FE Exam Study Advice

[bonesface7]

hey guys, i am taking the FE in april 2009 and am trying to get a jump on the studying. I graduated civil engineering in may 2007, but have forgot alot of the mathematics.

my question is, regarding the math on the exam, what should i focus my studying on? obvioulsy differentials and integrals, but what about low level topics such as factoring / quadratics / polynomials / conics / trig identities / logaritihms, etc? should i just breeze through that and start on the calculus and engineering topics?

Please advise, going over all this old math is extremely discouraging.

Thanks,

Bones

 

[zorlev]

hey guys, i am taking the FE in april 2009 and am trying to get a jump on the studying. I graduated civil engineering in may 2007, but have forgot alot of the mathematics.
my question is, regarding the math on the exam, what should i focus my studying on? obvioulsy differentials and integrals, but what about low level topics such as factoring / quadratics / polynomials / conics / trig identities / logaritihms, etc? should i just breeze through that and start on the calculus and engineering topics?

Please advise, going over all this old math is extremely discouraging.

Thanks,

Bones

Although you may want to overlook these topics you should in terms of completeness ensure that you go through them all because you dont know what questions will be on the exam. Just be prepared to do any math problem and get it right in quick time. Take my advise dont rule out anything in maths its an area to pick up easy points.

 

[MGX]

I'm tempted to take the FE Oct. 25th. My University offers free classes 5x a week to prep for the exam. You might check if your or a local Uni has similar classes.

These are taught by PE's so they'll have some experience with the test.

 

[EM_PS]

yeah, you really need the strongest grip on calculus & differential eqs, because they have such strong tie in to dynamics & statics - but for sure, analytic geometry & linear algebra are frequent topics that are usually not too diff to get some points on. Math is the foundation to strive to know the most in at least for FE. So much other can be plug-n-chug equation use, not that its easy, but the math you either know it or not.

good luck in your studies, i'm taking the plunge in 2 wks!!

 

[jrs6767]

Buy the AM & FM FE prep books by test masters....they have lots of sample tests and questions that will definitely prepare you to pass. Spend 8-12 weeks studying also just working out problems....too bad you can't use the TI-89s anymore that calculator made preparing for the math part of the exam easy....plug and chug!

 

[jrs6767]

Another bit of advice....get yourself on a routine of getting up at 5:30am-6am everday a month before the exam and try and work out some problems that early in the morning....it will really help you be able to focus come exam time!!!

 

[jrs6767]

To answer the op's questions....make sure you know how to work out problems with derivatives, integrals, and differential equations, and limit problems. Don't spend too much time focusing on Thermodynamics or Electrical Theory....