This is a complicated question- basically I am trying to get a bead on how to read/process the PE Questions. Everything I have heard/read on this board is that the test tries to confuse you and if you aren't paying attention they will get you with simple answers.
So I'm working though the Practice Exams for the Civil PE Exam by Goswami, Question 102. I read the question, in particular the 6 needed 45 seconds cycle times and initially assumed 5 cycles would be needed- truck pulls up and the shovel should be ready to dump (1/2 a cycle) and then the truck can leave half way through the last cycle because the truck has his 6 CY. Apparently I was thinking too far into it, as the correct answer required 6 complete cycles. For people that have took the test, how do you balance this?
I went onto the next question- calculating the concrete cost was fine (and basically the question is over per the calculated cost), but they say "waterproofing compound", to me that is spray on and you are only going to put that on the water side of the dam. Per the solution, that's not correct, you need to put compound on the total surface area (not the ends of the structure though). In the construction world you wouldn't put a compound on the bottom of poured concrete.
Obviously, in both of these instances you can get to the right answer, but I would prefer to do each question once. Any advice on what NCEES will expect?
So I'm working though the Practice Exams for the Civil PE Exam by Goswami, Question 102. I read the question, in particular the 6 needed 45 seconds cycle times and initially assumed 5 cycles would be needed- truck pulls up and the shovel should be ready to dump (1/2 a cycle) and then the truck can leave half way through the last cycle because the truck has his 6 CY. Apparently I was thinking too far into it, as the correct answer required 6 complete cycles. For people that have took the test, how do you balance this?
I went onto the next question- calculating the concrete cost was fine (and basically the question is over per the calculated cost), but they say "waterproofing compound", to me that is spray on and you are only going to put that on the water side of the dam. Per the solution, that's not correct, you need to put compound on the total surface area (not the ends of the structure though). In the construction world you wouldn't put a compound on the bottom of poured concrete.
Obviously, in both of these instances you can get to the right answer, but I would prefer to do each question once. Any advice on what NCEES will expect?
