# Are the the 3 resistors in parallel or in series?

this might be the most stupid question on here...but are R1, R3, and R2 in series ? or R1 and R2 are parallel ? I'm fresh new into all this. Here's the circuit:

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AhmadBenos is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering. Check out our Code of Conduct.

Well, $$\\text{R}_3\$$, $$\\text{R}_4\$$, $$\\text{R}_5\$$ and $$\\text{R}_6\$$ are in parallel and they are in series with $$\\text{R}_1\$$ and $$\\text{R}_2\$$.

simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab

So the total resistance is:

$$\text{R}_\text{total}=\text{R}_1+\text{R}_2+\frac{1}{\frac{1}{\text{R}_3}+\frac{1}{\text{R}_4}+\frac{1}{\text{R}_5}+\frac{1}{\text{R}_6}}$$

• so i get the equivalent resistance of R3 R4 R5 and R6, then i add it to r1 and r2, so r1 and r2 are in series ? – AhmadBenos Mar 26 at 14:50
• @AhmadBenos See my edit – Jan Mar 26 at 14:51
• Got it! Thanks a lot. – AhmadBenos Mar 26 at 14:51
• @AhmadBenos You're welcome, I'm glad that I could be of any help. – Jan Mar 26 at 14:54

• Two resistors are in parallel if each terminal of resistor A are connected to the terminals of resistor B
• Two resistors are in series if only one terminal of resistor A is connected to a terminal of resistor B

Just because it's worth saying: it doesn't matter how you draw them, it only matters how you connect them.

As for solving these kinds of problems, you can always replace two parallel resistors with another resistor of value 1/( 1/Ra + 1/Rb ), regardless of what other connection there might be. (Series resistors, on the other hand, can only be replaced by a single resistor if nothing else is connected to their common point.)

simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab

Resistors R3, R4, R5 and R6 are connected in parallel. And this circuit is connected in series to R1 and R2.

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Rusk Box is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering. Check out our Code of Conduct.
• Oh okay! Thanks – AhmadBenos Mar 26 at 14:51

Actually R3,R4,R5,R6 are in parallel combination as the voltage across the resistors is same and the combination and R1,R2 are in series as the current will be same through them

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Kartikey sharma is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering. Check out our Code of Conduct.
• Isn't this exactly what all of the answers said? – Elliot Alderson yesterday