# Units



## tchalkley (Jan 21, 2009)

When NCEES says both SI and US, do I assume some problems in SI and some in US, or all problems in both? I just took the FE in October and it was entirely SI. I would like to stick with SI as that nasty old Gc always screws me. I'm taking the Mechanical/Fluids and Thermal. - Thanks for any direction here - Tom


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## MA_PE (Jan 21, 2009)

When it says both units (SI and US) that means you get your choice. The methodolgy of the problem will be the same and values specified in the problems have both units. i.e. L = 6 ft (1.83 m)


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## MikeR (Jan 21, 2009)

MA_PE said:


> When it says both units (SI and US) that means you get your choice. The methodolgy of the problem will be the same and values specified in the problems have both units. i.e. L = 6 ft (1.83 m)


I am not sure about this. I understood that NCEES wants to test candidates on both system of units. That is to say some problems will be SI and Some US. Only HVAC will be 100% US units.

Can someone who took the PE in 2008 confirm this?


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## alexd (Jan 22, 2009)

MikeR said:


> I am not sure about this. I understood that NCEES wants to test candidates on both system of units. That is to say some problems will be SI and Some US. Only HVAC will be 100% US units.
> Can someone who took the PE in 2008 confirm this?



I took it last October and I remember there were a few morning questions given you in US units and the questions asked for SI units. Thus, you have to do extra step to convert the units back and forth. HVAC afternoon was all US units which was good for me because that was the only units that I was comfortable with. I suggest you should work out the problems with whatever the units were given the beginning. Then you convert everything to another units by looking in the back of Lindburge book. Also, there was a chapter in Lindburge book for Mechanical discipline that shows you the conversion from SI to US for work and power. Please tab that chapter if you find it because there will be several power and work problems for the Mechanical morning section. I wish I can remember what chapter it is since I already let someone else borrowed my book.


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## Mike in Gastonia (Jan 22, 2009)

From the MEC breadth specification on the ncees website:



> 2. Questions in Sections I–IV of this module will be in either USCS or SI units. Questions in Section V of this module will be in USCS units.


From the HVAC afternoon specification:



> 2. Questions in this module will be in USCS units.


From the Machine Design and thermal Fluids afternoon specifications.



> 2. Questions in this module will be in either USCS or SI units.


I read that to mean some problems in SI and some in US for all areas but HVAC. HVAC is all US.


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## MechGuy (Jan 23, 2009)

I took the Mech PE in Oct 08 and yes, some questions are in SI and some in English Units with the exception of the HVAC depth which is all English.

But do NOT focus on this!

It doesn't matter what units the problems are in, you should know how to fundamentally solve the problem. Units are very easy to convert.

Don't get hung up whether you're looking at Joules, MW, BTUs or what not. You should know how to convert units.

Have a handy conversion chart with you just in case.

OK I'll hammer it one last time -- don't worry about it! Just focus your studies on solving problems, problems and more problems and by the time you get

to the exam, you'l have no problem.


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## tchalkley (Jan 25, 2009)

Thanks to all for the in depth responses.


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