What is the total resistance of five 10-ohm resistors in series?

For resistors connected in series, the total equivalent resistance is calculated by adding all the individual resistance values together. There is only one path for the current to take, so the opposition to current flow is cumulative. In this case, you have five resistors, each with a value of 10 ohms. Adding them up gives you 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10, or simply 5 times 10, which equals 50 ohms. A common distractor is 2 ohms, which is what the total resistance would be if these same five resistors were connected in parallel. Always remember that series resistance simply adds up.