# October 2013 Test Takers & Which Afternoon?



## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Jun 17, 2013)

Just curious as to who all is taking the test this fall, and which afternoon module are you planning to take?

I was going to take the test last April, but due to starting work with a new company, I decided to wait until October. I'm planning to take the Mechanical Systems and Materials afternoon module.


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## lrock123 (Jun 17, 2013)

Planning to take T/F exam in the afternoon in October.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 3, 2013)

Mechanical , TFS in the afternoon. Though by the look of it one has to prepare everything


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## FullxCollapse (Aug 12, 2013)

Just made my choice. Looks like it's going to be Thermal Fluid Systems.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 19, 2013)

TFS... Started in July so hopefully it should be enough. Looks like I would have to revise one more time as there is way too much to know and have on your tips. I guess I would get comfortable with the problems once I started the tests.

How are you guys finding hte LIndeburg practice problems? I am finding quite a few very tricky ones or ones that take really long. On average, I would say I am getting around 65-75% of them right.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 20, 2013)

I agree that the Lindeburg problems are lengthy. From my understanding they are that way in order to cover everything you need to know, but on the exam you may only need to do one "step". This is of course hearsay as I have not taken the exam yet.


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## ikesdsu (Aug 20, 2013)

You are kind of right 

The problems in the Lindeburg book are harder and more lengthy than on the test but you still need to do all the steps required to get the final answer but they will give you more information at the start than in the Lindeburg book.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 20, 2013)

Ah ok, I see. Looks like I'm the only one here taking the mechanical systems afternoon exam.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 21, 2013)

Actually I had a hard time making up my mind, since what I do overlaps with both. I went with TFS because my colleagues recommended that and told me that TFS is easier. Maybe its perhaps because pple are more inclined towards TFS subjects than mechanical systems!


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 21, 2013)

Maybe so, and I've heard similar. Yet I was strongest in the mechanical systems subjects in college. Even now going through the fluids section of MERM I'm having a harder time than I had hoped.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 22, 2013)

Yeah.. go with your strengths.. for what I have seen, you pretty much need to know everything! its only a matter of which questions woudl you rather have more of. A friend of mine got mechanical systems questions in his TFS afternoon , so we never know!


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## I M A PE (Aug 22, 2013)

I'm taking mechancial systems in Austin in October.


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## FullxCollapse (Aug 22, 2013)

ikesdsu said:


> You are kind of right  The problems in the Lindeburg book are harder and more lengthy than on the test but you still need to do all the steps required to get the final answer but they will give you more information at the start than in the Lindeburg book.




I'm finding the same thing as I work my way through the Lindeburg practice problems. This is what I read and hope it holds true.

Though I haven't sat to take it yet, I glanced at the NCEES 2011 TFS practice exam. Maybe it was just the questions I looked at on the random page I flipped to, but the the questions looked much much easier. If the NCEES sample is closer to the real thing, then Lindeburg truly over prepares you for the exam.

-John


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 22, 2013)

yeah.. but its better to be over prepared than under as the exams also vary. A few of my friends found it really easy and a few of them found it hard. so you never know. good luck with the prep everyone! My friend studied for 2 to 3 hours a day for a little less than 2 months and passed so if we stick it out in these couple of months we shall all pass hopefully


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 22, 2013)

Hey Chris, I'm taking it in Houston.


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## I M A PE (Aug 23, 2013)

SMott, would you be interested in talking over some of the practice problems and talking about prep strategies in general?


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 23, 2013)

Sure, that would be great. Right now I've been trying to figure out if its worth spending as much time as I am on the fluids/thermo/HT stuff. I'm almost tempted to just spend more time focusing on the mechanical systems sections (statics/dynamics/materials/machine design/vibrations/etc.) I'm just feeling really bogged down with the fluids/thermo/and related stuff. I'm just worried one of those subjects is going to "get me" on the exam, and would hate to fail it because I didn't put enough effort into studying it.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 24, 2013)

Smott, am in houston too. yeah.. I am also going through the "how much is too much and how much is too little". I am planning on doing the practice problems for as many of the major sections as I can so atleast I have a good grasp on the theory. I started off with TFS sections (which I am on now) will finish those and then do the systems sections. I will revise the TFS sections towards the end as systems would stay fresh. so that way I am fresh on the sections that "should" appear the most in my exam and would have recently done the "other" sections. atleast thats the plan


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 24, 2013)

btw.. how many hours a day and over the weekend are you guys studying?


