Simply put, Boolean algebra separates statements into two categories: true and false, or 1 and 0 in computer code. This simple binary categorization is why searching for a word in an online book using Ctrl+F works. The program looks for where the word appears and directs searchers to that location instead of elsewhere.

There are a few key operators for further filtering information with Boolean logic. This article will briefly explain each of these, then provide simple examples of how to use them in search engines.