Binary Subtractor

Binary Subtractor
The Binary Subtractor is another type of combinational arithmetic circuit that is the opposite of
the Binary Adder we looked at in a previous tutorial. As their name implies, a Binary
Subtractor is a decision making circuit that subtracts two binary numbers from each other, for
example, X Y to find the resulting difference between the two numbers.
Unlike the Binary Adder which produces a SUM and a CARRY bit when two binary numbers
are added together, the binary subtractor produces a DIFFERENCE, D by using a BORROW
bit, B from the previous column. Then obviously, the operation of subtraction is the opposite to
that of addition.
We learnt from our maths lessons at school that the minus sign, is used for a subtraction
calculation, and when one number is subtracted from another, a borrow is required if the
subtrahend is greater than the minuend. Consider the simple subtraction of the two denary (base
10) numbers below.
123
78
45
We can not directly subtract 8 from 3 in the first column as 8 is greater than 3, so we have to
borrow a 10, the base number, from the next column and add it to the minuend to produce 13
minus 8. This borrowed 10 is then return back to the subtrahend of the next column once the
difference is found. Simple school maths, borrow a 10 if needed, find the difference and return
the borrow.
The subtraction of one binary number from another is exactly the same idea as that for
subtracting two decimal numbers but as the binary number system is a Base-2 numbering system
which uses 0 and 1 as its two independent digits, large binary numbers which are to be
subtracted from each other are therefore represented in terms of 0s and 1s.
Binary Subtraction
Binary Subtraction can take many forms but the rules for subtraction are the same whichever
process you use. As binary notation only has two digits, subtracting a 0 from a 0 or a 1
leaves the result unchanged as 0-0 = 0 and 1-0 = 1. Subtracting a 1 from a 1 results in a 0,
but subtracting a 1 from a 0 requires a borrow. In other words 0 1 requires a borrow.
Binary Subtraction of Two Bits

0
For the simple 1-bit subtraction problem above, if the borrow bit is ignored the result of their
binary subtraction resembles that of an Exclusive-OR Gate. To prevent any confusion in this
tutorial between a binary subtractor input labelled, B and the resulting borrow bit output from the
binary subtractor also being labelled, B, we will label the two input bits as X for the minuend
and Y for the subtrahend. Then the resulting truth table is the difference between the two input
bits of a single binary subtractor is given as:
2-input Exclusive-OR Gate

Symbol
As with the Binary Adder, the difference between the two digits is only a 1 when these two
inputs are not equal as given by the Ex-OR expression. However, we need an additional output to
produce the borrow bit when input A = 0 and B = 1. Unfortunately there are no standard logic
gates that will produce an output for this particular combination of X and Y inputs.
But we know that an AND Gate produces an output 1 when both of its inputs X and Yare 1
(HIGH) so if we use an inverter or NOT Gate to complement the input X before it is fed to
the AND gate, we can produce the required borrow output when X = 0 and Y = 1 as shown below.
Then by combining the Exclusive-OR gate with the NOT-AND combination results in a simple
digital binary subtractor circuit known commonly as the Half Subtractor as shown.
A Half Subtractor Circuit

A half subtractor is a logical circuit that performs a subtraction operation on two binary digits.
The half subtractor produces a sum and a borrow bit for the next stage.
Half Subtractor with Borrow-out
From the truth table of the half subtractor we can see that the DIFFERENCE (D) output is the
result of the Exclusive-OR gate and the Borrow-out (Bout) is the result of the NOTAND combination. Then the Boolean expression for a half subtractor is as follows.
For the DIFFERENCE bit:

