Stanford University

Department of Electrical Engineering

EE101A

Winter 2015

Midterm Examination
Profs. T. H. Lee and R. T. Howe
11 February 2015

Name: _____________________________

I have followed the rules set forth in the Stanford Honor Code. __________________________
Signature
Guidelines: Must read!
1. Closed book, but one 8.5 x 11 sheet (two sides total) of your own notes is allowed.
2. You may use a calculator, but not any devices with an active network connection of any kind.
3. Show all your work and reasoning on the exam in order to receive full or partial credit.
4. Do not unstaple the exam. If you need to continue your solution on the back of a page,
indicate where the work is located in order to receive credit.
5. You have 50 minutes, and there are several problems with several sub-parts, so budget and use
your time wisely!

Score
Problem

Points

10

10

15

Total

43

Score

1. Networks and sources [10 points]

b) [6 pts.] For the following network, write, but DO NOT SOLVE, the node
equations for nodes A, B and C:

IA
B
A
VA

b) [1 pt.] The Thvenin resistance of an ideal current source is _____________________.

c) [1 pt.] The Norton resistance of an ideal current source is _______________________.
d) [1 pt.] True or false (circle one): An ideal voltage source always supplies net power.
e) [1 pt.] True or false (circle one): An ideal voltage source may not be placed in series
with an ideal current source.

2. Network with dependent generator [10 points]

The following network contains a voltage-dependent current source:

gmvbe

+
vbe

(a) [2 pts.] What is the numerical value of vbe/Vin?

vbe/Vin =

(b) [1 pt.] What are the units of gm?

gm has units of

(c) [3 pts.] Assume that gm is 0.03 in the units of part (b). What is the ratio Vout/Vin?

Vout/Vin =

(d) [2 pts.] If Vin = 1V, compute the power Pin supplied by Vin.

Pin =

(e) [2 pts.] Compute the power Pout delivered to R3 under the same conditions as in (d).

Pout =

3. Op-amp circuit [12 points]

Consider the following circuit, constructed with all ideal elements:

(a) [2 pts.] What is the ratio Va/Vin?

Va/Vin =

(b) [2 pts.] What is the ratio Vb/Va? Note that R1 has a value of 1k, while R2 has a value
precisely N times as large.

Vb/Va =
5

c) [3 pts.] For this and all subsequent parts of this problem, consider the following modified
circuit in which one resistor has been added to the previous circuit:

iin

What is the ratio Vb/Vin for this circuit?

Vb/Vin =

d) [5 pts.] Provide an expression for the ratio of input voltage Vin to current iin.for the modified
circuit. Note that this ratio is the input resistance of the circuit. If you do not trust your answer to
part (c), you may assume, with reduced credit, that Vb/Vin = 100.

Vin/iin =

e) [3 pts.] What value of R produces an input resistance of 1G if N = 999? Again, if you do not
trust your answer to part (c), continue to assume Vb/Vin = 100, with reduced credit.

4. Diode with op-amp [8 points]

Consider the following diode-and-op-amp circuit:
iD

+ vD

vD
VT

The op-amp is ideal and the diode conforms to the exponential diode law, iD = I S e , for
iD > 0.
a) [5 pts.] Derive an expression for iD in terms of Vin and Iin, assuming that both Vin
and Iin are positive.

iD =

b) [3 pts.] What is Vout?

Vout =