2 Practice problems LEARNING ASSESSMENTS

P1. Find I1 in the circuit below E2.4 Given the networks in Fig. E2.3, find (a) I1 in Fig. E2.4a and (b) IT in

50 mA

34 CHAPTER 2 RESISTIVE CIRCUITS

+ IT
34 CHAPTER 2 RESISTIVE CIRCUITS
−
LEARNING
I ASSESSMENTS
10 mA 40 mA
1

LEARNING ASSESSMENTS (b) and (b) I in Fig.

E2.4 Given the(a)networks in Fig. E2.3, find (a) I1 in Fig. E2.4a T

Figure E2.4
50 mA
Given
E2.4P2. theInetworks
Find E2.3, find (a) I1 in Fig. E2.4a and (b) IT in Fig. E2.4b.
in Fig. below
T in the circuit ANSWER:
(a) I1 = –50 mA;
50 mA (b) I = 70 mA.
+ E2.5 Find (a) I1 in theITnetwork in Fig. E2.5a and (b) I1 andT I2 in the circuit
−
I1 10 mA I40 mA
+ IT 1
12
−
I1 10 (a)
mA 4010
mAmA 20 mA (b) +
−
Figure E2.4
4 mA I1 3 mA I2
(a) (b)

Figure E2.4 (a) (b)

P3. Find I1 in the circuit below E2.5 Find (a) I1 in the network in Fig. E2.5a and (b) I1 and I2 in the circuit in Fi
Figure E2.5

E2.5 Find (a) I1 in the network in Fig. E2.5a and (b) I1 and I2 in the circuit in Fig. E2.5b. I1ANSWER:
12 mA
E2.6 Find the current ix in the circuits in Fig. E2.6. (a) I1 = 6 mA;
10 mA + and I2
(b) I1 = 8 mA
I1 −
12 mA
4 mA I1 3 mA I2
10 mA +
− 10ix 10ix
I1 (a) R R1 (b)
4 mA 3 mA I2
44 mA 4 mA
ix
Figure
P4. Find the current i flowing via the E2.5
resistor in the following circuit. Find the ipower
x delivered by
(a) (b)
the voltage and current sources.
(a) (b)
Figure E2.5
E2.6 Find the current ix in the circuits in Fig. E2.6.
+Figure E2.6
5 volt − 3Ω 4 amp
E2.6 Find the current ix in the circuits in Fig. E2.6. ANSWER:
i (a) ix = 4 mA;
10ix 10ix
44 mA R R1 (b) ix = 12 mA. 120 m
P5. Using Kirchoff’s laws prove that the combined resistance of two resistances R1 and R2 connected
in parallel is R1 R10i
2 /(R
x 1 + R2 ). 10iixx ix
44 mA R R1 120 mA In Rapplying
2 KVL, we must trave
ix (a) (b) level. At thi
and decreases in energy
ix v i 12 mA
sider a decrease in energy level as po
Figure E2.6
(a) (b) a decrease in energy level as positive
R1 R2
around a loop, we encounter the plu
Figure E2.6 i1 i2 sign first for an increase in energy l
Finally, we employ the convent
to point b: that is, the variable for
7 considered positive relative to point
In itapplying KVL, to
is convenient weuse
must
an traverse an
arrow bet
and decreases in energy level. At this poin
 P6. What is the combined resistance of a 5kΩ and a 10kΩ resistance connected in parallel?

P7. Prove that the combined resistance of n resistances R1 , R2 , . . . , Rn connected in parallel is

1
1 1
R1
+ R2
+ · · · R1n

P8. Two resistances R1 and R2 are connected in parallel. The current flowing via R1 is I1 . Show
that the current flowing via R2 is I1 R1 /R2 . What is the power dissipated in each resistor?
What is the power supplied to the combination?

P9. A current source I is connected across the parallel combination of two resistances R1 and R2 .
Find the current flowing via R1 and R2 . What is the power dissipated in each resistor? What
is the power supplied by the current source?

