On Limitations of Using Scalar Equations for Analyzing Synchronous Boolean Networks

A total description of a synchronous Boolean network istypically achieved by a matrix recurrence equation. A simplerdescription is possible when such a matrix equation is replaced by ascalar equation or a reduced scalar equation. Unfortunately, the scalarequationtechnique suffers from several shortcomings and limitations,both in procedure and results. We discuss these shortcomings andsupport our arguments with two illustrative examples.