EG1108 Electrical Engineering

Sample Problems for Practice

Set 4

1. Write the nodal equations for the circuit below and find V1 and V2.

[Answer: -6.73 V, 1.45 V]

2. Derive the matrix equation [G][V]=[I] for the circuit below and, from there, find the voltage
drop across R3.

[Answer: 17 V]
3. Use nodal analysis to find the nodal voltages for the circuit shown below. Use the answers
to solve for the current through R1.

Solution:
Convert voltage source into equivalent current source and redraw the circuit. Assign lower
end as the ground. Label the nodes and write nodal equations.
R3
V1 4k V2

5k R2
R4
3k
2k
2 mA
2 mA 3 mA

⎛ 1 1 1 ⎞ ⎛ 1 ⎞
Node V1: ⎜ + + ⎟V1 − ⎜ ⎟V2 = 2 mA − 3 mA
⎝ 5k 3k 4k ⎠ ⎝ 4k ⎠

Abdullah Al Mamun, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, NUS

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 EG1108 Electrical Engineering
Sample Problems for Practice
Set 4

⎛ 1 ⎞ ⎛ 1 1 ⎞
Node V2: − ⎜ ⎟V1 + ⎜ + ⎟V2 = 2 mA
⎝ 4k ⎠ ⎝ 4k 2 k ⎠

After simplification,
⎛ 12 + 20 + 15 ⎞ ⎛1⎞
Node V1: ⎜ ⎟V1 − ⎜ ⎟V2 = − 1
⎝ 60 ⎠ ⎝4⎠

⎛1⎞ ⎛1+ 2 ⎞
Node V2: − ⎜ ⎟V1 + ⎜ ⎟V2 = 2
⎝4⎠ ⎝ 4 ⎠
Or,
Node V1: 0.7833 × V1 − 0.25 × V2 = − 1

Node V2: − 0.25 × V1 + 0.75 × V2 = 2

Solving these 2 equations for 2 unknowns, we get, V1 = -0.476 V and V2 = 2.51 V

Since R1 is in a branch that was changed using source conversion, we must take the original
circuit into consideration while finding current through R1.

The current is,

10 V − V1 10 V − (−0.476 V )
I R1 = = = 2.10 mA .
5 kΩ 5 kΩ

4. Use nodal analysis to find the current through the 10 V source and, hence, determine the
power (delivered or absorbed) by this source.

[Answer: 511.4 watt delivered]

This problem is a good candidate for source conversion method. You can convert the
current sources into equivalent voltage sources and apply KVL to the loop to find current.
Use this method to verify your answer obtained by nodal analysis.

Abdullah Al Mamun, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, NUS

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 EG1108 Electrical Engineering
Sample Problems for Practice
Set 4

5. Use superposition theorem to determine the voltage drop across the resistor R2 of the
following circuit.
R3
1.6 k
R2
1.6 k
16 32
V 5 V
mA

R1
2.4 k
[Answer: 11 V]

6. What must be the value of the unknown voltage source in the following circuit to ensure the
current through the load IL = 5 mA?

[Answer: 30 V]

7. If the load resistor RLin the following circuit is to dissipate 240 W, determine the value of
the unknown voltage source.

[Answer: 640 V]

8. Find Thevenin’s equivalent circuit for the following circuit between nodes ‘a’ and ‘b’ and
use it to find the power dissipated in RL.
a b
RL
1.5 k R1 R2
6.8 k 1.2 k
8V
R3
1.0 k
[Answer: RTh = 2.02 kW, VTh= 1.20 V, Power: 0.17 mW]

9. Find the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit of the following two-terminal circuit.

[Hambley, Problem P2.75]

Abdullah Al Mamun, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, NUS

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 EG1108 Electrical Engineering
Sample Problems for Practice
Set 4

[Answer: VTh = 20/3 V, RTh = 10/3 Ω]

10. Use Thevenin’s equivalent circuit to find current I in the following circuit when RL = 10 kΩ
and RL = 50 kΩ.

[Answer: RTh = 60 kΩ, VTh= 25 V, I: -0.357 mA, -0.227 mA]

11. Find Norton’s equivalent circuit between nodes ‘a’ and ‘b’ of the circuit shown below. Use
this equivalent circuit to determine IL when RL = 20 Ω and when RL = 50 Ω.

[Answer: IN = 0.35 A, RN = 16 Ω, IL = 0.156 A and 0.085 A]

12. For this circuit, find the value of R so that RL = RTh. Calculate power dissipated by RL.

[Answer: 31.58 Ω, 7.81 mW]

13. If R1+R2 = 200 kΩ in the circuit below, determine their individual values such that the load
resistance is equal to the Thevenin’s resistance (RTh) of the remaining circuit. What is the
maximum power received by the load?
R1

RL
25 V 32 k
R2

[Answer: (R1= 40 kΩ, R2= 160 kΩ) or (R1= 160 kΩ, R2= 40 kΩ), 3.125 W]

Abdullah Al Mamun, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, NUS

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