If a circuit has resistances of 5, 10, and...

Question 1 of 270705eccefa3bacbc34ba4d47f07

If a circuit has resistances of 5, 10, and 20 ohms connected in parallel, what is the combined total resistance of the circuit?

Back

Question 1 of 27070

Q

If a circuit has resistances of 5, 10, and 20 ohms connected in parallel, what is the combined total resistance of the circuit?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Parallel vs. series resistance formulas • How to add reciprocals of resistance for parallel circuits • Checking if the total resistance in parallel is less than the smallest individual resistor

💭 Think About

• Write the formula for total resistance when resistors are connected in parallel and plug in 5, 10, and 20 ohms step by step. • First calculate the sum of the reciprocals of the three resistances, then take the reciprocal of that sum. • Compare your final value to each of the answer choices and ask: is this result smaller than the smallest resistor (5 ohms)?

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm you used the parallel resistance formula and not the series formula. • Double-check your fraction or decimal calculations when adding the reciprocals. • Verify that your final result is less than 5 ohms, since total resistance in parallel must be less than the smallest branch resistance.