Mathematics for Shock Value

By: Guillermo Angeris and Siddharth Seethepalli

A set of problems, given once a week, for more efficient and illogical thinking of circuitry.

Problem One:

List the resistors in order of current flow. Break any ties by resistor numerical number. (I.E. if R1 = R2, then R1 is listed first)
Assume all resistors have equal resistance.

Hint: Use logic (instead of thinking of wires, think of it as tubes with flowing water) rather than staright computation, it will save
you time.
2 Problem1.nb

Brain Twister One:

These problems have no time limit for the solution as it will be shown immediately once the problem is uploaded, but try to not
look at the answer before you try it a few times.

Pyramids are an interesting, non-trivial shape, especially if made up of triangles, and all the much more compli-
cated if networked together as shown:

as a single resistor. (n=0)

as a single triangle of resistors (the arrows pointing at the input and output points). (n=1)

as a connection of triangles. (n=2)

So, considering that all of the resistors are of equal value (for the purposes of this problem, let us define it as 'x'), what would be
the total resistance of 'n' rows with 'x' resistance for each resistor?

Hint: Fractals are beautiful, but how are they formed?

 Problem1.nb 3

Solutions

Brain Twister One:

We know that the simplified parallel law is:

r1 r2
r1 + r2
For any parallel resistors r1 and r2 . From this, we can conclude that the total resistance of n=1 is, after replacing
r1 and r2 with the appropriate values:

Hx+xL x
Hx+xL+x
=
H2 xL x
2 x+x
=
2 x2
3x
=
2x
3

Now, we notice that the triangles which make up n=2 can be simplified to the same formula, leaving us with a triangle with the
2I 3 M
2x
2x 4x
sides of . So, we can declare by recursion that: is a valid formula for the total, simplifying down to . Now, you
3 3 9
can try this out by collapsing the parallel circuits, and you will find that this is a valid conclusion, with this, by looking at the
2n x
recursion, we can say that the rule to finding the total resistance of these circuits is: , which, if by recursive laws it works for
3n
cases 0, 1, and 2, it will work completely (big thanks to Sid for checking me on this!).

2n x
Answer: 3n