Dee Flint wrote:

The difficulties arise in series versus parallel circuits for resistors
versus inductors versus capacitors. They have no trouble with adding the
values of resistors in series as that is logical to the students but the
calculation procedure for resistors in parallel makes no sense to most when
they have no background in electronics. They are able to do the procedure
when you walk them through it. However, the fact that it doesn't make sense
to them makes it difficult to remember the procedure. Then you go to
capacitors and even though the equations are the same, it doesn't make sense
that the series calculation and parallel calculations are the opposite of
what you do with resistors. This is but one example.

Dee, N8UZE



For resistors in series:

R1 + R2 + R3 + ... = R(TOTAL)

For the special case of only two resistors in parallel:

R1 X R2
------- = R(TOTAL)
R1 + R2

general case:

1
----------------- = R(TOTAL)
1 1 1
--- + --- + --- + ...
R1 R2 R3

the above holds for inductance ...
and, as you say, capacitance the reverse ...

Really Dee, did that give you all that many problems? I see nothing
there but basic math.

Seriously, give me an avg. youngster, 8th grade or older, and I will
give you back a youngster capable of all the above ...

Regards,
JS