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Logic Gates Truth Tables: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 9

  • ForYear 9
  • StageKey Stage 3
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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Logic Gates Truth Tables is a free printable computing worksheet for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. Pupils complete truth tables for AND, OR and NOT gates, which builds their understanding of simple Boolean logic. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.

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, give page 1 to the pupil and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Page 1 is built around a table. Two input columns, A and B, sit on the left. Next to them are columns for A AND B, A OR B and NOT A. Pupils read the rule for each gate, look at the inputs in each row and fill in the output that belongs there. They work one gate at a time, starting with AND and then moving on to OR, so each rule has a chance to settle before the next one arrives.

  • A
  • B
  • A AND B
  • A OR B
  • NOT A

Why learn about logic gates?

Boolean logic is named after George Boole, a British mathematician who worked in the 1800s. He showed that reasoning could be written down using just two values, true and false. In computing, those two values are usually written as 1 and 0. Every decision a program makes, such as whether to show a message or move to the next level, can be described using this kind of logic.

A logic gate is a small part of a circuit that takes in one or more inputs and produces one output, following a fixed rule. A truth table is the tidy way to record that rule. It lists every possible combination of inputs and shows the output for each one. Learning to fill in truth tables carefully is good practice for reading code and circuit diagrams later on.

Did you know?

  • George Boole, who gave Boolean logic its name, was a mathematician from Lincoln in England.
  • Computers store and process information using only two values, usually written as 1 and 0.
  • The tiny switches inside computer chips are called transistors, and they are used to build logic gates.
  • The word bit is short for binary digit. A bit can be either 1 or 0.
  • Programming languages use Boolean logic when they check conditions, such as whether something is true or false.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Boolean logic
  • Truth tables
  • Careful reading
  • Following a rule
  • Checking every combination

Ideas to help you support the sheet

  • Think in switchesA light switch is either on or off. Pupils can picture 1 as on and 0 as off, then imagine how switches would need to be arranged to match each gate.
  • Work one column at a timeFinish the whole of one gate column before starting the next. This stops the rules from blurring together.
  • Say each row aloudReading a row as a sentence, such as A is this and B is that, helps pupils apply the rule rather than guess a pattern.
  • Check every rowA truth table is only complete when every combination of inputs has an output. Tick each row off with a pencil as it is finished.

Key words

  • Boolean logicA kind of logic that uses only two values, true and false, often written as 1 and 0.
  • Logic gateA part of a circuit that takes in one or more inputs and gives one output, following a fixed rule.
  • InputA value that goes into a gate. On this sheet the inputs are A and B.
  • OutputThe result that comes out of a gate once it has applied its rule.
  • Truth tableA table that lists every possible combination of inputs and the output for each one.
  • BinaryA number system that uses only two digits, 0 and 1.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for the pupil. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
  2. Read the rules aloud together. Make sure the pupil can say what each column heading means before writing anything.
  3. Let the pupil fill in the AND column first, then move on to OR, and then NOT.
  4. Talk through each choice the first time. Ask, "How do you know?" Explaining the rule matters as much as the answer.
  5. Check against the answers on page 2, then come back another day. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Use the light switch idea. AND is two switches in a row. OR is two switches side by side. Let the pupil sketch each one, then test what happens to the light when each switch is on or off. Try one gate at a time.

To stretch confident children

Ask pupils to work out A AND NOT B by adding a new column to the table. They should work out NOT B first, then combine it with A. Then they can invent a gate combination of their own for a partner to solve.

Make it a game

Act it out. Two pupils stand for A and B and only raise a hand for 1. A third pupil acts as the gate and calls out the output for each pair of hands, using the rule on the sheet. Swap roles for each gate.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forMixing up the AND rule and the OR rule.

Try thisGo back to the switch pictures. Sketch the two circuits and test each one by saying which switches are on.

Watch forMissing out a row of the table.

Try thisTick each row with a pencil as it is finished. Check that every combination of A and B has an output before moving on.

Watch forGuessing a pattern instead of reading the rule.

Try thisRead each row aloud as a sentence and apply the rule to it. Patterns are useful for checking, but the rule comes first.

Talk about it

  • Where might you see a choice that depends on two things being true at once?
  • Why do you think computers use just two values, 1 and 0?
  • How did the switch picture help you decide on an output?
  • Can you think of a rule from daily life that uses the word AND, and one that uses OR?
  • What does the word NOT do to a value?
  • How could you check that your table is complete?

Take it off the page

Human logic gate

Make three cards labelled 1 and three labelled 0. One person is the gate and the others hold up cards. The gate follows a chosen rule and says the output aloud.

Switch circuit sketch

Draw two simple circuits with a battery, a bulb and two switches. Label which switches would need to be on to light the bulb in each design.

Rules of the house

Write a household rule using AND, such as one that needs two things to be done. Write another using OR. Swap with a family member and describe when each rule applies.

Who it is for

Parents

You do not need computing knowledge. Sit with your teenager for the first column, read the rules aloud and let them lead. Ask them to explain each choice. Page 2 has the answers when you want to check.

Teachers

Use it as a starter after introducing Boolean logic, as a plenary, or as cover work. Pupils who finish can try the stretch idea. Page 2 has support, stretch and answers for mixed ability groups.

Home educators

Pair it with a talk about how computers make decisions. The sheet works for one learner or several, and you can print it again later for revision. Keep page 2 for marking.

Where this fits in computing

Before this sheet, pupils will usually have met binary numbers, simple algorithms and conditions in programs, where a computer decides what to do next. Seeing 1 and 0 as true and false is a useful bridge between those ideas.

After it, pupils can combine gates, draw simple circuit diagrams and use Boolean conditions in their own code. Later in secondary school they meet logic diagrams with more than one gate, and truth tables for those combinations.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Logic Gates Truth Tables for?

It is written for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. It also works as revision for older pupils or as an introduction for confident younger ones who already know binary.

What will pupils practise?

Pupils complete truth tables for AND, OR and NOT gates. This supports the Key Stage 3 aim of understanding simple Boolean logic, and it also builds careful reading and a methodical approach.

Do pupils need to know anything first?

It helps to know that computers use 1 and 0, but it is not essential. Read the rules aloud together and use the light switch idea from page 2. A short chat is enough to get started.

What if it feels too hard?

Show each rule as a light switch. AND is two switches in a row. OR is two switches side by side. Work on one gate at a time and talk through each row aloud before writing.

Is it free, and do I need colour?

Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No colour is needed. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, and you can print it again whenever you like.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support, stretch and answers.

How long does it take?

There is no set time. Pupils can go at their own pace, and the sheet breaks naturally into one gate at a time, so it is easy to do in short sessions and return to later.

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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