4-Bit Binary Adder

June 27, 2006

These are the 5 output bits of the 4-bit binary adder (4 main bits and a carry bit). This was one of my favorite activities of the ones we had for the camp students, which was put together by Dr. Bonnie Heck. The students learned a month's worth of ECE in 3 hours, starting with the basics of binary arithmetic and moving all the way into this relatively complex circuit involving a single 283 chip (4-bit adder), connected to two 4-bit switches and 5 LEDs, along with all the resistors and wires necessary to make it work. Only a couple of the 8 groups managed to finish the adder, but it was great to see them interested in real circuitry.

I think it was also great to relive my freshman and sophomore interest in the basics of ECE. I wish I had understood this sort of thing in high school.