P10. Show that the combined resistance of two resistances R1 and R2 connected in parallel is smaller
than min(R1 , R2 ).
Note: One may use a purely algebraic approach here. That may start from the observation
 
1 1 1 1
+ > max , .
R1 R2 R1 R2

Alternatively, you can find an intuitive way using KCL.

P11. Use the last result to prove that the combined resistance of n resistances R1 , R2 , . . . , Rn con-
nected in parallel is smaller than min(R1 , R2 , . . . , Rn ).

P12. Show that the parallel combination n equal resistances, R each, is R/n.

P13. We have a voltage signal vi of amplitude 10 volts. The internal resistance Rs of the source is
1kΩ. We like to derive a voltage signal u of amplitude 5 volts such that u is proportional to
vi . Subsequently, we wish to drive a load of resistance 1kΩ with u. For this purpose we can
use the following circuit

Rs

R1
+
vi − u

R2 RL
Rs = 1k
RL = 1k

Find R1 and R2 .

P14. What is the voltage of a with respect to b in the following circuit?

8
 a. −5 V c. 15 V
W
b. 10 V d. −10 V
W
a

10 Ω
18 kΩ
5Ω
4A
12 kΩ
Vab

6 kΩ 15 Ω
10 Ω

Figure 2PFE-2
P15. Find v1 , v2 , v3 and i in the following circuit ‘cut-set’. Here all the voltages are expressed with
respect to the voltage of some reference node, which is not shown.

v1
3mA

2kΩ

2mA v
5V 3

3kΩ 19/11/14 2:36 PM

3kΩ

i
v2

Note that a circuit cutset can be a small part of the rather large circuit. Yet, we can use
some ‘local information’ to derive some other additional information using Ohm’s law, KCL
and KVL. To do this we need not know the whole circuit.

P16. Find v, i1 , i2 and i3 in the following circuit cut-set. As before, the voltages are expressed with
respect to the voltage of some reference node, which is not shown.

2V

1kΩ

i2
v 3V
i1 i3
2kΩ
3kΩ

1V

9
 The analysis techniques used in this and the last problem are also useful in analyzing many
electronic circuits.

P17. You have connected a battery of V volt across the series combination of two resistances R1 and
R2 . What is the current supplied via the battery? What are the voltage drops across R1 and
R2 ? Verify that these voltage drops depend only on the ratio R1 /R2 . In other words, these
drops remain the same if we increase (or decrease) R1 and R2 while keeping R1 /R2 constant.
This problem is relevant in numerous practical designs where a series combination is used as a
voltage divider.

i
+

v1 R1
+ −
− V
+

v2 R2
−
i

P18. Show that the resistance between node A and the ‘ground’ in the following circuit is R

2R

A
2R

Note: The voltage at a node is always expressed relative to a reference node. We call the
reference node ‘ground’, and its voltage (with respect to itself) is zero. A ground is often
denoted by the following symbol:

The ground need not be ‘earthed’. Often the ground node is ‘chosen’ to make calculations easy.
When multiple nodes are ‘grounded’ in a circuit then they must be short-circuited to each
other.

P19. Use the observation made in the previous problem to show that the resistance between node
B and ground in the following circuit is R

2R 2R

A B
2R R

10
P20. Use the observation made in the previous problem to show that the resistance between node
C and ground in the following circuit is R

2R 2R 2R

A B C
2R R R

Do you see a pattern? This circuit is called R-2R ladder, and as described below, it is very
useful in analog to digital (A/D) and digital to analog (D/A) conversion.

P21. Use superposition theorem and Thevenin’s theorem to prove

u3 u2 u1 u0
vo = + + +
2 4 8 16
for the circuit below.

u0 u1 u2 u3

2R 2R 2R 2R

vo
a b c d
2R R R R

Hint: The analysis needed to solve the last few problems above will be useful here. Consider one
input voltage at a time while shorting the others to ground. For instance, show that when all but
uk are shorted to ground then vo = 2k−4 uk .

