To determine when components in a circuit are in series or parallel, one should ?

• A. calculate the current
• B. measure the resistance
• C. trace the current path(s)
• D. trace the voltage path(s)

Answer: (D)

Looking at how voltages line up across components is the clearest way to tell how they’re connected. If two components share the exact same two nodes, the voltage across each one is the same, so they’re in parallel. If you can trace a single uninterrupted path of current through them, with no branching between, the same current flows through both, so they’re in series. So following the voltage path(s) shows whether components share the same potential difference (parallel) or sit on one continuous current path (series). This approach directly reveals the circuit topology.