# Getting Frustrated!



## JoeysVee (Jul 20, 2009)

Ok, I started studying about 2 weeks ago. I'm going through the MERM at an extremely accelerated pace (all important chapters 14-59 in about 6 weeks). I've been quickly reading each chapter then doing the associated problems at the end of that chapter. I have noticed that I'm having a very hard time getting the end of the chapter problems right without looking at the solution. :smileyballs:

It seems like I can only do the first 1 or 2 right then after that I have to look at the solution for everyone of them and getting frustrated and moving on after the 7th or 8th problem. Therefore I'm not working all the problems at the end of each chapter. At that point I'm so frustrated I move on to the next chapter.

My goal is to complete the MERM (reading and problems) by the end of August (6 weeks total), then start working as many problems as I can, (6-min books for the 3 depth areas, 3 sample exams, etc.) for the next ~2 months. During those 2 months of working problems I will be attending 8 mini refresher courses (5 hours each). So that's my plan.

My question is.....is it normal at this point to not get many of the chapter problems right after just reading the damn chapter? It seems like I would be getting at least 50% of them right after just reading the chapter and while the equations are fresh on my mind.

:brickwall:


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## CivE Bricky (Jul 20, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> I've been quickly reading each chapter then doing the associated problems at the end of that chapter. I have noticed that I'm having a very hard time getting the end of the chapter problems right without looking at the solution.
> My question is.....is it normal at this point to not get many of the chapter problems right after just reading the damn chapter? It seems like I would be getting at least 50% of them right after just reading the chapter and while the equations are fresh on my mind.


I'm civil, but what I found most important was to fully understand all the problems. At times, solving a problem open book took an hour or more, but I'd learn it. I didn't worry about easily and quickly solving problems until the last few weeks.

I focused mostly on the problems and read only what I needed to read to understand each problem. For new topics, I sometimes had to start with a quick skim to introduce the topic -- then went deep only as needed for the problem solving.

Like you're finding, I found straight reading was of limited value...

Your mileage may vary.


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## benbo (Jul 21, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> My question is.....is it normal at this point to not get many of the chapter problems right after just reading the damn chapter? It seems like I would be getting at least 50% of them right after just reading the chapter and while the equations are fresh on my mind.
> 
> :brickwall:


First off, I'm electrical. But this was my experience as well. Like CivE says, the important thing is to understand the solution. When I first started, I would not understand any of the problems. But I would try my best to at least get started, maybe pick the right equation, etc. Then I would look at the answer and try to really understand it.

If I recall my school days correctly, I relied on partial credit for almost all of my points. I can't recall if I ever got a problem entirely correct.

I know a lot of people don't believe in working problems. Maybe that works okay for some people or for some disciplines, but I really believe trying to work problems, then understanding the solutions even if you can't really work them is critical. It is the most painful thing, but I believe it is the most valuable. Really, by looking at problems, trying them, and then looking at solutions you get a better idea of how the formulas work then just reading through them like a novel.

Several of the people who work with me and didn't pass got so frustrated with the problems that they just gave up. They starte spending all their time reading text, organizing notes, and "highlighting" text. I don't believe I understood the problems one iota better than any of them, but I didn't give up.

By the way, I don't know if you have to work every problem. You could pick a few, try them, then go to the next Chapter and come back later if you have time.


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## JoeysVee (Jul 21, 2009)

Yeah, I've mostly been skimming the chapter then working the problems. I work them as much as possible then get stuck and have to refer to the solutions. It seems like I would be able to complete more and get more correct. I think in the beginning of the study prep it is important to at least skim the MERM then work hundred of problems over the next couple of months.

It just seems like I would be getting more correct at this point.


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## Capt Worley PE (Jul 21, 2009)

Don't get frustrated. Go back and study the sections for the stuff you got wrong. Then do it again.

I went Mech/MD. Working problems over and over, and constant studying (I lived with my MERM for at least three solid months) will up your chances of passing.


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## Agg97 (Jul 21, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> My question is.....is it normal at this point to not get many of the chapter problems right after just reading the damn chapter? It seems like I would be getting at least 50% of them right after just reading the chapter and while the equations are fresh on my mind.


Yes, it is. The MERM is a great reference book, but not so great at teaching you the stuff. When I first started studying, I found it frustrating to not know the answers without looking at the solutions. That's when I switched strategies and pretty much used problems from Six Minute Solutions as my study guide. I would work the problem slowly. If I didn't know much about the subject being asked, I'd pause and read the appropriate parts of MERM to get up to speed. This strategy worked better for me.


