Find the current flowing in each branch of this circuit.

Solution:

The number of loop currents required is 3.

This time we will choose the loop currents shown to the right.
Write down Kirchoff’s Voltage Law for each loop. The result is the following system of equations:

Collecting terms this becomes:

This form for the system of equations could have been gotten immediately by using the inspection
method.

Solving the system of equations using Gaussian elimination or some other method gives the following
currents, all measured in amperes:I1 = - 4.57, I2 = 13.7 and I3 = - 1.05
 y
3x+2y=ll

1 3
X - 2y =1 1

2 3

Row picture: The point (3, 1) where the lines meet solves both equations.
 [!]
I '

= 3 (column 1)
, , [f' rn
b
I
I

3(column 1) + l(column 2) = b
I
I
column2

Figure 2.2: Column picture: A combination of columns produces the right side (1, 11).
 z z

L L
Solution m
IO---+----y

planex +2y +3z=6 3rd plane 6x -3y + z = 2

plane 2x + 5y + 2z = 4 (0,0, 2) is on all three planes
X X

Figure 2.3: Row picture: Two planes meet at a line L. Three planes meet at a point.
 m-column I

U]-column2

2 times column 3 is b

Figure 2.4: Column picture: Combine the columns with weights (x, y, z) = (0, 0, 2).
 1 1 3 1
2 + =3 2
+ 2
= 2 2

( ) =0

= ( )
 12

3 1 2 2 1 1 1 2
12
1 1 1 2 3 1 2 2
2 4 1 0 2 4 1 0
12 ( 3)
13 ( 2)

1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2
12 (¡3) 13 (¡2)
3 1 2 2 0 2 5 8 0 2 5 8
2 4 1 0 2 4 1 0 0 2 1 4
2 2( 1 2)
1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2
2 (¡1 2)
0 2 5 8 0 1 2 12 4
0 2 1 4 0 2 1 4
21 ( 1)
23 ( 2)
1 1 1 2 1 0 1 12 2 1 0 1 12 2
21 (¡1) 23 (¡2)
0 1 2 12 4 0 1 2 12 4 0 1 2 12 4
0 2 1 4 0 2 1 4 0 0 6 12
6 3( 1 6)
1 0 1 12 2 1 0 1 12 2
3 (¡1 6)
0 1 2 12 4 0 1 2 12 4
0 0 6 12 0 0 1 2
2 12 32 ( 2 12 )
1 12 1
31 (1 2 )

1 0 1 12 2 1 0 1 12 2 1 0 0 1
32 (¡5 2) 31 (3 2)
0 1 2 12 4 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
0 0 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 2
=1 = 1 =2
 ( ) ( )
( ) ( )

1 = =
1 = =
( ) =
1 = =
0
1 = =
( ) ( ) = = =
0
1 =
( ) ( ) = = =
0

=3

0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 2
21 = 1 0 0 3 (7) = 0 1 0 31 ( 2) = 0 1 0
0 0 1 0 0 7 0 0 1

21 3 (7) 31 ( 2) 3
 1
1
1 1

0 1 2 0 4 1 0 2 0
0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
1 0 1 2 1 0 0 3
0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1

1 0
1
L