Which gate operates as an AND gate followed by a NOT gate?

The correct answer is that the gate described operates as a NAND gate. A NAND gate is characterized by its ability to output false only if all its inputs are true, which aligns with the operation of an AND gate followed by a NOT gate.

To understand this, consider the function of an AND gate: it outputs true only when all of its inputs are true. If we then apply a NOT operation to this output, we reverse the result. Therefore, if the AND gate outputs true (all inputs are true), the NOT gate will output false. Conversely, if the AND gate outputs false (one or more inputs are false), the NOT gate will output true. This is exactly the truth table for a NAND gate, which effectively produces the opposite output of an AND gate under the same conditions.

NAND gates are fundamental in digital electronics and logic circuit design since they can be used to create any other type of logic gate, establishing their versatility and importance in the creation of complex logical functions.

Consequently, while the other choices represent different types of logical operations, they do not align with the combined functionality of an AND gate followed by a NOT gate. OR, XOR, and INVERTER fulfill different logical roles and do not exhibit the same behavior as