P22. Find vx and ix in the circuit given below:

1Ω 2Ω

− ix
7A vx R1 4Ω
+
3A

P23. Find vx and ix in the circuit given below.

− vx +
−
+

6A −15A
20V
2Ω 3Ω
8A
ix

P24. What are the values of v1 and v2 in the circuit below?

11
 10k 20k 20k
5V
v1 v2

How much load current will flow if we connect a load resistance between the ground and the
node with voltage v2 ?

3 Outline of solutions
P1. I1 = −50 mA.
P2. Using KCL at upper rail, IT = 10 + 40 + 20 = 70 mA.
P3. Using KCL at upper rail, I1 = 10 − 4 = 6 mA.
P4. The voltage across the 3Ω resistor is 5 volt. Hence i = 5/3 Amp. Hence the current flowing
via the voltage source (against the direction of voltage rise) is 4 − 5/3 = 7/3 Amp. Hence
the power delivered by the voltage source is −5 × 7/3 = −35/3 Watt. The voltage across the
current source is 5 volt (opposing the direction of current flow). Hence the power delivered by
the current source is 4 × 5 = 20 Watt.
P5. See lecture slides.
5×10
P6. Combined resistance is 5+10
kΩ.
P7. One way to prove is to use the principle of mathematical induction. Suppose that the equivalent
resistance Sm of m resistances {Rk }mk=1 connected in parallel satisfies

1 1 1 1
= + + ··· + (3)
Sm R1 R2 Rm
This assumption holds for m = 2. In the following we show that if (3) holds for an arbitrary
integer m. Then it also holds for m + 1.
To show this, add another resistance Rm+1 to the parallel combination. That yields a new
equivalent resistance Sm+1 where
1 1 1 1 1 1
= + = + + ··· + ,
Sm+1 Sm Rm+1 R1 R2 Rm+1
which is the desired result. Since (3) holds for m = 2, then it holds for m = 2 + 1. Then it
holds for m = 3 + 1, and so on. In this way, this result is true for any integer.
P8. The voltage drop across each resistor in a parallel connection is the same. Hence I1 R1 = I2 R2 .
Hence I2 = I1 R1 /R2 .
P9. Suppose that the current via R1 is I1 , and the current via R2 is I2 . As in the last problem,
I1 R1 = I2 R2 .
In addition, by KCL at the current source terminal we have
I = I1 + I2 .
Combining the above equations we get (I − I2 )R1 = I2 R2 . This means I2 = IR1 /(R1 + R2 ).
Then I1 = I − I2 = IR2 /(R1 + R2 ).
The power dissipated in R1 is I12 R1 = I 2 R1 R22 /(R1 + R2 )2 .
The power dissipated in R2 is I22 R2 = I 2 R2 R12 /(R1 + R2 )2 .

12
P10. Since R2 > 0 we know
1 1 1
+ >
R1 R2 R1
Hence
1
1 1 < R1 .
R1
+ R2

Similarly, as R2 > 0 we know

1 1 1
+ >
R1 R2 R2
Hence
1
1 1 < R2 .
R1
+ R2

P11. Left as exercise.

P12. Straightforward using (3).

P13. All voltages are expressed in volt, currents in mA and resistances in kΩ.

• When vi = 10 then u = 5.
• The current via RL = 1 is u/1 = 5.
• The current via R2 is u/R2 = 5/R2 .
• Hence using KCL the current supplied by the voltage source vi is 5 + 5/R2 .
• The voltage drop across the series combination of Rs = 1 and R1 is vi − u = 5. By Ohm’s
law
5 = (5 + 5/R2 )(1 + R1 ), ⇒ 1 = (1 + 1/R2 )(1 + R1 )
Since R1 and R2 are non-negative, the only way the above equation can be satisfied is by
taking R1 = 0 (short circuit) and R2 = ∞ (open circuit).

