logic expression
Generate all 8 input combinations of A, B, C from a counter and evaluate X = (A AND B) OR NOT C.
O LevelASPseudocodeTheory in code 2210 §10 / 9618 §3.3
Run

Boolean Algebra & K-map Lab3real Paper 3 questions — K-maps, De Morgan's laws, adders, flip-flops — solved and practised

XOR as a sum-of-products
A ⊕ B = A.B̅ + A̅.B — the half adder's sum output written in Boolean algebra.
A2ASO LevelBoolean algebra 9618 §15.2
Open
Circuit with working columns P, Q, R, S
June 2024 Q6(a): P = A̅, Q = B.C, R = P NAND Q... build the working columns in gate order, then Z. One mark for the working, one per half of Z.
A2ASO LevelCircuit → truth table 9618 §15.2
Open
Four working columns and an XOR
Nov 2025 Q6(a) style: an XOR, a NAND and an OR feeding a final AND — eight rows, four working columns.
A2ASO LevelCircuit → truth table 9618 §15.2
Open

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Quiz: Boolean Logic (36)🃏 Flashcards: mix this topic (30)🔀 Logic gates (15)🧷 Circuits, truth tables & expressions (15)Past-paper questions (91)⚡ Logic Gates Lab 🗺️ Circuit → truth table practice

Everything for this topic — study hub

Statometer — what 25 real papers say about this topic and each of its 4 syllabus bullets

What you need to know4syllabus section 10

Video lectures15ZAK's YouTube channel · play here

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