AC Electrical Circuit Analysis: A Practical Approach

Reviewed by Otilia Popescu, Professor, Old Dominion University on 12/10/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The textbook provides a good introduction to the AC circuits, phasor-based analysis, and is suited for beginners, or people who need a brief coverage of the subject. Learners interested in a detailed presentation of the material, with derivations and formal presentation of the mathematical results, may not be satisfied with the presentation. The book presents the major concepts in a clear and accessible manner, making it easy for new students to follow the text. The presentation is also on the brief side, which again works better for a beginner or for someone who needs a refresher. The examples and exercises are straightforward, and most of the exercises are on the simple side, no complex problems are considered.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The book is mostly accurate in the presentation of the fundamental concepts. There are cases where a more detailed presentation is necessary for accuracy. Some examples are listed here. In the Intro chapter, where Fourier Analysis is introduced, there is no actual definition or formula for the Fourier series, but there are a few examples, such as the series for the rectangular and the triangular waves. However, the formula given for the rectangular wave misses the 4/pi coefficient, and if the time domain wave were symmetric relative to the vertical axis, the formula would be based on cosine rather than sine. For the complex numbers review, clear directions on how to transform from Cartesian to polar or vice versa should be included. Phasor diagrams should include both voltages and currents, but the examples in chapter 2 for example only include voltages, or the ones in chapter 3 only include currents. All currents and voltages must be in each diagram, and show how they align with the other measurements. For the last chapter, on Decibels and Bode Plots, while it is interesting to start by defining “bel gain” and follow with “decibel” this may be confusing and some readers looking for a quick definition might stop at 10.1 (marked in red) and miss 10.2 , which is the actual decibel formula and is not emphasized in any way. Also, there should be a clear definition of gain. The Bode plots presentation is very brief, and while some examples are discussed, it is not clear how the diagrams were developed or how anyone may be able to derive the diagrams for a new circuit.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is on the fundamentals of AC circuits, phasor analysis, and this remains consistent over time, so there is no issue with staying up-to-date. There is nothing to make this material become obsolete in short or longer time. The text is nicely organized and allows for easy updates if necessary.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is clearly written and the language is accessible and easy to follow. While technical terms are explained in the text, this reviewer would prefer, in some cases, the mathematical expressions rather than text descriptions of the formulas. Also, it would help some readers if the main results were emphasized in some way, either by color or boxed formulas. For source equivalences, for example, there are no clear formulas to follow, even though they are put somewhere in the text. It would be more beneficial for something clearer to be nicely shown rather than students hunting for the details. There is no clear procedure given for finding Norton and Thevenin equivalents either. Again, there is a text description on how to calculate Z_th, but a nicely stated procedure would be more beneficial for the entry level learners.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is consistent in terms of the terminology used and organization.

Modularity rating: 5

The book has the classical organization of AC Circuits textbooks and includes all typical chapters to cover the subject. The chapter and section structure is adequate to cover the topic. This structure allows for selecting some chapters or reorganizing the presentation as needed.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is well-organized and presents the subject in a logical, progressive order. Each chapter is well organized, presenting the major results, supporting examples, computer simulations, some practical considerations, and then proposed exercises. This approach helps the learner to understand the concepts from both theoretical and practical perspective.

Interface rating: 5

The book is well formatted, the text is easy to follow, and the pictures are clear. Computer generated graphs are very clear and easy to understand. The overall presentation is well-suited for new learners.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is very well written and easy to follow, and the language is clear and free of errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This is a technical book on the fundamentals of electrical circuits subject. It is culturally neutral and free from bias.

This is a very good free book and can be used as the main textbook for AC circuits courses (entry level) or as a complementary resource. It may also be a very useful reference for someone who needs a refresher on the topic, something that is not on the very brief side, but with enough explanations and examples. The material presented is aligned with the standard curriculum and is an effective resource for both classroom instruction and independent study.

