DORDT COLLEGE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING ELECTRONICS--EGR 117
(Fall 2016)

PROBLEM SETS on ELECTRICAL TOPICS

(Last update: 12/13/2016 5:37 pm)
PS
#  
Assigned Due Returned Assignment
8

11/30
12/02

12/07
  Read the information at the following links:
  Basic Gates
  Derived Gates
  The XOR Function
  Binary Addition
  Also see the class notes for this day.
  Sec. 91, 9:00 am   or   Sec. 92, 8:00 am.
 
  Do Problems 29, and 30.
  This assignment will not be peer graded. It will be due
  for regular grading on 12/02 prior to the test. It will
  be graded and retured to you in class on Wed., 12/07.
  This is the last assignment for this course.

 
  Optional Reading: "Using Design Hierarchy in
  Digital Logic to Illustrate the Scientific
  Method as a Human Invention." pages 1 – 8 in the
  September 2013 issue of Pro Rege
 
  Optional Reading: A Pulitzer prize-winning book,
  Tracy Kidder, The Soul of a New Machine
  Available at the John & Louise Hulst Library
  call number TK7885.4.K53 1990.
  Read an overview here.
  Read a reveiw here and some quotes.
  Read page samples here (scroll down)
 
  Oprional reading: "Polysilicon Link Fusing and
  Detection Circuit," Hewlett Packard Jouranal,
  August 1983, page 23. download here
7

11/18 11/30
12/02

12/07
  Topic: Mesh analysis
  Read: Section 16 (p 36 – 38)
  Do Problems 25, 26, 27, 28.
 
  Optional: Video on mesh analysis (~20 min)
  The video link above combines the KVL equations and
  the substitution using Ohm's Law into one step.
  Otherwise it is the same technique presented in the
  reading assignment. The video's technique is a well-
  known shortcut that goes a bit beyond the material
  presented in the handout, and is truly optional.
  However 20 minutes spent watching the video might
  save 20 minutes on homework! The matrix inverse
  technique used in the video to solve simultanious
  equations may be replaced with any of several other
  techniques, including Gaussian elimination or
  Cramer's rule. The technique used in the reading
  assignment is a version of Gaussian elimination which
  works in more situtations and avoids using matrix
  notation entierly.

 
  Optional: Milestones in Electrical Engineering
 
  Optional:
  Sigsaly—The start of the digital Revolution
  Sigsaly: Video from AT&T Labs
6

11/11 11/18 11/30
12/01
  Topics: KCL and nodes, equivalent circuits,
              equivalent of series and parallel resistors
  Review: Section 14 (p 30 – 33)
  Read: Section 15 (p 33 – 35)
  Do Problems 21, 22, 23, 24.
 
  Optional: History of heart pacemakers
  Optional: Arc flash (video)
  Optional: More on
Arc Flash at Wikipedia
  Optional: Iowa gets 35% of its electricity
  from wind. (Note the role of gov't in eng'rng.)
5

11/02 11/11
11/18

11/30
for
Sec 91

12/01
for
Sec 92
  Topics: Circuit Analysis, KVL and loops
  Read: Sections 13, 14 (p 28 – 33)
  Do: Problems 17, 18, 19, 20
 
  Optional: A short biography of Kirchhoff
 
  Optional: A video tutorial on soldering
  and read about caring for the soldering iron.
  Optional: Demo of Software Defined Radio
  Optional: Demo of Digital Cliff Effect
 
  Note: On Tuesday, 11/08, Prof. De Boer delayed the
  due dates on this assignement by two days to
  accommodate a lab experience.
4

10/28 11/02
11/11

11/16
  Topics: Power Systems & Signals, Professional
              Membership, "CQD"--pubic safety and
              engineering, Bandwidth, "1984"--hubris
              and motives to do engineering (p 22 – 27)
  Read: Sections 9, 10, 11, 12 (p 22 – 28)
  Do: Problems 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
 
  Optional: Nova Video, "Decoding Nazi Secrets"
        A quote from the show,
              ". . . brains over bullets."
        Available at The John & Louise Hulst Library
        as part of a DVD collection titled "Nazi
        secrets revealed." Call no. DD237 .N39 2007
        Companion web site at PBS
 
  Optional:
  1984 Apple Macintosh Commercial (You Tube)
  Wikipedia on the Apple Commercial
 
  Note: This assignment had originally been due for
  regular grading on 11/04, but that is a test day so
  the due date was extended to 11/09 as per an
  announcment in class on Wednesday, 11/02.
3

10/26 10/28
11/02

11/11
for
Sec 91

11/16
for Sec 92
  Topics: Resistors, models and the passive sign
              convention
  Read: Sections 7 and 8 (p 18 – 22)
  Do: Problems 8, 9, 10, 11
 
  Optional:
  Video lecture: The Passive Sign Convention
  Video lecture: Passive Sign Conv'tion Examples
  Note: The passive sign convention is easy once you
  clearly understand it. However, there are lots of bad
  descriptions of it floating around on the Internet.
  Stick with the IEE handout, the videos above, or ask in
  class.

 
  Optional: The importance of understanding units
  Does $0.002 = 0.002 cents?
2

10/21 10/26
10/28

11/02
  Topics: Electric Energy, "Free Niagara,"
              AC Circuits
  Read: Sections 4, 5 and 6 (p 6 – 18)
  Do: Problems 5, 6, 7
 
  Optional: The Grid. (13 min. video)
  Optional: read about arc flash and watch
  When good transformers go bad,
  480 volt 3-phase Arc Flash Demonstration
  An arc-flash incident in 2008
  Detail on the above--the arc-blast.
  The point is that safety matters. Electric
  circuits can deliver impressive amounts of
  destructive energy when failures happen.
1

10/19 10/211
10/262

10/283
  Topics: Charge and Current, SI units, Voltage
  Read: IEE Sections 1, 2, 3
            (Read up to Section 4 on page 6.)
  Do: Problems 1, 2, 3, 4
  Optional: 14 minute video on fuel cell cars.

Note 1) Homework must be ready for peer grading and discussion at 8 or 9 AM (at the start of your class) on the first listed due date. Peer grading will offer up to 4 points per peer grading event.

Note 2) Homework must be turned in for a final grade at 8 or 9 AM (at the start of your class) on the second listed due date.

Note 3) Homework solutions are usually available one or two class periods after the due date. Click the "returned date" on this page to access the solutions. If the "Returned" date is not shown or is not a link (is black, not gold) then the solution is not yet posted. Check back later. If you click the link and get a login screen instead of the solutions, log in using your usual Canvas@Dordt username and password. Then, if necessary, use the back icon (or alt-left-arrow on the keyboard) twice to get back to the link on this page and click the link again. The link only works when you are logged in to Canvas@Dordt.

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