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## steven_0078 (Jul 21, 2009)

I ran into the same issue as you. I would read through a chapter in MERM and i would work through the problems and found for 50% of the problems i had the wrong answer or couldnt get an answer. I just kept working through problems in my Depth (Thermo/Fluids) being sure that i completely understood the concepts before i moved on. I knew i didnt have time to study outside my depth so i solely focused on that. I spend no time at all in any subject outside of my depth. I also spent no time at all organizing materials. I used other references for only 2 or so of the 80 problems during the exam. I found during the morning section that a significant # of the questions i had studied because they were in my depth and the ones outside of my depth weren't that difficult. I still haven't gotten my results as i took the exam in crappy california, but considering the amount of time i studied (a little less than 100 hours), i felt i left the test feeling very positive. If i have to take the exam again, i will spend even more time on my Depth and very minimal time outside Thermo/Fluids. Alot of people say they recommend spending time being very organized, i found that using MERM exclusively during practice problem solving that i knew the appendices well enough where it wasn't very time consuming finding the stuff in the exam. Also, I dont remember spending alot of time specifically looking up equations during the exam either. During the exam i saw people with what looked like 200+ tabs in their MERM, and loads of other references. I wouldnt waste time doing all that crap, i would spend the effort into problem solving in your selected depth.


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## Kephart P.E. (Jul 21, 2009)

steven_0078 said:


> I ran into the same issue as you. I would read through a chapter in MERM and i would work through the problems and found for 50% of the problems i had the wrong answer or couldnt get an answer. I just kept working through problems in my Depth (Thermo/Fluids) being sure that i completely understood the concepts before i moved on. I knew i didnt have time to study outside my depth so i solely focused on that. I spend no time at all in any subject outside of my depth. I also spent no time at all organizing materials. I used other references for only 2 or so of the 80 problems during the exam. I found during the morning section that a significant # of the questions i had studied because they were in my depth and the ones outside of my depth weren't that difficult. I still haven't gotten my results as i took the exam in crappy california, but considering the amount of time i studied (a little less than 100 hours), i felt i left the test feeling very positive. If i have to take the exam again, i will spend even more time on my Depth and very minimal time outside Thermo/Fluids. Alot of people say they recommend spending time being very organized, i found that using MERM exclusively during practice problem solving that i knew the appendices well enough where it wasn't very time consuming finding the stuff in the exam. Also, I dont remember spending alot of time specifically looking up equations during the exam either. During the exam i saw people with what looked like 200+ tabs in their MERM, and loads of other references. I wouldnt waste time doing all that crap, i would spend the effort into problem solving in your selected depth.


While I am sure your system worked for you -I would not suggest people do not do any organization of their references and materials.

Also I felt that study outside my depth was very helpful and likely the reason I passed as I think I got 35+ correct in the morning portion of the test. For example, HVAC wasn't in my depth (and I didn't remember anything from college) but learning the basics and being able to do the simpler problems in the MERM really helped me.

Joey--I wasn't able to work the problems (in the MERM) the first time thru either. I also couldn't do the problems my review class gave me the first time thru. Just keep working them. Repetition works. I liken it to push-ups. You can't start exercising one day and do like 100 push-ups. It just takes practice. If you keep at it by test time you will get better.


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## benbo (Jul 21, 2009)

D. Kephart said:


> While I am sure your system worked for you -I would not suggest people do not do any organization of their references and materials.


I think it certainly pays to organize a bit, but not at the expense of working or at least reading through and understanding problems.

I overdid everything when I studied, including organization. I had lots of tabs, and sorted binders, and stuff. The tabs were pretty much useless to me, I could have found the stuff almost as fast with the printed out index (which I also had).


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## buick455 (Jul 22, 2009)

I read the entire MERM and did every problem but it took me 2.5 months and this was after I already studied 300 hours for the October exam. I would defiantly recommend skimming every chapter and tab what you feel is imprtant and then put together a short quick reference sheet. You should be familiar with the book but I would not reading it all like I did. Then do the problems from the NCEES books (both revisions). Then take the practice exam and if time permits do more problems like the six minute solutions books. I did not really care for the six minute solutions book as there was no errata and there was allot of issues with it but the problems are short, similar to the exam.


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