Textbook Review: Electric Circuits 9th Edition

 

There are worse textbooks out there than this one (for example the textbook I had to use for multivariable calculus) but not many. The problem is that the authors seem to want to skimp on explaining the theory and providing examples and get right to the problems. As a result, you get very little guidance and background on key concepts, a couple rather basic examples, and then a bunch of problems only a few of which the examples provide guidance in solving. If you have an instructor who goes through a lot of examples you can get around some of these deficiencies, but if not you will be lost. In fact, even some of the instructors at my school complain about this book and its lack of guidance.

If you do not find your instructor all that helpful I recommend looking into the MathTutor DVD circuits lessons. Those are DVD sets that do a far better job of explaining the concepts from the course, and more importantly, the instructor goes through many many examples of problems. You can tell that he used a version of this book to select problems from because some of the examples he worked through are number-for-number problems from this book. In all those 6 DVDs cover about 90% of the material in a first-semester circuits class (with the exception of the material on Op-Amps and the complex power material). If you need the book in order to do your homework problems you will not have much of a choice but to get it, but I would not spend a ton of time trying to do any in-depth reading of it because it probably will not help much.

Study Aid Review: The Circuit Analysis Tutor Volume 5

 

This is the 5th in Jason's circuit analysis tutor set and the last one that deals with DC current. This, along with the other 4 volumes covers approximately 75% of the material you will get in the first semester of circuit analysis if you are in the class for EE majors, or more if you are in the class for non-EE majors. This set uses more calculus than the others, mostly differentiating and integrating exponential functions. In fact in some of the problems he goes through you do not even get a circuit diagram, just a description of what is going on and then you have to use the equations to solve them.

This set deals with inductors and capacitors in circuits that also have resistors. The RL and RC circuits. Like with all of his DVDs Jason only presumes you have the math and circuit experience to be at that point. So basically that you have learned the material on the other 4 volumes and have taken calculus. He does not assume that you have any experience with RL and RC circuits, even though some who have taken physics may have gained some experience with them in the second semester of the class. The shows how to solve each problem step-by-step and does not cut corners.

I used this set (and the other 4 volumes) and worked through them over the summer before I took Circuits I and II. I can tell you that many of the problems he works through are word for word out of my textbook that I used, and while Jason does not touch on every single concept or problem type in every chapter, he does hit the main points, and the things concepts that we were tested on. I got a B in the first semester of circuits (because of a couple of brain farts on exams) and an A in the second semester. I used Jason's math, chemistry, physics, and circuits DVDs with much success. I finished my EE degree with a 3.8 GPA and got As in most of the core classes. You will still have to study and go to class in order to do well, but if you use these as a supplement as they are intended to be used they will absolutely help you.

Study Aid Review: AC Circuit Analysis Tutor -- Volume 1

 

This set in Jason's engineering circuits video will cover the material that either comes toward the end of the first semester or early in the second semester of circuits analysis. It starts out with a discussion of alternating current, and sinusoidal sources and a review of the math (complex numbers and phasors) needed to solve the circuits. Then the lessons get into the concepts of the impedance of inductors and capacitors, and Kirchhoff's Laws in the Phasor Domain. Then it ends with several examples of solving circuits that have resistors, inductors, and capacitors. It is basically the material that forms the basis for solving the more complex RCL circuits.

As with Jason's other math, science, and engineering DVD sets, Jason explains all the concepts in an understandable way and works through many examples, providing clear, step-by-step instructions for how to solve the problems. He does not cover every single concept you will see in class, but he covers the main concepts that you need to know. So, this is a compliment to class lectures and doing homework, not a replacement for either. Jason explains the material a lot better than many textbooks do, and better than some teachers. So, if you are looking for a good circuits study aid, and you are a visual learner, this is a great option for you.

Circuits 1 Chapter 5 (The Operational Amplifier Terminal Currents and Voltages, Inverting, Summing, Non-Inverting, and Difference Amplifiers) Notes and Examples

Here are the links to the notes and problems for the Chapter 5 material which covers the Operational Amplifier, Terminal Currents and Voltages,  Inverting, Summing, Non-Inverting, and Difference Amplifiers.

Link to Book Notes

Link to Lecture Notes

Link to Problems

Circuits 1 Chapter 4 (Techniques of Circuit Analysis Matrix Math, Node Voltage, Mesh Current, Source Transformation, Thevenin and Norton Equivalent, and Superposition) Notes and Examples

 Here are the links to the Chapter 4 materials:

Link to lecture notes

Link to book notes part 1

Link to book notes part 2

Link to book notes part 3

Link to homework problems

Circuits 1: Chapter 3 (Simple Resistive Circuits Parallel and Serial Connections, Voltage and Current Divider, and Delta-to-Wye Equivalent) Notes and Examples

 Here are the links to my notes and homework problems for the Chapter 3 material.

