Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis [Hardcover]

J. David Irwin (Author), Chwan-Hwa Wu (Author), Bill Zobrist (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0471365742 | ISBN-13: 978-0471365747 | Edition: 6

Using a learn-by-doing format, this introductory text has been updated with problem-solving techniques and other learning enhancements, examples, extension exercises and design problems.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Irwin uses an effective learn-by-doing approach to develop a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of circuit analysis and their application to real-world problems. The text presents material in as clear and detailed a manner as possible, combining thorough explanations and worked examples, drill problems and answers. The Fifth Edition has been streamlined to make room for the many new real-world examples and problems. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From the Back Cover

Key Benefit: This popular introductory circuits book, known for its, “learn-by-doing format” has been further improved with the additions of new problem-solving techniques and other learning enhancements. Key Topics: The presentations of the fundamental principles is replete with examples, drill problems, extension exercises and design problems. Reorganization of material: PSPICE material with schematic capture is in three separate sections, presented dc circuits, transient circuits, and ac circuits. --This text refers to the Textbook Binding edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 992 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 6 edition (January 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471365742
• ISBN-13: 978-0471365747
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,633,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An okay book, that becomes very good with a little trick.., June 1, 2008

By 

Pimentinha "physics undergrad" (Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis (Hardcover)

The book is quite okay concerning the explaining and teaching, and considering it's an introduction. (If you want diodes, transistors, etc search elsewhere! (Sedra/Smith?))

But the thing is: each of the fifteen chapters has about 70 exercises. And if you began learning this stuff, you know it: you'll always forget a term in the equations or switch a minus for a plus sign, etc.. The solutions are not on the book, but they do exist, and if your an instructor you may log in the site and ask for a copy.

If you're a student . . . it's actually even easier! Just get it on isoHunt or eMule and start working the problems.

Believe me, do half of each chapter's exercises and you'll breeze through your exam. Check or learn the correct answer on the Instructor's Manual.



P.S. - I really understand all the one-star ratings, but it's just because this is a subject where you need lots of practice, lots of exercises. And of course if you're trying to study and you're stuck on one exercise, you probably won't go further, and exasperate.. But go get the answers, and good work! You'll see the book will give you all the theory and explaining necessary.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible, November 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis, 7th Edition (Hardcover)

One of the reviews on this page is obviously written by the publisher. The one thing I can't stand about a technical textbook is when graphs or schematics are on one page and the explination is 2 pages later. With this book I find myself spending more time flipping back and forth between the 2 than actually studying. This is just one thing about the book that makes it hard to understand. Oh and one more thing, the "Circuit Works" program which you pay for the use of when you buy the text book either doesn't exist or is being kept hidden purposely, none of my classmates or the instructor has been able to access it. I've emailed the publisher twice to no avail.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst. Textbook. Ever., November 21, 2008

By 

Tim Andersen (Omaha, NE United States) - See all my reviews

I've paid more for a few textbooks. But they were actually worth the price. They were well-written and had selected answers in the back. This book made me confused about concepts I was already familiar with from previous classes. I felt really sorry for the people who were learning the material in the first few chapters from this book. After that, material in later chapters that was new to me was a nightmare to learn. And I'm good at learning by reading.
I knew after reading chapter 2 that I would be writing a review for this. The class that uses this text is almost over, and I think I can give an accurate review now. There are several reasons why this book is getting terrible reviews. First, the text is hard to understand. It seems like it is written like a lab report where the audience already understands the concepts. Small details and reinforcement that almost all authors just seem to naturally add are missing. Whenever I get done reading a section, I feel like I missed some important detail that would bring the whole concept together. Second, the figures are more often than not on a different page than the text that refers to them. That gets very old, very fast. I would guess that I flipped pages on average six times per example problem.
Another reason that this is a terrible textbook is the homework problems at the end of each chapter. The example problems are usually trivial and short, so you get some confidence that the homework will be easy. Then you get assigned a few problems. And it takes you hours to do. Say the chapter examples show you how to make a cube out of eight marshmallows and toothpicks. Expect one of the homework problems to be: Design a working cold fusion reactor out of marshmallows and toothpicks. And there are no solutions in the back of the book like with every science-related textbook I've ever read. Oh, but you can buy a solutions manual. And that's terrible too. I have a copy. I didn't pay for it and I'm glad. The solutions manual has most of the homework problems with work shown. The problem is that a lot of them are not worked using the techniques shown in the chapter! If you wrote down the step-by-step solution from the manual, your instructor would know right away that you were using the solutions manual.
So, I'd like to beg the authors never to write another book ever again. I don't want to read a pamphlet written by these clowns. There is just too much wrong with their style to even salvage. This book has wasted thousands of man-hours and has probably driven away at least some talent from the field. If this text is required for a class that you need to take, email the instructor and ask why they are using such a poor book.