Lesson 3.
Equivalent Resistance
3.1 Resistors in Series and Parallel
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Calculate the equivalent resistance of resistors connected in series
2. Calculate the equivalent resistance of resistors connected in series
3. Reduce resistor networks connected in series and parallel to its equivalent resistance
Series Resistors
The equivalent resistance of any number of resistors connected in series is the sum of the individual
resistances.
Illustrative Example. Solve for the equivalent resistance.
Solution:
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 4 + 2
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 6 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
Answer:
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 6 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
Parallel Resistors
The equivalent resistance of two parallel resistors is equal to the product of their resistances divided by
their sum.
Illustrative Example. Solve for the equivalent resistance.
Solution: We can label each resistor
𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑅𝑒𝑞 =
𝑅1 + 𝑅2
(8)(16)
𝑅𝑒𝑞 =
8 + 16
16
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑜𝑟 5.333 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
3
Answer:
Resistors in Series and Parallel
Illustrative Examples:
1. Solve for the equivalent resistance.
Solution: Label the resistors
Take two resistors at a time starting from the farthest right, and determine if they are in series or in
parallel.
𝑅3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅4 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅34 = 𝑅3 + 𝑅4
𝑅34 = 6 + 2
With reference to the new circuit, repeat the first procedure
𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅34 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅34 𝑅2
𝑅234 =
𝑅34 + 𝑅2
(8)(2)
𝑅234 =
8+2
16
𝑅234 = 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠 𝑜𝑟 1.6 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
10
Continue the process until only one resistor is left
𝑅1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅234 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅234
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 6 + 1.6
Answer:
2. Solve for the equivalent resistance.
Solution: Label the resistors.
We normally take two resistors at a time starting from the farthest right, and determine if they are in
series or in parallel. But in this case three resistors are in series.
𝑅6 , 𝑅7 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅8 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅678 = 𝑅6 + 𝑅7 + 𝑅8
𝑅678 = 4 + 5 + 3
Continue the process until only one resistor is left.
𝑅678 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅5 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅678 𝑅5
𝑅5678 =
𝑅678 +𝑅5
(12)(4)
𝑅5678 =
12 + 4
𝑅5678 = 3 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅5678 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅4 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅45678 = 𝑅5678 + 𝑅4
𝑅45678 = 3 + 3
𝑅45678 = 6 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅45678 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅3 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅45678 𝑅3
𝑅345678 =
𝑅45678 +𝑅3
(6)(6)
𝑅345678 =
6+6
𝑅345678 = 3 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅345678 , 𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅1 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅345678 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅1
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 3 + 1 + 2
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 6 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
Answer:
3. Solve for the equivalent resistance
Solution: Label the resistors
𝑅6 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅7 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅67 = 𝑅6 + 𝑅7
𝑅67 = 1 + 5
𝑅67 = 6 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅67 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅2 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅67 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅5 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅5 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅5 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅3 𝑅5 (6)(3)
𝑅35 = =
𝑅3 +𝑅5 6+3
𝑅35 = 2 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅67 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅2 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅67 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅35 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅35 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅235 = 𝑅2 + 𝑅35 = 2 + 2
𝑅235 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅67 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅235 𝑅67 (4)(6)
𝑅23567 = =
𝑅235 +𝑅67 4+6
24
𝑅23567 = 𝑜𝑟 2.4 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
10
𝑅23567 , 𝑅1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅4 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅23567 + 𝑅1 + 𝑅4
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 2.4 + 4 + 8
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 14.4 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
Answer:
4. Solve for the equivalent resistance
Solution: Label the resistors.
From the given circuit we can see that 𝑅7 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅8 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑅6 .
But 𝑅3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅5 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛 𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 manner, so we have to redraw.
With reference to the next figure, let us examine the node.
Since no element (resistor, voltage or current source) exists on the said part, we can practically move
the ends of the resistors (R3 and R5) as long as the contact on that point is maintained.
Rearranging the circuit further,
Now, we can proceed with our process in calculating the equivalent resistance.
𝑅7 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅8 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅78 = 𝑅7 + 𝑅8 = 1 + 5 = 6 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅5 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅6 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅5 𝑅6 (12)(4)
𝑅56 = = = 3 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅5 +𝑅6 12 + 4
𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅3 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅2 𝑅3 (3)(6)
𝑅23 = = = 2 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅2 +𝑅3 3+6
𝑅56 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅78 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅56 𝑅78 (3)(6)
𝑅5678 = = = 2 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅56 +𝑅78 3+6
𝑅5678 = 2 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅5678 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅4 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑅45678 = 𝑅5678 + R 4 = 2 + 1
𝑅45678 = 3 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
𝑅45678 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅23 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙
𝑅45678 𝑅23
𝑅2345678 =
𝑅45678 +𝑅23
(3)(2)
𝑅2345678 =
3+2
6
𝑅2345678 = 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
5
𝑅2345678 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅1 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
6
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅2345678 + R1 = + 10
5
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 11.2 𝑜ℎ𝑚𝑠
Answer:
