# Discussing problems from the exam?!?



## FusionWhite (Nov 7, 2006)

I found someone on a message board (not this one) had posted a problem from the FE exam asking how to solve it. He never stated that the problem was from the test, but I know for a fact it was from the afternoon general session of the FE. I didnt want to post in respose saying that it was from the test because I didnt want to draw attention to it.

Is this against the rules? Should I bother to report it? This person didnt fill in the exact numbers but described the diagram from the problem in exact details. Am I tattling? Or am I following my engineering ethics by reporting this to NCEES.


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## DVINNY (Nov 7, 2006)

As long as it's not on this board, I say ignore it.

or at the most, post and say that he may want to recall his agreement to the NCEES and to be sure he's in compliance. Or something along those lines, a nice way to bring it to his attention.

He may think that since he didn't include numbers or something that it's OK. hard to tell.


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## MetroRAFB (Nov 7, 2006)

I'd like to say that if what you say is true, and you're certain that problem with different given values was on the FE, the person that posted it is a supreme idiot, and is in direct and blatant violation of his signed agreement with NCEES. I'm not sure I've stated anything above that's not ovious to anyone that read your post Fusion. 

Having said that, whether or not you report it is a personal decision you're going to have to make. Would I report it? I'm not really sure but probably not. Will somone? Most likely, I doubt you're the only person to have read his post and recognized it for what it is. Why do I say I probably wouldn't report it? It doesn't sound like he's really trying to "subvert" the exam, for all anyone else knows he's just asking how to solve a generic question. That doesn't mean that not reporting it is the correct thing to do, that's just the mood I'm in at the moment. If you decide to report it, you can do so anonymously at: http://www.ncees.org/exams/tipline/ I don't remember whether or not our signed agreement requires us to report this kind of thing. I certainly wouldn't call it tattling. Do what you think is the right thing. The guy deserves whatever he gets in my opinion, for nothing other than being so stupid as to post something like that where God and everybody can see it. :banhim:

Anyone who answers his post is in violation of their agreement, ONLY IF they are aware that they are discussing an exam question. I expect this thing will blow up in his face bigtime. encil:


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## Road Guy (Nov 7, 2006)

You know I saw a problem on the LSIT exam that was a straight copy from a surveying textbook I had, so I dont think NCEES really has a copyright on every engineering/surveying question ever written. unless the values are exactly the same.

Even then, who really "owns" the R=DOC/5729.578 formula? (just an example)

It could be possible that the person is trying to find an answer to a similar problem?

Mainly I am just being argumenative, but I think its possible. unless its obvious he/she is trying to expose test questions, but I sure would like to judge for myself (link) unless its PPI,, or if you dont want to publicly post it, PM's would work B) just for evaluation sake..


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## MetroRAFB (Nov 7, 2006)

I agree RoadGuy, that's why I probably wouldnt' take it upon myself to report it unless he said "Hey, this problem was on the FE, how do you solve it?" Everybody's got different opinions about what's right and what's wrong though, there's a bit of a grey area there I think. If the values were different, is it the same question that was on the exam? Depends on who you ask!

I suspect this whole thread is moot. I bet the guy's already been picked up at his house by the ELSES goon squad and lobotomized by now, at least. Maybe his family too. They have legions of loyal employees monitoring our every post, don't they? :"the other board" mole: :"the other board" mole: :"the other board" mole: :"the other board" mole: :"the other board" mole:


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## Road Guy (Nov 7, 2006)

yeah we have at least 1 monitor, maybe a second they have been pretty low key, i dont think they have had any problems with us,so far, if they have they have PM'd the person directly.


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## singlespeed (Nov 7, 2006)

FusionWhite

I'll apologize first - I'm sorry I felt the need to respond to this.

I'm in a shitty mood, so I'll take a cynical crack at this problem of discussing the test. 

I took the electrical PE, there was a RLC circuit on one of the problems....duh 

From your description, the poster "cleansed" the problem and asked how such a problem could be solved; it's not exam subversion. Rather than report this to NCEES, show the person how to solve the problem; if it requires that you draw your own generic, similar diagram to satisfy your moral and ethical standards, so be it.

NCEES and ELSES personnel monitor PE discussion boards; this board is also moderated by its own personnel. Unless you have a burning desire to enter law enforcement, leave it alone or help the guy out '.02'


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Nov 7, 2006)

My take on this: In general, don't play NCEES cop. They've got people monitoring this stuff who know what side of the line the guy is on better than we do, or at least have the power to make that call.

If it was something big time though, like whole exam pages scanned on a website, I'd probably do something.


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## Road Guy (Nov 7, 2006)

somone please PM me the link

ld timer:


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## tmckeon_PE (Feb 3, 2007)

Road Guy said:


> somone please PM me the link


Did anyone PM the link?


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