Link to Book Notes

Link to Class Notes

Link to Homework Problems

Circuits 1: Chapter 2 (Circuit Elements Interconnections, Ideal Voltage and Current Sources, Independent and Dependent Sources, Ideal Resistors, Ohm’s Law, KVL and KCL) Notes and Example Problems

Here are the links to the notes for the Chapter 2 material: Link to Book Notes Link to lecture notes Link to Homework Problems

Circuits 1: Chapter1 (Introduction, SI Units, Sign Convention, Voltage, Current, and Power) Notes and Example Problems

Here are my notes for Chapter I of my Circuits Analysis Class; Chapter 1: Introduction, SI Units, Sign Convention, Voltage, Current, and Power Link to book notes Link to class notes Link to homework problems

Study Guide Review: Electric Circuits Problem Solver (Problem Solvers Solution Guides) Revised, Subsequent Edition

 

This is a guide that I would describe more as a book of problems to help you do your homework or give you additional examples than it is a guide that will directly teach you the material. It is geared toward the first couple of semesters of circuits, although, depending on how your school divides up material, may also be helpful in some other classes, but the bulk of it deals with the stuff you will see in Circuits I and II, like the various methods of circuits analysis for both AC and DC circuits. So, if you get stuck on a problem, chances are you can find an example in this to help.

The couple of issues that it has is, the diagrams are not the greatest and it is not always easy to follow how they are reducing the circuit. Also, there are errors, sometimes minor and sometimes not, and they are not always easy to spot, especially when you are just learning the material. So, on the whole, I think it is helpful, but there are things you have to watch out for, and I would definitely pair it with something like the Schaum's outline of basic circuit analysis that is geared more toward teaching the concepts than they are just being a problems repository.

Study Aid Review: The Engineering Circuit Analysis Tutor: Volume 2

 

This is the second volume of the Circuit Analysis tutor set created by Jason. It covers the node voltage and mesh current methods of solving circuits, both with independent and dependent sources, which are two of the major circuit analysis techniques that are covered in a Circuits I class. This material comes after the introduction of Kirchhoff's laws as they are extensions of the voltage and current laws. In my class, this material was included on the second exam, but where it falls in your class will depend on your teacher and how he or she spaces things out in the class. Between the two, the first and second volumes of the series cover about half, give or take, of the material you will learn in Circuits I. Again, this just deals with circuits that have direct current sources and does not include alternating current sources. In my class, about 90 percent of what we covered was circuits with DC sources and then we got an introduction to circuits with AC sources at the end of the semester.

I have purchased and reviewed many of Jason's other DVD sets. As I have said with regard to those, whether this will help you really depends on your learning style. If you are a visual learner who learns well by watching problems worked out, this will absolutely help you. Jason explains every step of the problem in detail, both as he is going through it and then recapping everything after it is done. On the other hand, if you need more interaction and the ability to ask questions, then this is not going to be as helpful to you. It is not flashy and is a simulated college lecture, but that said, it is material you absolutely need to learn if you are taking circuits, and Jason teaches it very well.

Study Aid Review: The Engineering Circuit Analysis Tutor: Volume 1

 

This volume covers what takes up about the first month, give or take, of a Circuits Analysis (or Circuits I) class. It starts off with a discussion of the main units that you deal with, voltage, current, and resistance, discusses the basic circuit components, and Ohm's Law, which is the equation that pretty much everything that you do in circuits is based on. Then it touches on power calculations and then the meat of the lessons are Kirchhoff's current and voltage laws, which are the first techniques that are taught for "solving" a circuit. Jason then goes through a discussion of dependent sources, resistors in series and parallel (which is another vital topic that is necessary for later lessons), and ends on voltage and current divider circuits. In all, this material is likely to take you through the first exam in an introductory circuits class.

This DVD set has basically the same format as Jason's various math tutor videos. He introduces a topic and then goes through a bunch of example problems. He spends the bulk of his time on the most important topics, especially those that get built upon. Whether you will find this helpful very much depends on your learning style. If you are an audio and/or visual learner and learn by watching the problems worked out, this will be perfect for you. If you learn by reading and your own trial and error, then this is probably not going to help much. It is also important to note that this volume only covers circuits that use direct current (DC) sources, which is what students learn first. Later volumes cover the circuits that have alternating current (AC) sources, which are the focus of a Circuits II class. Learning this material is indispensable for anyone looking to get an Electrical Engineering degree as circuits is going to be one of the first engineering classes you take. Even if you are not getting an EE degree, you may still be required (depending on your school's requirements) to take a basic circuits class, and this will definitely help in that class as well.