Resistance CRA

Circuits can be either in a parallel or in a series. Parallel circuits have and

resistors and an additional path which allow energy to travel multiple ways. Series have
one path with multiple resistors. This particular circuit is parallel and has two paths, one
of the paths has a single resistor, the other path has two resistors in a series. The
second resistor of the two resistors in a series is three times the resistance of its
counterpart, which is the first resistor in the series. The single resistor has a resistance
that is 6Ω more than the first resistor in a series. The total resistance of the circuit is 4Ω.

We must write an equation that models the circuit and then solve the equation.
Our goal is to find the resistance of each resistor. Due to our understanding of parallel
and series circuits, we know that we must use a fraction for a parallel circuit and a
whole number for a series circuit. Since the total resistance is 4 , and the circuit is part
parallel, the total resistance becomes 14 in the equation. The rest of the resistors are
added into the equation.

Diagram:

1 1 1
Equation:​ 4
= R+6 + 4R

To start, we find the least common factors of the denominators in our equation;
1 1 1
4
=R+6
+ 4R . The least common denominator is 4R(R + 6) . Once discovering the least
common factor, the next step is to multiply the LCF to the numberators in our equation;
1
4
1
= R+6 1
+ 4R . Resulting in, 4R(R+6)
4
= 4R(R+6)
R+6
+ 4R(R+6)
4R
. Our new equation; 4R(R+6)
4
= 4R(R+6)
R+6
+
4R(R+6) 4R(R+6)
4R
. This allows us to simplify by cancelling like terms and distributing. 4
4R(R+6)
becomes R2 + 6R after cancelling 4 and distributing R into (R + 6) . R+6
becomes
4R(R+6)
4R , after cancelling (R + 6) on the top and bottom. 4R
becomes (R + 6) , after
cancelling 4R on the top and bottom. The simplified equation is R2 + 6R = 4R + R + 6 and
then you can combine like terms turning the equation into, R2 + 6R = 5R + 6 . Using simple
Algebra, we can subtract 5R from both sides of the equation in order to attempt to
isolate the R and solve for R . R2 + R = 6 is what is left after subtracting 5R . Now 6
must be subtracted from both sides so that the equation can equal 0 . The result of this
process is R2 + R − 6 = 0 . This quadratic equation can be solved by factoring. a = 1 ,
b = 1 , and c =− 6 , We must find factors that multiply to the product of a · c and the
factors that add up to b . The factors are (R + 3) and (R − 2) , which equal to 0 , so we
can solve R + 3 = 0 and R − 2 = 0 making the factors; (R + 3) (R − 2) . After solving
(R + 3) (R − 2) , it becomes (R + 2) (R − 3) , since resistance in a circuit can’t be negative
(R − 3) is irrelevant. In conclusion, R 2 = 2 due to our previous discovery; (R + 2) . The
resistors contain a range of different resistance, once we plug in 2 to the R , the
1
resistors become 2+6 , 12 , and 3(2)
1
. Resulting in resistors with resistance of 8Ω, 2Ω, and
6Ω.

There was nothing too difficult in this problem that made me struggle. Although, I
did miss a week of school, so I was behind. This problem allowed me to practice
factoring, multiplication, and adding rational expressions by finding the common
denominators and simplifying the expression. All that was left to do was combine the
rational expressions, then simplifying it. Learning about the different circuit types such
as parallel and series, has helped me distinguish the differences in finding the total
resistance of a circuit. For example circuits in a parallel require fractions and at the end
you must use the reciprocal as the final answer. Circuits in a series are whole numbers
and only require simple addition.