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Boolean Truth Tables: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 8

  • ForYear 8
  • StageKey Stage 3
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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Boolean Truth Tables is a free printable computing worksheet for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13) in Key Stage 3. Students fill in a truth table for AND, OR and NOT, then use what they find to work out combined statements that include brackets. It takes about 15 minutes and needs only a pencil.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Page 1 is for the student. Page 2 is for the grown-up and has notes, help, a stretch idea and the answers. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Students start with a table to complete. It has columns headed A, B, A AND B, A OR B and NOT A. Once the table is filled in, numbered questions give a value for A and a value for B. Students use the table to work out statements that combine the operators and include brackets. There is space under each question to write the answer.

  • A
  • B
  • A AND B
  • A OR B
  • NOT A
  • A is True, B is False. Work out (A AND B) OR NOT B
  • A is True, B is False. Work out NOT (A OR B)

How the sheet builds

Fill in the table

Students complete one column at a time. This keeps each rule separate and makes mistakes easier to spot.

Use the table as a reference

The finished table becomes a tool. Students look things up in it instead of guessing.

Combine the operators

Questions join two operators in one statement. Students must decide what to work out first.

Brackets come first

Students practise working inside the brackets, then using that result in the rest of the statement.

What is Boolean logic?

Boolean logic is a way of working with values that can only be True or False. It is named after George Boole, a nineteenth century English mathematician. The words AND, OR and NOT are called operators. They combine values or change them to give a new True or False result. A truth table is a neat way to record every possible case in one grid.

Computers rely on this idea. Inside a device, information is handled using two states, often written as 1 and 0. Programmers write conditions that a program checks as True or False, such as in an if statement. Circuits use logic gates that follow the same rules. Learning truth tables gives Year 8 students a clear picture of how these decisions are made.

Boolean facts

  • Boolean logic is named after George Boole, an English mathematician from the nineteenth century.
  • A Boolean value can only be True or False. There is no third choice.
  • Computers store information using two states, often written as 1 and 0.
  • Programs often check a condition that is either True or False before deciding what to do next.
  • Many search tools let you combine words using AND, OR and NOT.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Boolean logic
  • Truth tables
  • Logical reasoning
  • Working in order
  • Careful reading

Ideas to help students think it through

  • Read it aloudSay each statement in full, such as the value of A, then the operator, then the value of B. Hearing it can make the meaning clearer.
  • Bracket firstA bracket is a small job to finish before the rest. Work it out, then write its answer beside it.
  • Rewrite as you goRewrite the statement after each step, swapping finished parts for their True or False value. The statement gets shorter each time.
  • Use the tableThe completed table is there to be used. Find the matching row or column instead of working from memory.

Key words

  • BooleanA kind of logic where every value is either True or False.
  • Truth tableA grid that lists every possible combination of inputs and shows the output for each.
  • InputA value that goes into a statement, such as A or B.
  • OutputThe result you get after the operators have been applied.
  • OperatorA word such as AND, OR or NOT that combines values or changes them.
  • BracketA pair of curved marks that shows which part to work out first.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for the student. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
  2. Read the table headings together. Check that the student knows what A and B stand for.
  3. Fill in the AND column first, then OR, then NOT. Work on one column at a time.
  4. In the last questions, work out the bracket first. Write its answer down before carrying on.
  5. Check against the answers on page 2. Ask the student to explain how they got each one, then come back another day to repeat it.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Colour the True boxes green and the False boxes red so the pattern is easier to see. Use two coins to stand for True and False. Fill in one column at a time and take a short break between columns.

To stretch confident children

Draw the truth table for NOT (A AND B). Then draw the table for A OR B. Put the two side by side and compare them. Write one sentence about what you notice and explain it to someone else.

Make it a game

Play a logic caller game. Two players each hold a card showing True or False. A caller says AND, OR or NOT. Everyone writes the result on paper, then checks it using the finished table. Swap roles after each round.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA student ignores the brackets and works from left to right.

Try thisCircle the bracket first. Work it out, write its value above it, then rewrite the statement with that value in place.

Watch forA student applies NOT to only one letter when it sits in front of a whole bracket.

Try thisWork out the bracket to a single True or False value first. Then apply NOT to that one value.

Watch forA student copies the values for A and B into the wrong rows.

Try thisUse a ruler under each row. Check that every column in a row uses the same A and B values.

Talk about it

  • Why do you think computers use only two values?
  • Which column was easiest to fill in, and why?
  • How did you decide what to work out first in a longer statement?
  • Can you think of a rule in a game or at school that uses AND, OR or NOT?
  • What would happen to your answer if you ignored the brackets?
  • How could you check your table without looking at page 2?

Take it off the page

Rule cards

Write a simple True or False statement about your day on a card, such as one about the weather or a lesson. Combine two cards with an operator and decide if the new statement is True or False.

Coin tables

Use two coins as A and B, with heads as True and tails as False. Flip them and record each result in your own table, then work out an operator column for each flip.

Design a rule

Invent a rule for a make believe club using AND, OR or NOT. Ask a friend to test it against different people and decide who gets in.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first column, then let them lead. You do not need to know computing. Ask them to explain each answer aloud, then check page 2 together. Short sessions work well.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or homework. It fits a lesson on simple Boolean logic and needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.

Home educators

Use it as one part of a wider computing plan. It pairs well with programming practice and with talk about how everyday devices make decisions. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or revision.

Where this fits

Earlier in school, children meet algorithms and programs that make choices based on a condition. They learn that a statement can be right or wrong, and that a program can act differently depending on it.

After this, students can use Boolean ideas in their own programs and look at how logic is used in circuits. Later study in computer science builds on the same operators with larger expressions.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Boolean Truth Tables for?

It is written for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13) in Key Stage 3. Year 9 students can also use it as revision, and confident Year 7 students may enjoy the challenge with some support.

How long does it take?

It takes about 15 minutes for one student working alone. Doing the table one column at a time helps the pace. Working through it together the first time may take a little longer.

Does the sheet include answers?

Yes. Page 2 is for the grown-up and includes the answers, notes on how to use the sheet, help for students who find it hard and a stretch idea. Keep it separate from page 1 until the work is done.

What if my child finds it hard?

Try colour coding. Colour True boxes green and False boxes red, or use two coins to stand for True and False. Fill in one column at a time and talk through each choice.

Does my child need a computer?

No. It is a screen free activity that needs only paper and a pencil. It is useful for quiet time, a rainy afternoon or a break from devices, and it still practises real computing ideas.

How does it link to the curriculum?

Key Stage 3 computing in England includes understanding simple Boolean logic, such as AND, OR and NOT. This sheet gives short, focused practice at that strand level. It supports classroom learning and does not replace it.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and it prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper.

Preview the full PDF

Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.

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