Resistors in Series/Parallel Calculator
Calculate total resistance in series or parallel.
About this tool
Enter any number of resistor values to get the total resistance if they're all wired in series (values simply add) or all wired in parallel (using the reciprocal sum formula).
Key Features
- Works with any number of resistors
- Series total (simple sum)
- Parallel total (reciprocal sum formula)
How to Use
- Enter your resistor values, separated by commas or spaces.
- Click Calculate.
Benefits
- Design resistor networks for a target resistance
- Check circuit calculations
- Understand why parallel resistance is always less than the smallest resistor
Frequently Asked Questions
Adding a parallel path always gives current more ways to flow, which reduces the total opposition to current — so the combined resistance is always smaller than the smallest individual resistor in the group.
Yes, but this calculator handles one configuration at a time — for a mixed network, break it into series and parallel sub-groups and combine them step by step.