D = X XOR Y = X
For the BORROW bit

B = not-X AND Y = X.Y
If we compare the Boolean expressions of the half subtractor with a half adder, we can see that
the two expressions for the SUM (adder) and DIFFERENCE (subtractor) are exactly the same
and so they should be because of the Exclusive-OR gate function. The two Boolean expressions
for the binary subtractor BORROW is also very similar to that for the adders CARRY. Then all
that is needed to convert a half adder to a half subtractor is the inversion of the minuend input X.
One major disadvantage of the Half Subtractor circuit when used as a binary subtractor, is that
there is no provision for a Borrow-in from the previous circuit when subtracting multiple data
bits from each other. Then we need to produce what is called a full binary subtractor circuit to
take into account this borrow-in input from a previous circuit.
A Full Binary Subtractor Circuit

The main difference between the Full Subtractor and the previous Half Subtractorcircuit is
that a full subtractor has three inputs. The two single bit data inputs X(minuend)
and Y (subtrahend) the same as before plus an additional Borrow-in (B-in) input to receive the
borrow generated by the subtraction process from a previous stage as shown below.
Full Subtractor Block Diagram
Then the combinational circuit of a full subtractor performs the operation of subtraction on
three binary bits producing outputs for the difference D and borrow B-out. Just like the binary
adder circuit, the full subtractor can also be thought of as two half subtractors connected
together, with the first half subtractor passing its borrow to the second half subtractor as follows.
Full Subtractor Logic Diagram
As the full subtractor circuit above represents two half subtractors cascaded together, the truth
table for the full subtractor will have eight different input combinations as there are three input
variables, the data bits and the Borrow-in, B input. Also includes the difference output, D and
IN
the Borrow-out, B
OUT
bit.
Full Subtractor Truth Table

Symbol
Then the Boolean expression for a full subtractor is as follows.

For the DIFFERENCE (D) bit:
D = (X.Y.BIN) + (X.Y.B ) + (X.Y.B ) + (X.Y.BIN)
IN
IN
which can be simplified too:

D = (X XOR Y) XOR BIN = (X
Y)
BIN
For the BORROW OUT (B ) bit:

OUT
BOUT = (X.Y.BIN) + (X.Y.B ) + (X.Y.BIN) + (X.Y.BIN)

IN
which will also simplify too:

BOUT = X AND Y OR (X XOR Y)BIN = X.Y + (X
Y)BIN
An n-bit Binary Subtractor

As with the binary adder, we can also have n number of 1-bit full binary subtractor connected or
cascaded together to subtract two parallel n-bit numbers from each other. For example two 4bit binary numbers. We said before that the only difference between a full adder and a full
subtractor was the inversion of one of the inputs.
So by using an n-bit adder and n number of inverters (NOT Gates), the process of subtraction
becomes an addition as we can use twos complement notation on all the bits in the subtrahend
and setting the carry input of the least significant bit to a logic 1 (HIGH).
Binary Subtractor using 2s Complement
Then we can use a 4-bit full-adder ICs such as the 74LS283 and CD4008 to perform subtraction
simply by using twos complement on the subtrahend, B inputs as X Y is the same as
saying, X + (-Y) which equals X plus the twos complement of Y.
If we wanted to use the 4-bit adder for addition once again, all we would need to do is set the
carry-in (C ) input LOW at logic 0. Because we can use the 4-bit adder IC such as the 74LS83
IN
or 74LS283 as a full-adder or a full-subtractor they are available as a single adder/subtractor

circuit with a single control input for selecting between the two operations.

Binary Subtractor

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Binary Subtractor

Binary Subtraction of Two Bits

2-input Exclusive-OR Gate

A Half Subtractor Circuit

Half Subtractor with Borrow-out

For the DIFFERENCE bit:

For the BORROW bit

A Full Binary Subtractor Circuit

Full Subtractor Block Diagram

Full Subtractor Logic Diagram

Full Subtractor Truth Table

Then the Boolean expression for a full subtractor is as follows.

which can be simplified too:

For the BORROW OUT (B ) bit:

BOUT = (X.Y.BIN) + (X.Y.B ) + (X.Y.BIN) + (X.Y.BIN)

which will also simplify too:

An n-bit Binary Subtractor

Binary Subtractor using 2s Complement

or 74LS283 as a full-adder or a full-subtractor they are available as a single adder/subtractor

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