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 24, 2013)

I'm at about 2 hours on weekdays and 5 hours each day on weekends. I will most likely have to up my study hours though, as my weak subjects are taking me a lot more effort than I had originally thought.

I was trying to read the chapters, then work problems; and now I'm just glancing to get the gist of the chapters, and going straight to the problems. When working problems I'm noting the equations I use and which page they came from out to the side.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 24, 2013)

Uzairs....looks like we are about the same place on studying. I was planning to do the same, get the TFS chapters reviewed then move on to the MS chapters. I had planned to be moved on to the MS sections by now, but it hasn't happened. It would be great of there was some kind of guide....if your taking the MS afternoon section, you really don't need to spend as much time on "xxx" chapters.

Is anyone familiar with ventrilo? I was thinking it would be a good way to do a long distance study session.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 25, 2013)

Yeah... my pace is going the same, but I fear that I might miss a concept if I rush through since I feel a tad bit confident after having spent sometime on it. If i think that I gained something which I might have skipped in glacing through, I guess that would be worthwhile. The practice problems are hard so that is also good prep I suppose. I wanted to get done with TFS sections by 1st week sept but i guess i would overshoot that by a week. My friend told me that if you are getting done atleast two to three weeks before the exam, that should be good for doing the practice exams and revising/ revisitng problems. He thought that is a good strategy as you dont want to be getting done with it a couple of months before and then revise it again (i suppose). 200-300 hours is what is recommended, as long as we spent more than or on the higher side of it doing quality studying, I think we should be good


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 25, 2013)

an adder, my TFS sections include the HVAC since i have lumped the two together. I am shooting to finish everything by end of September max...


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 25, 2013)

A guide would be good. actually, I sought out advice from coworkers and friends. They all had different plans and different experiences and (frustratingly, diff recommendations). Majority said that the more things/concepts you cover the better since the morning section is where qs are more diversed but a tad easier and shorter. My friend got hvac and a couple of MS sections in his TFS afternoon too. They all unanimously agreed that you could skip maths and very briefly skim/skip fire protection plant engineering, ethics. At this point, i wished I hadnt spent two weeks on maths


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## I M A PE (Aug 27, 2013)

SMott and Uzairs, what study material and reference books are you using? So far I've been doing practice problems and using my Mark's handbook, 10th edition. I have some specific questions on morning practice problems if you guys have worked through the NCEES sample test.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 27, 2013)

Chris,

I am doing MERM with practice problems. I intend to finish everything before I venture into the sample problems. I was told to do that first as otherwise you would base your study on the problems you came across. I would do lindeburg sample problem first since I have heard that is more difficult. I would do the NCEES sample problems hopefully within a couple of weeks before and try to focus the last few weeks on mistakes and common errors.

I wanted to squeeze in 6MS but doesnt look like I would be able to do it. Lindeburg goes over and beyond and I dont want to go through three of his prep stuff (and neither do ihave the time!).

Would anyone have the NCEES Sample exam 2001? Or any link where it is available? I have been trying to get hold of it but to no avail.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 27, 2013)

Sample Exams*


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 27, 2013)

I'm using the MERM and the companion problems book. I also wanted to do some 6MS problems, but won't have time. I plan to work through the Lindburg problems, then move on to the NCEES sample exams. I have the 2001, 2008, and 2011...but I believe the 2008 and 2011 are the same.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 27, 2013)

Oh, and I'm also using the engineering unit conversions book by Lindeburg...it really is a must!


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 28, 2013)

Yeah.. I got the Engineering unit conversions a week ago on peoples recommendation. Will start using it. It just makes one section less to tab in MERM and has more units. It sure does look like something one can use later on too  .

I couldnt find the NCEES 2001, will keep looking. Once you get started/done with sample exams, you can post the difficult/confusing problems and we can discuss that! I think that would really help in the penultimate and final week. I am planning to take a couple of days before the exam off.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 28, 2013)

Since you are doingTFS sections, how hard are you finding Lindeburg problems? It covers alot more angles and concepts so I am glad to be doing it but they dont make it easy. Some of the 1hr problems took me 20 mins and some regular ones took like 1.5 hrs!. I am getting about 60 to 65% right with the wrong ones being silly mistakes and not having a clue.


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## I M A PE (Aug 28, 2013)

So MERM is a must, huh? I was hoping to get by with my Marks' Standard Handbook and avoid the $200+ for MERM. Where is the best place to purchase MERM?