Reviewed by Tony Jones, Associate Professor, Tidewater Community College on 12/3/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The textbook provides a solid introduction to the fundamentals of electrical circuits and is especially well-suited for beginners. It presents key concepts in a clear and accessible manner, making it easy for new students to grasp the essential principles of circuit theory. The explanations are straightforward, and the examples help reinforce understanding of basic components, circuit behavior, and foundational analysis techniques. Overall, this text serves as an excellent starting point for those who are new to electrical engineering or seeking to strengthen their foundational knowledge before moving on to more advanced topics.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is highly accurate in its presentation of fundamental electrical concepts, methods, and formulas. The explanations align well with standard engineering practices, and the worked examples consistently reflect correct analytical procedures. Its coverage of AC and DC principles is technically sound, and the material is presented with precision, making it a reliable resource for students learning introductory circuit theory.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is highly relevant to introductory electrical engineering courses, as it directly supports the key concepts and skills students must master in DC and AC circuit analysis. Its clear explanations, practical examples, and alignment with standard curriculum topics make it an effective resource for both classroom instruction and independent study. The material reflects current educational expectations and industry practices, ensuring that students gain a solid and applicable foundation in electrical circuits.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is exceptionally clear and easy to follow, presenting complex electrical engineering concepts in a straightforward and understandable manner. Explanations are concise, examples are well-illustrated, and the logical organization of topics helps students grasp key ideas quickly and effectively.

Consistency rating: 5

The book demonstrates excellent consistency throughout, maintaining a uniform style, terminology, and level of detail across all chapters. Concepts are presented in a logical sequence, and similar topics are explained using the same methods and notation, which helps students build understanding progressively. This consistent approach makes the text reliable and easy to follow for both instructors and learners.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is highly modular, with each chapter and section designed to stand on its own while still contributing to a coherent overall structure. Topics are clearly divided into manageable units, allowing instructors to select specific sections for teaching or students to focus on particular areas for self-study. This modular approach enhances flexibility in course design and makes it easy to integrate the text into a variety of teaching formats.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is well-organized, with a logical structure and smooth flow that guides students from fundamental concepts to more complex topics. Chapters are arranged in a sequence that builds understanding step by step, and each section transitions naturally to the next, reinforcing prior knowledge while introducing new material. This clear organization makes it easy for both instructors and students to follow the progression of ideas and ensures effective learning throughout the course.

Interface rating: 5

The book features a user-friendly interface that enhances readability and accessibility. Text, diagrams, and examples are clearly presented, with consistent formatting and visual cues that help students navigate the material easily. Headings, subheadings, and highlighted key points guide the reader through each topic, making it straightforward to locate information and understand complex concepts. Overall, the interface supports an effective and engaging learning experience.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is written with excellent grammar, ensuring that explanations are clear, precise, and easy to understand. Sentences are well-constructed, terminology is used consistently, and there are minimal errors, which contributes to the overall professionalism and readability of the text. This careful attention to language helps students focus on learning the material without confusion or distraction.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book maintains strong cultural relevance by presenting examples, terminology, and contexts that are universally applicable to students in electrical engineering. It avoids culturally biased content and focuses on technical concepts that are consistent across diverse learning environments. This makes the text accessible and appropriate for a wide range of students, ensuring that all learners can engage with the material effectively regardless of their background.

This book is part of a series of free open educational resources—five texts and seven laboratory manuals—can used as reference materials for AC and DC circuit classes. It is an excellent, well-written resource that assumes prior knowledge of DC circuit analysis and presents clear, concise explanations of core AC circuit concepts, analysis methods, and theorems.

The text covers all major learning outcomes for introductory electrical engineering courses in AC electronics, including sinusoidal waveforms; basic Fourier decomposition; complex numbers; reactance and impedance with phasor diagrams; series, parallel, and series-parallel RLC circuits; and key network theorems (Source Conversion, Superposition, Thévenin’s and Norton’s, Maximum Power Transfer, and Delta-Y Conversion). It also includes nodal and mesh analysis, AC power (power triangle), resonance, and introductory material on polyphase systems and magnetic circuits.

Advanced topics such as Laplace and Fourier transform techniques are not included in this book.

