Abstract
The interactive technical electronic book, TechEBook, currently under development at the University of Central Florida (UCF), introduces a paradigm shift by replacing the traditional electrical engineering course with topic-driven modules that provide a useful tool for engineers and scientists. The TechEBook comprises the two worlds of classical circuit books and interactive operating platforms such as iPads, laptops and desktops. The TechEBook provides an interactive applets screen that holds many modules, each of which has a specific application in the self learning process. 
 
 This paper describes one of the interactive techniques in the TechEBook known as Symbolic Circuit Solver (SymCirc). The SymCirc develops a versatile symbolic based linear circuit with a switches solver. The solver works by accepting a Netlist and the element that the user wants to find the voltage across or current on, as input parameters. Then it either produces the plot or the time domain expression of the output. Frequency domain plots or Symbolic Transfer Functions are also produced. The solver gets its input from a Web-based GUI circuit drawer developed at UCF. Typical simulation tools that electrical engineers encounter are numerical in nature, that is, when presented with an input circuit they iteratively solve the circuit across a set of small time steps. The result is represented as a data set of output versus time, which can be plotted for further inspection. Such results do not help users understand the ultimate nature of circuits as Linear Time Invariant systems with a finite dimensional basis in the solution space. SymCirc provides all simulation results as time domain expressions composed of the basic functions that exclusively include exponentials, sines, cosines and/or t raised to any power. 
 
 This paper explains the motivation behind SymCirc, the Graphical User Interface front end and how the solver actually works. The paper also presents some examples and results to better explain the concept.
Highlights
The interactive TechEBook consists of 16 chapters with a total of 75 sections representing typical content for the introductory circuit course at most universities in the world
Design Modules (DM) are intended to help students develop their ability in designing real life problems and to link the theories they study in books with real design challenges, while the Practical Relevance Modules (PRM) are set to enhance the students' capacity to think about real life problems and to teach them how to relate the theories they have learned with practical applications
The SymCirc Symbolic Solver operates as a standalone web application, or as a utility integrated with the TechEBook, and allows users to get symbolic transfer functions and time domain expressions for any circuit with switches, which will enhance the user’s capabilities to build a circuit, run a simulation, and obtain results in simple time domain functions
Summary
The interactive TechEBook consists of 16 chapters with a total of 75 sections representing typical content for the introductory circuit course at most universities in the world. Each section discusses a new theory and concept supported with examples and problems [1]. Different topics are presented in the discussion text that provides full understanding of the concept. At the end of each section, QuizMe Modules are provided to quiz the students’ understanding of the section [2]. TutorMe. Modules are intended to help understand basic concepts in a step-by-step manner [3, 4]. Design Modules (DM) are intended to help students develop their ability in designing real life problems and to link the theories they study in books with real design challenges, while the Practical Relevance Modules (PRM) are set to enhance the students' capacity to think about real life problems and to teach them how to relate the theories they have learned with practical applications. The SymCirc Symbolic Solver operates as a standalone web application, or as a utility integrated with the TechEBook, and allows users to get symbolic transfer functions and time domain expressions for any circuit with switches, which will enhance the user’s capabilities to build a circuit, run a simulation, and obtain results in simple time domain functions
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