What is the equivalent resistance of a two-resistor parallel circuit with resistances of 4 ohms and 4 ohms?

In a parallel circuit, the formula for calculating the equivalent resistance (R_eq) of two resistors can be expressed as:

1/R_eq = 1/R1 + 1/R2.

When both resistors have the same resistance value, such as two resistors of 4 ohms each, the equation simplifies significantly. Substituting the values into the formula, we get:

1/R_eq = 1/4 + 1/4 = 2/4 = 1/2.

To find R_eq, we take the reciprocal of 1/2, which yields:

R_eq = 2 ohms.

This calculation demonstrates how resistances in parallel affect total resistance, resulting in a value that is less than the smallest individual resistance, which in this case confirms that the equivalent resistance of the parallel circuit of two 4-ohm resistors is indeed 2 ohms.