# From reference or by memory



## maxxpower71 (Oct 15, 2009)

I wanted to ask the group members who have taken the exam how much of the exam you referred to your books and notes and how much did you guys actually know how to do from memory.


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## KEG (Oct 15, 2009)

Even if I knew how to work the problem from memory, I still checked my reference material. No point in a silly memory error causing you to miss a problem, especially if that one problem could be the difference between passing and failing.

I knew my reference material very well (multiple tries on the exam and lots of studying).

I worked the exam last April like this. If I knew how to work the problem or knew where to quickly find the solution, I worked it. If I sort of knew or didn't have a clue I skipped it so I could come back later and spend more time on it. My previous tries on the exam, I got frustrated and wasted time on difficult problems when I could have been solving some of the easier ones.

Good Luck


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## Capt Worley PE (Oct 15, 2009)

Trust the references, not your memory.


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## benbo (Oct 15, 2009)

I did the Electronic, Communications, and Control so I don't know how applicable mine would be to power, but I think I mainly used my memory, and then checked the refences for a few problems that actually had equations that might be easy to forget. I worked so many problems so many times I really trusted my memory for a lot of the test. I think I used my books on maybe 10 problems tops. But if you have time it doesn't hurt to check.

For example, many problems just involve circuit analysis, or very basic rules for semiconductors or op-amps - I certainly don't need to look up Kirchoffs laws every time I work a problem like this. Or the impedance of say a Capacitor or inductor. Or control system problems - I knew most of these so well from working hundreds of problems.

My impression is that electrical folks don't need their books quite as much because there aren't so many specialized equations to know. If you've worked a lot of problems it's often easier to just try to brute force it from the basics.


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## Dexman1349 (Oct 15, 2009)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Trust the references, not your memory.


+1

Most of the stuff I used "from memory" was the location where the necessary equation could be found.


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## maxxpower71 (Oct 15, 2009)

Thanks for the help guys.

I know how to work out most of the material and reference I have but when I redo my cycle of studying I sometimes need to take a "peek" at the answer because there is a lot of material involved and forget how to solve the problem.

This relieves a lot of stress a week before the exam. Some coworkers who have taken it before have told me they didnt have time to really look at their references, so a week before the exam I'm still looking back at my references had me a little stressed out.


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