MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: What, if anything, doe the 'J-K' in J-K Flip-Flop stand for?

Date: Wed Mar 14 18:36:46 2001
Posted By: Jason Goodman, Graduate Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Area of science: Physics
ID: 984368030.Ph
Message:

The input lines to these flip-flops are traditionally labeled 'J' and 'K', but neither I nor anyone I talked to had heard of any special significance for the use of those letters. Several textbooks and websites gave no mention of the origin.

I'm pretty sure they're just convenient letters. Note that the output of a flip-flop is usually labeled "Q", also for no good reason that I can think of.

Here's some more information on J-K flip-flops.

A friend of mine just pointed out the Free Online Dictionary of Computing, which claims that the J-K flip-flop was named for Jack Kilby. The site says that Jack Kilby was the inventor of the integrated circuit. I'm not sure I believe this story, but it's certainly possible.


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