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## I M A PE (Aug 28, 2013)

Which edition of MERM are you guys using?


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## uzairsyedahmed (Aug 28, 2013)

I am using the 12th edition. Actually, I got it before the release of the 13th edition and got it for $99. MERM is a very good reference


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Aug 28, 2013)

I'm finding a lot of the TFS problems in MERM rather time consuming since they aren't my best areas, but I hope spending the time on them will help in the long run. Lot more concepts and lengthy.

I have the 12th edition, but I got it second hand from someone along with some other books.

I'm not sure MERM is a must, but it is highly recommended by just about everyone. And a lot of review courses use it.


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## I M A PE (Sep 4, 2013)

Got it. I'll try to score a MERM very soon and start practicing with it. For now, I'm reading trouble spots in my Mark's handbook. Anybody feel like walking through some of the NCEES problems together? Of the ones I've tried and missed that weren't stupid mistakes, I find some of the solutions confusing. They jump in with some formula or something that I've never heard of and can't find in any reference. *SPOILER ALERT* Like a problem for thin walled pressure vessel stress. They solution uses some Von Mises criteria equation but I cannot find that specific Von Mises equation in any reference manual. Maybe it's in MERM? I assume it's the way Von Mises reduces down for the very particular situation set up in the problem but I can't figure out how I'm going to solve a "similar but different" problem during the exam. It's these kinds of things, where I cannot figure out how to use my references, that I could use some help with on some specific problems.

I think we could help each other out.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Sep 4, 2013)

I have not worked any NCEES practice problems yet, but yes, von Mises is in the MERM.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Sep 5, 2013)

Smott, have you done the HVAC section? I have heard that it tends to show up alot in the morning sections and afternoon for TFS but MERM doesnt have much stuff on the HVAC. Even the sections are quite small.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Sep 5, 2013)

No I have not done that section yet. I figured it would be something I would review later, and may not spend a lot of time on. I'm not sure how much will be on the MS/MD exam in the afternoon.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Sep 7, 2013)

is it just me or are the last 5 to 6 problems for chapter 22 immensely complicated and long? I can understand the solution but thats way too long to keep track of


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## prichmon (Sep 11, 2013)

I am in for October. Mechanical design afternoon section. 12th edition MERM.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Sep 11, 2013)

I'd really like to know differences in 12th edition MERM vs 13th. I'm right smack in the middle of the machine design section right now.


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## sycamore PE (Sep 11, 2013)

I wouldn't worry about the MERM edition. Which book you have isn't going to make or break you.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Sep 11, 2013)

Like This

"FatherTime

02 Sep 2013

Do you mean the fluid impedance and other odd fluids questions in Ch. 19? MERM12 doesn't have anything on the subject, but MERM13 does explain it in an improved chapter that also now covers the subject of pneumatic systems. In the 13th edition practice problems book, there are 22 chapter 19 problems, compared to only 3 problems in the 12th edition. So, it MERM13 wasn't just a facelift."

This is why I'm wondering what the differences are.


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## nsgoldberg (Sep 16, 2013)

Taking Mechanical - Machine Design at Pomona. Ready to get this over with and get on with life!


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## sycamore PE (Sep 16, 2013)

SMott said:


> Like This
> 
> "FatherTime
> 
> ...


Just sayin', I passed the exam with MERM 10 which is like ancient history. The MERM guy doesn't know what will be on the exam, and MERM 12 covers the bulk of the material. This one chapter you're referring to might make up 1 problem, might not show up at all. If you're concerned about it, you can find a secondary resource like a college text.
I'm mostly trying to say, worry more about solving lots of practice problems and less about which reference you use.


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## SNAPE/SMOTT PE (Sep 17, 2013)

Thanks! Your right, I'm steadily working problems.


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## uzairsyedahmed (Sep 26, 2013)

Smott,

I am going through the same thing with MD you were going through with TFS. The merm chapters on MD sections are done inline with it being sufficient for MD afternoon, but how much is too much for TFS and how much is "good enough". For TFS sections, there wont be any or only a couple of MD questions on the afternoon and I would rather focus on reviewing and getting my TFS in line for any "tough" ones. I am trying to get done with MD soon so I can revise the TFS stuff which is alot in MERM.

Can any TFS guys reply as to how intensively should you cover the MD section? some concepts are quite challenging and intense. would only getting the basic concepts master suffice?


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