I have worked through this example http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_10/7.html
and Im wondering shouldnt the current for R1 and R2 on the 7 volt circuit be 2 and 1 not 1 and 2. If not why is this?

 

The higher resistance will always have less current than the lower resistance when in parallel.
In this case you have R1 = 4 ohms and R2 = 2 ohms.

Since they're in parallel in that 7 V circuit, R2 must have twice as much current as R1.
R3 will get the sum of those two currents.

In the 28 V circuit R2 and R3 are in parallel, and R3 is 1 ohm. Therefore the situation is swapped, with R3 having twice the current of R2.
R1 will get the sum of those two currents.

 

I used for I1 2/2+4 x 3 = 1 and I2 4/2+4 x 3 = 2, cant see where im going wrong

 

You really need to use brackets.

I1 = 2/(2+4) * 3 = 1

So I'm not sure what the issue is. I1 is the current through R1, yes?
Then it agrees... 4 ohm R1 gets 1 A, 2 ohm R2 gets 2 A.
Where's the disagreement?

 

Just I thought as R1 = 4 R2 is 2 then I1 would be I1 = 4/(2+4) * 3 = 2 not 1 which it says in the tutorial. Is this the correct way of doing this because the 28v circuit was correct.

 

With current division the numerator is the resistance in the other branch.

So:
I1 = Itotal * R2 / (R1 + R2)
I2 = Itotal * R1 / (R1 + R2)

The 28V circuit can do the same thing:
Itotal = 6 A.
R2 = 2 ohms
R3 = 1 ohm

I2 = 6 * 1 / (2 + 1) = 2 A
I3 = 6 * 2 / (2 + 1) = 4 A

 

cheers mate thanks for clearing that up

 

You're welcome.