DC circuit analysis requirements

Thread Starter

triggerflick45

Joined Sep 6, 2017
3
Is extensive knowledge of linear algebra ( matrices, vectors & such) mandatory for dc circuit analysis? what is the consensus? opinions seem to vary widely & I would really appreciate input on the views of people that actually work in a relative industry. Thank you for your time.Cheers!
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Is extensive knowledge of linear algebra ( matrices, vectors & such) mandatory for dc circuit analysis? what is the consensus? opinions seem to vary widely & I would really appreciate input on the views of people that actually work in a relative industry. Thank you for your time.Cheers!
I'm not an electrical engineer and cannot do "DC circuit analysis" in any professional way. But I've done a fair amount of hobbyist electronics and listened on this forum to the advice of the many experts. I can't say I recall EVER seeing those mathematical tools being critical to a project. I know those tools from other work and have never found an application for them in electronics. That may say are about me than answer your question!
 

BR-549

Joined Sep 22, 2013
4,928
It will depend on how you define DC circuits. Current only flows one way thru a PN device.

If the current is constant and steady......ratios will do. If the current varies with any reactance present......then algebra and trig are needed.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
Is extensive knowledge of linear algebra ( matrices, vectors & such) mandatory for dc circuit analysis? what is the consensus? opinions seem to vary widely & I would really appreciate input on the views of people that actually work in a relative industry. Thank you for your time.Cheers!
Definitely not mandatory, but can also definitely be useful.

You will need to be able to solve sets of simultaneous linear equations, but the number of equations in the set does not have to be very large in order to get all of the concepts across. As a result, if you can reliably solve systems with three to five equations, that will probably be good enough.

Even in most "real world" situations, humans tend to design systems so that they can work with them in reasonable chunks more-or-less separately. I designed integrated circuits with literally millions of transistors (not as part of a team -- me by myself) and never had to work at any one moment with more than three (maybe four, but I don't think so) equations at once. If a circuit was getting big enough to need that, it was time to break the circuit into smaller subcircuits.

But there are simply some systems that don't lend themselves to that approach and you end up having to solve lots of simultaneous equations (hundreds and perhaps thousands). So having a good grounding in linear algebra and, especially, computational linear algebra, does become a must in situations like that.
 

OBW0549

Joined Mar 2, 2015
3,566
Is extensive knowledge of linear algebra ( matrices, vectors & such) mandatory for dc circuit analysis?
My opinion: "no." Could a passing familiarity with it be useful at times? I'd say "yes, of course."

In my ≈40 years as a design engineer doing mostly analog design in the process control realm (mainly sensors for temperature, pressure, pH, fluid conductivity and flow), I don't recall any instance in which I've had to solve more than three simultaneous equations in three unknowns. I might have had to do four once, but I don't remember doing it.

what is the consensus?
You're unlikely to find one here, since for the most part we're a diverse bunch of opinionated, cantankerous, quarrelsome SOBs who have all manner of opinions on just about anything. :D

opinions seem to vary widely & I would really appreciate input on the views of people that actually work in a relative industry.
I think you'll find the same variability here; all I can do is relate my own experience, which is that for me, basic algebra has almost always sufficed in DC circuit analysis.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
I think you'll find the same variability here; all I can do is relate my own experience, which is that for me, basic algebra has almost always sufficed in DC circuit analysis.
I would agree that algebra skills are by far the most important mathematical skills that you need - and strong proficiency with the basic skills. Although, sadly, I find myself having to caveat that with the assertion that strong basic arithmetic skill are even more important, since that can no longer be taken as a given.

A lot of the algebra is applied to transformed circuits and thus is applies to complex variables, so good basic skills with complex arithmetic is pretty important, too.

I have used calculus, both integral and differential, on any number of occasions in solving problems and designing circuits, but I would say that the frequency of doing so is probably in the once or twice a year realm.

As for other (i.e., "higher") math, I have seldom used it directly but have worked with equipment and processes and designs in which having a background in that math was definitely useful in terms of being able to understand what was going on.
 

OBW0549

Joined Mar 2, 2015
3,566
I have used calculus, both integral and differential, on any number of occasions in solving problems and designing circuits, but I would say that the frequency of doing so is probably in the once or twice a year realm.
My experience also, although in my case, the frequency was more like once every couple of years. Only once in all my years did I endure the agony of actually deriving an expression for an indefinite integral-- and then the next day, my wise-ass co-worker said, "Why did you go through all that work? It's right here in the textbook, in the Table of Integrals! See???"

On the other hand, as for the concepts of integration and differentiation in their role of illuminating what happens with reactive components with time-varying current flowing through them or time-varying voltage impressed across them, a VERY firm grip on those concepts is absolutely mandatory.
 

Thread Starter

triggerflick45

Joined Sep 6, 2017
3
thank you all very much for your input. sometimes it is difficult to determine how much time (study) to invest on a certain topic as it can take a hot minute to absorb. for me anyway. thank you all again for taking the time.Cheers!
 
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