Reviewed by Paniz Tavassoli, Engineering Residential Professor/Program Coordinator, Scottsdale Community College on 4/20/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book AC Electrical Circuit Analysis by David E. Walters is a comprehensive and well-structured resource focused on AC circuit theory. It covers a wide range of essential topics, including phasors, impedance, resonance, frequency response, filters, complex power, and introductory Laplace transform analysis. Each chapter features clear examples, practice problems, and circuit diagrams that help reinforce the material. The explanations are very clear and easy to follow, making the book highly readable. To fully benefit from this book, readers should have a solid understanding of basic DC circuit concepts, particularly topics such as Ohm’s Law and Kirchhoff’s Laws. While the book assumes some familiarity with foundational circuit principles and a bit of mathematical maturity, especially when introducing phasors and Laplace transforms, the content remains approachable with minimal support. More advanced Laplace topics and Fourier transforms are not covered, so those seeking deeper exploration in those areas may need additional resources. Overall, this is an excellent textbook that presents complex ideas in a straightforward, understandable way, and it is one I will confidently recommend to my students in the future.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content appears to be accurate and seems free from errors or bias. Concepts are presented clearly and objectively, following standard engineering practices.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is up-to-date and reflects foundational concepts in electrical engineering that remain consistent over time. By focusing on core principles like phasors, impedance, and circuit analysis techniques, the book maintains a timeless quality. Additionally, the structure and clarity of the text would make any future updates easy to implement if needed.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in clear, accessible language with well-organized explanations that make technical concepts easy to understand. When technical terms are introduced, they are explained with sufficient context, making the material approachable for a broad range of readers with foundational circuit knowledge.

Consistency rating: 5

The book maintains a high level of internal consistency in both terminology and framework. Key concepts are introduced clearly and used consistently throughout the chapters, with no noticeable shifts in language or approach. This uniformity supports reader comprehension and reinforces understanding as the material progresses.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is clearly organized with well-defined sections that can be easily assigned independently. Its structure allows for flexible use and reordering without loss of coherence.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text presents topics in a logical, progressive order, with each chapter following a consistent structure that includes an introduction, key concepts, worked examples, practice exercises, and a summary. The exercises are well-aligned with the material and include a mix of conceptual questions, calculation-based problems, and application or design tasks. This structured approach reinforces understanding and supports both theoretical and practical learning.

Interface rating: 5

The book is well-formatted with clear images, readable equations, and smooth navigation. The overall presentation is clean and easy to follow.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is free of grammatical errors and is written in clear, professional language throughout.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook is culturally neutral and free from bias, making it suitable for a diverse audience.

This is an excellent free textbook that offers solid coverage of core AC circuit topics with clear explanations and practical examples. Its consistent structure and approachable style make it easy to use for both self-study and instruction, and it serves as a reliable reference for fundamental circuit analysis.

Reviewed by Chengyu Xiong, Assistant Professor, Bristol Community College on 6/28/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is one of a series of free open educational resources-five texts and seven laboratory manuals which I currently use as reference textbooks in my DC and AC circuit classes. This book is an excellent resource and very well written. It assumes familiarity with DC circuit analysis and provides clear and concise concepts, circuit analysis methods, and theorems of AC circuits. All of the major learning outcomes of introductory electrical engineering courses on AC electronics are covered, including: sinusoidal waveforms, basic Fourier decomposition of complex waveforms, complex numbers; reactance and impedance along with phasor diagrams; series, parallel, and series-parallel RLC circuits; network theorems (Source Conversion, Superposition, Thévenin's and Norton's, Maximum power transform, Delta-Y conversion ) along with nodal and mesh analysis; AC power(Power triangle); resonance, and introductions to polyphase systems and magnetic circuits. Advanced AC circuit analysis techniques such as Laplace transform and Fourier transform are not covered in this book.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book content seems accurate, error-free, and unbiased for me.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is basic and fundamental and will not quickly make the text obsolete. The author frequently updates his series of free OER textbooks and lab manuals. The newest version of this book is published one month before this review.

Clarity rating: 5

This book is very clear and well written. Words, mathematical expressions, and figures are used to describe important concepts and relationships, easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 4

The text is written in a logical and easily modularized fashion. Typical AC analysis book.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization and flow of the content are logical and clear. Each chapter is in a similar format, "begins with a set of learning objectives and concludes with practice exercises that are generally divided into four major types: analysis, design, challenge and simulation. "

Interface rating: 5

The text is free of significant interface issues,

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is well-written and appears to contain no major grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

There is no cultural issue.

Excellent free textbook with companion OER text, DC Electrical Circuit Analysis and Laboratory Manual for AC Electrical Circuit Analysis. I currently use them as reference textbooks in my DC and AC circuit classes.