A student is asked to simplify a mixed network of resistors before attempting any numerical calculation.
(i) How can she decide, by simple inspection of the circuit diagram, which resistors are in series and which are in parallel?
(ii) Outline, step by step, the general procedure she should follow to replace the whole network by a single equivalent resistance.
(iii) State two advantages of carrying out such a step-wise reduction before applying Ohm’s law to the entire circuit.