pete wrote:
Does anyone know of an online utility that can calculate
what combination of series and parallel resistors are needed
to get a particular value?
Specifically, I'm trying to calculate the best way to get
close to 5250 Ohm, using E12 preferred values. Power consumption
is not an issue and I'd like the value to be +/- 2% as that's
the resistor tolerance.

I'm not looking for the answer, I'm looking for the way to
find the answer. There are lots of websites where you can
tap in resistor values and have it calculate the result, but
that gets long winded. I've got a combination that gives
5253R with 4 resistors, but I'd like to do better

There's lots of R calculators on the web but most just give one
answer, when what most people want, is a list of toleranced result
options, to pick and choose from. This prog is OK but has not a
specific "within 2%" sort.
(the best pair comes to 0.1% anyway!)
http://chris.gillings.com/resist.php