P14. The total resistance of the branch containing a is R1 = 15Ω. Suppose current via a is I1 . This
gives the drop across the current source is 15I1 .
The total resistance of the branch containing b is R2 = 25Ω. Suppose current via b is I2 . This
gives the drop across the current source is 25I2 .
Hence
15I1 = 25I2 , ⇒ 3I1 = 5I2 .
However
I1 + I2 = 4.
By above equations 3(4 − I2 ) = 5I2 . This means I2 = 12/8. This also means I1 = 4 − 12/8 =
20/8. From this verify that
Vab = 10I2 − 10I1 = −10.

P15. • v3 = 5 − 3 × 2 = −1.
• v1 = v3 − 2 × 3 = −1 − 6 = −7
• i = 2 − 3 = −1
• v2 = v3 − 3i = −1 + 3 = 2

13
P16. Apply KCL at the node with voltage v. That gives
2−v 1−v 3−v
+ + = 0.
1 3 2
This gives
2 + 31 + 32
v= .
1 + 31 + 12
Now apply Ohm’s law to find i1 , i2 and i3 .

P17. Discussed in the lecture slides.

P18. 2R||2R = R.

P19. 2R||{R + (2R||2R)} = 2R||{R + R} = 2R||2R = R.

P20. 2R||[R + 2R||{R + (2R||2R)}] = 2R||[R + 2R||{R + R}] = 2R||{R + R} = 2R||2R = R.

P21. The required result can be proved in 4 steps using the superposition theorem. These steps are

1. Show that vo = u0 /16 in the following circuit.

u0

2R 2R 2R 2R

vo
a b c d
2R R R R

2. Show that vo = u1 /8 in the following circuit.

u1

2R 2R 2R 2R

vo
a b c d
2R R R R

3. Show that vo = u2 /4 in the following circuit.

u2

2R 2R 2R 2R

vo
a b c d
2R R R R

4. Show that vo = u3 /2 in the following circuit.

14
 u3

2R 2R 2R 2R

vo
a b c d
2R R R R

We shall prove the result in Step 2 below. The results for the other steps can be proved
similarly.
First replace the part of circuit to the left of the dashed line (shown below) by its Thevenin’s
equivalent between node b and ground.

u1

2R 2R 2R 2R

vo
a b c d
2R R R R

It can be shown that the Thevenin equivalent circuit has an open circuit voltage u1 /2 and an
internal resistance R. After replacement with the Thevenin equivalent circuit we get

2R 2R

u1 /2 vo
b c d
R R R

Next we replace the part of the above circuit to the left of the dashed line (shown below) by
its Thevenin’s equivalent between node c and ground

2R 2R

u1 /2 vo
c d
2R R

It can be shown that the Thevenin equivalent circuit has an open circuit voltage u1 /4 and an
internal resistance R. After replacement with the Thevenin equivalent circuit we get

2R

u1 /4 vo
c d
R R

15
 Form here we can readily verify that vo = u1 /8.

P22. By KCL, ix = −4 Amp.

The voltage drop across R1 is 3 × (4 + 2) = 18 volt. The drop across the 1Ω resistor is 7 volt.
Hence vx = −(7 + 18) volt.

P23. vx = 3 × 15 + 6 × 2 + 20 = 45 + 12 + 20 = 77. volt.

Apply KCL at the lower rail to verify ix + 15 = 8 + 6.

P24. Verify that v1 = 4 volt, and v2 = 2 volt.

The easiest way to solve this is to apply Thevenin’s theorem.
We have found that the Thevenin’s equivalent voltage between the terminal of voltage v2 is 2
volt. Thevenin’s equivalent resistance is (20||30) = 12Ω. If we connect a load of RL Ohm then
the current is 2/(12 + RL ) Amp.

16