To calculate the total resistance of a series circuit, what do you do with the values of the resistors?

In a series circuit, the total resistance is found by adding the resistance values of each individual resistor together. This is because in a series configuration, the current flows through each resistor one after the other, and the total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances encountered along that single path.

When resistors are connected in series, the effective resistance increases as more resistors are added; thus, the total resistance directly correlates with the sum of the resistances. This is derived from Ohm's law and the principle of how electric circuits operate, where resistors add their effects cumulatively when they are arranged in a series circuit.

Multiplying the resistor values, averaging them, or using the highest value does not reflect how resistance works in series configurations and would yield incorrect results when trying to determine total resistance.