How to Solve Any Series and Parallel Circuit Problem

How do you analyze a circuit with resistors in series and parallel configurations? With the Break It Down-Build It Up Method!

0:00 INTRO: In this video we solve a combination series and parallel resistive circuit problem for the voltage across, current through and power dissipated by the circuit's resistors.

1:32 BREAK IT DOWN: We redraw the circuit in linear form to more easily identify series and parallel relationships. Then we combine resistors using equivalent resistance equations. After redrawing several times we end up with a single resistor representing the equivalent resistance of the circuit. We then apply Ohm's Law to this simple (or rather simplified) circuit and determine the circuit current (I-0 in the video).

7:36 BUILD IT UP: Retracing our redraws, we determine the voltage across and current through each resistor in the circuit using Ohm's Law.

12:51 POWER: After tabulating our solutions we determine the power dissipated by each resistor.

[Templemain]

There are some who are incredibly smart, BUT they either (1) want to show off how smart they are and talk in hieroglyphics or (2) don't know how to explain in simple terms a complex situation. End result, they can't teach for sh*t. Then there are those who are smart or have long experience but can explain a complex situation to the average Joe walking down the street. They are the TRUE teachers, they are rare & gifted. Jesse Mason is one of the gifted.

[narayankarandikar]

The difference between a teacher and a GREAT teacher is that the GREAT teacher makes a complex subject so simple that one remembers it for entire lifetime without much effort. Jesse Mason is without any shadow of doubt a GREAT teacher.

[huygmail]

Sir- I wished we had you when I was getting my BS in Electronics Engineering in the '80s. Maybe I wouldn't hate it so much and become a software engineer. You are a wonderful teacher!

[keghanlong]

I was lost today in class. ive been staring at these circuits for hours looking for video explanations. yours was the one. thank you

[surferrosa]

You're the man Jesse!!. I was understanding the theory but found myself getting lost in the more complicated circuits. Your method of breaking it down and going from left to right with the junctions marked is flippin fantastic and helps to make everything clear so there's less chance of messing up

[ulysses_grant]

Sir, your classroom students are blessed to have you as a teacher. God gave you the gift to teach. Thank you. God bless.

[reika]

You have no idea how much this helped me. I have an exam for physics in a week, so I sat down to study for it by looking at the previous exams. There was a problem similar to this but with the battery in the middle. I had no idea how to work it because my Professor assumes that we know how to draw these circuits and know what a diagonal wire is supposed to when he's only given us problem with them blatantly in series or parallel. I sat a solid hour trying to figure out the question, and then I just gave up and tried to see if anyone has solved the problem on the internet. It led me to this video, which is by far way more valuable than knowing how to solve the problem. I actually know how to do the problem step by step now and this video made it much easier for me to understand. I wish you were my professor ;-;.

[xanderabbey]

I wish I had seen your video years ago when I first started in my engineering high school. I couldn't really tell what was going on, and had to figure it all out myself. I'm studying Electrical Engineering in university now and this is a great helper for some of the courses I'm doing. Thanks a million!

[KK-odvy]

I have seen A LOT of videos on youtube BUT this is literally the ONLY video that REALLY made me understand the whole lesson. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING MY LIFE EASIER!!! God blesses you.

[undercoverdudes]

Fantastic work with the // and series resistors, helped heaps! (2nd year EEE student here)

[Nicole-kgry]

This is the first video I watched from your channel and I immediately subscribed. You make things extremely easy to understand. Excited to see more!! :)

[sriramkarunagaran]

Your capable of teaching all Indian students with a single video❤️

[caninek]

This is MUCH simpler than the way I was taught how to do it. Much more intuitive than solving simultaneous equations, Thanks!

[andrazmehle]

The fact that our teacher expects us to do 10 of these in 45 mins...

[DadHub]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I'm working through electrical engineering and I was absolutely stumped on my assignment. The break down and build up method clarified it all. Man, I can't thank you enough!

[johndavy]

Really great explanation, I am just some one who has always wanted to understand circuit trouble-shooting and you helped in a big
way. Thank you!

[thespacekid]

Oh my God 😂, I understood it and I am now laughing ! It is so simple !!! well this man made it simple !! Thank you so much

[PentameronSV]

This is hands down one of the best teaching videos on YouTube, well done!

[flake]

Such an exceptional lesson.

In one day I've gone from understanding that NPN and PNP transistors exist (and roughly how a transistor works) to designing combination circuits and solving for required voltages and resistances of all segments.

Nice.

[SadafShahab-idcr]

Went through multiple videos to learn resistance across triangular structure, but understood very little, this was exclusive and finally useful. May allah reward you with abundant goodness in your efforts.