CHAPTER 9: SERIES, PARALLEL, AND SERIES-PARALLEL CIRCUITS

WORKED SOLUTIONS
(These answers might differ slightly from those given in original questions due to
rounding off of numbers)

Question 1:

Always start by drawing a labelled circuit diagram:

Question 1

(a) R = R1 + R2 + R3 = 8.4 + 6.8 + 4.8 = 20 (Answer a.)

E 100
(b) I= = = 5 A (Answer b.)
R 20
(c) Voltage drop across R1: U1 = IR1 = 5 8.4 = 42 V(Answer c.)
Voltage drop across R2: U 2 = IR2 = 5 6.8 = 34 V(Answer c.)
Voltage drop across R3: U 3 = IR3 = 5 4.8 = 24 V(Answer c.)
(You can check these answers by confirming that the sum of the three voltage drops
equals the supply voltage.)

Question 3:

Always start by drawing a labelled circuit diagram:

Question 3
1 1 1 1
= + +
R R1 R2 R3
1 1 1 1
= + +
1.2 R1 6 12
1 1 1 1 10 2 1 7
= = =
R1 1.2 6 12 12 12
12
R1 = = 1.71 (Answer)
7

Question 6:

Always start by labelling the circuit diagram:

Question 6: step 1
Find the equivalent resistance, RA, of resistances R3 and R4:
1 1 1 1 1 1
= + = + =
RA R3 R4 4 4 2
RA 2
= = 2 k
1 1
Redraw the diagram:

Question 6: step 2

Find the equivalent resistance, RB, of resistances R2 and RA:

RB = R2 + RA = 3 + 2 = 5 k

Redraw the diagram:

 Question 6: step 3

Find the equivalent resistance, R, of R1, RB, and R5:

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 + 2 +1 8
= + + = + + = =
R R1 RB R5 2 5 10 10 10
R 10
= = 1.25 k (Answer)
1 8

Question 10:

Always start by sketching and labelling a circuit diagram:

Question 10: step 1

Find the equivalent resistance, RA, of R1 and R2 in parallel:

1 1 1 1 1 3+ 2 5
= + = + = =
RA R1 R2 8 12 24 24
RA 24
= = 4.8
1 5

Find the equivalent resistance, R, of RA and R3 in series:

R = RA + R3 = 4.8 + 4 = 8.8

Find the current flowing through the circuit:

E 10
I3 = = = 1.14 A
R 8.8

Find U1, the voltage drop across the parallel part of the circuit:
U1 = RA I = 4.8 1.14 = 5.47 V
So, the current, I1, through the 8- resistance:
U 5.47
I1 = 1 = = 0.68 A
R1 8
Now, redraw the circuit in its new configuration:

Question 10: step 2

For the same current to pass through the 8-, in the new configuration, the voltage, U2,
across that resistor must be the same as it was in the original configuration. That is:

U 2 = 5.47 V

U 2 5.47
So the current, I3 through R3, must be: I3 = = = 1.37 A
R3 4
So the current, I1, through R1, must be: I1 = I 2 + I 3 = 0.68 + 1.37 = 2.05 A

Therefore, the voltage U1 across R1 must be: U1 = I1 R1 = 2.05 12 = 24.6 V

So, the supply voltage, E, must be: E = U1 + U 2 = 24.6 + 5.47  30 V (Answer)