# MDM CBT exam syllabus per Mechanical Handbook



## Saurabh9978 (Jan 5, 2020)

Hello All 

this post is about MDM new CBT exam and Mechanical handbook by NCEES

The syllabus which was given by NCEES (same as paper based exam) and the new Mechanical Handbook

some of the topics (numerical and calculation based) which are mentioned in the syllabus are not the part of the Handbook ,

will those topics be the part of the exam or not ? 

also for each topics (mostly applications) handbook have very limited area coveted, should we only focus on those points ?

it also means many topics from MERM Lindeburg are not necessary since they are not the part of Mechanical Handbook by NCEES.


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## OldSquaw (Jan 5, 2020)

some of the topics (numerical and calculation based) which are mentioned in the syllabus are not the part of the Handbook ,

will those topics be the part of the exam or not ? Maybe, maybe not. It says on the NCEES website that they can and will ask you problems outside of the reference manual.

also for each topics (mostly applications) handbook have very limited area coveted, should we only focus on those points ? Nobody knows the answer to that question. Personally I am focusing on the NCEES reference manual. If there is something on the syllabus but not in the reference manual, then you should know this topic without the reference manual. I don't think they are going to expect you to memorize some crazy super long formula, but you should at least be familiar with the concepts and basics.

it also means many topics from MERM Lindeburg are not necessary since they are not the part of Mechanical Handbook by NCEES. Just because it's not in the NCEES reference manual doesn't mean it's not on the test. If a topic is on the test syllabus, then it is probably on the test.


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## Edgy Cheesy Graphite PE (Jan 6, 2020)

Yeah, unfortunately right now, no one knows. This first year of CBT test will hopefully answer some of these questions. But also, examinees aren't allowed to discuss exam problems. I'm not sure if discussing the topics covered is a violation or not.

Sounds like you get to be a guinea pig... sorry.

I suspect after a year or so more info will come out, NCEES will probably refine their documentation, and the prep courses will catch up to the new format.


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Jan 6, 2020)

Assume you need to know everything.


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## Edgy Cheesy Graphite PE (Jan 6, 2020)

I wonder if anyone has polled the Chemical Engineers about how their content changed (if at all) with the transition to CBT and having the single official reference.


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## Dr. Barber (Jan 6, 2020)

jean15paul_PE said:


> I wonder if anyone has polled the Chemical Engineers about how there content changed (if at all) with the transition to CBT and having the single official reference.


Yeah, that's gonna be tough. The ChemE board here is a graveyard of inactivity. The last post is from March of 2019.  However, it is worth it going there and reading the posts as it is mostly people asking about CBT stuff.  A few replies from actual test takers.

To understand why there's so little activity there, consider that in 2018 only 413 people took the ChemE exam, compared to 4,590 who took the MechE exam (all three sub-disciplines)

Source: https://ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/Squared-2018-for-web.pdf


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## Numbers25 PE (Jan 7, 2020)

Someone just informed me the new cbt exam has different problem types in addition to the standard multiple choice.

"Beginning in April 2020, the PE Mechanical Machine Design and Materials exam will be computer-
based. It will contain 80 questions and be administered year-round via computer at approved Pearson 
VUE test centers. A 9-hour appointment time includes a tutorial, the exam, and a break. You’ll have 8 
hours to complete the actual exam. 
In addition to traditional multiple-choice questions with one correct answer, the exam will use common 
alternative item types such as 
• Multiple correct options—allows multiple choices to be correct 
• Point and click—requires examinees to click on part of a graphic to answer 
• Drag and drop—requires examinees to click on and drag items to match, sort, rank, or label 
• Fill in the blank—provides a space for examinees to enter a response to the question 
All questions have the same point value; no partial credit will be given."

Nope nope nope


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## Edgy Cheesy Graphite PE (Jan 7, 2020)

Numbers25 said:


> Someone just informed me the new cbt exam has different problem types in addition to the standard multiple choice.
> 
> "Beginning in April 2020, the PE Mechanical Machine Design and Materials exam will be computer-
> based. It will contain 80 questions and be administered year-round via computer at approved Pearson
> ...


Yep. Good luck practicing those.


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## Dr. Barber (Jan 7, 2020)

jean15paul_PE said:


> Yep. Good luck practicing those.


I know. The new NCEES printed practice exams supposedly have some of those AITs but I don't know if they have the "drag &amp; drop" type


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## Abogos (Jan 21, 2020)

Saurabh9978 said:


> Hello All
> 
> this post is about MDM new CBT exam and Mechanical handbook by NCEES
> 
> ...


I have taken the MDM test before and haven’t passed and they just converted it to CBT and they are saying they can still ask anything outside of the reference manual. I strongly think you need to know everything, I will study the MERM again and will also focus on the new manual. They can ask detailed questions from the topics in their MDM test specs and anything related to it. Unfortunately, MDM is vey vast and I believe even those course preparers won’t ever cover everything that you will see on the test, there is just so many little concepts and details. This is not the case with the fluid exam but this also means fluid exam can be way more conceptual.  
I think if we nail all the obvious concepts on the test and do just ok on the rest of the unexpected or difficult questions we will pass.


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