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GATE 2026 EE – Question 60

Electric Circuits · Network Theorems: Thevenin, Norton, Superposition and Maximum Power Transfer theorem · 2 marks · Numerical answer

Consider the two-port network shown. For maximum power transfer to the resistive load ($R_L$), the value of $R_L$ should be __________ Ω.

(Round off to two decimal places)

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Correct answer: 2.85 to 2.87

Explanation

Maximum power transfer needs $R_L=R_{th}$ seen from port 2. The 10 V source at port 1 is ideal, so it shorts the input node for resistance purposes, which puts the 5 Ω shunt across a short: 0 Ω. The 10 Ω series resistor is therefore effectively to ground. Looking from port 2, this 10 Ω is in parallel with the 4 Ω shunt: $R_{th}=\dfrac{10\times4}{10+4}=2.857\approx2.86\ \Omega$.