Sheffer stroke
In Boolean functions and propositional calculus, the
Sheffer stroke, named after Henry M. Sheffer, written " ", "D
pq", or "↑", denotes a logical operation that is equivalent to the negation of the conjunction operation, expressed in ordinary language as "not both". It is also called
nand or the
alternative denial, since it says in effect that at least one of its operands is false. In Boolean algebra and digital electronics it is known as the
NAND operation. Like its dual, the NOR operator, NAND can be used by itself, without any other logical operator, to constitute a logical formal system. This property makes the NAND gate crucial to modern digital electronics, including its use in NAND flash memory and computer processor design.