MERM 12 vs 13 - MD PM exam

[denver1000 PE]

Hello - I am planning on taking the MD afternoon session this October - I meant to take the exam a while back (long story) and I have the MERM 12 which I plan on using - is there a need to get the MERM 13 for the exam?

Thanks!

 

[MechE_in_PA_PE]

I took the exam in April 2015 and bought the MERM12 not too long after graduating college (2009). When I was faced with the same issue, I decided to just stick with the MERM12.

From PPI's website on MERM13: What’s New in This Edition

• 36 chapters with new material, and 46 chapters with revisions to existing material
• 300 new equations, and 128 updated equations
• 27 new tables, and 31 updated tables
• 7 new examples, and 34 updated examples
• 10 new appendices, and 27 updated appendices
• 35 new figures, and 28 updated figures
• 1,094 new index entries, and 108 updated index entries

The MERM13 index is more substantial than the MERM12 index (68 pages vs 49 pages) other than that I have not personally compared the two, I have heard that most of the MERM13 changes are really focused on rearrangement of the book for better organization. I believe a lot of the "new" tables and appendices were the result of splitting up the reference tables into SI and English entries. Additionally a number of the chapters where split up into two different chapters.

In the review course I took the instructor was using the MERM13 and pretty much said the MERM13 was more of a maintenance and reorganization revision. When referring us to sections of the book for equations / appendices he would first identify the MERM13 page number then the MERM12 page number...most of the time the chapter number was different and there was never a time when he said MERM13 page XX-Y and sorry MERM12 people this equation is not in your book.

I decided not to shell out the cash to buy and new book and decided to stay with the revision I was more familiar with.

EDIT: As a note I took T/F depth and not Mech Systems.

 

[denver1000 PE]

Thank you MechE_in_PA - this is really good to know.

 

[P-E]

I agree. Either version of the holy merm will work just the same. If you are planning on getting the practice problems, it may be beneficial to get the accompanying version.

 

[allanford86]

denver1000, I posted the same post earlier this year while I was studying for the April 2015 exam. I also had a MERM 12 that I bought right after I graduated that I was using to study. About 4 weeks before the exam during my prep course the professor mentioned that the majority of the changes differences in 12 vs 13 were in the HVAC section...Since I was taking the HVAC exam, I panicked and bought the 13th edition. The results were good so I guess it was worth shelling out the money. I had to go back and re-highlight every section again. While I was doing that, I didn't notice too many differences in the M&M portion. Hope this helps a little and good luck.

 

[denver1000 PE]

Thank you power-engineer and allanford86.

 

[IlliniWood]

You can currently sell your 12th edition to amazon for a $97 gift card which would bring the cost of the new edition down to about $160 (new).

 

[caley89]

You can currently sell your 12th edition to amazon for a $97 gift card which would bring the cost of the new edition down to about $160 (new).

ppi is selling MERM13 on Amazon for $205 + $3.99 shipping. Amazon's price is a lot higher.

 

[BluME]

Thanks everyone for this post.  I am signed up to take the April 2018 version and, as of right now plan on going with the "Machine Design," exam.  Again, I picked up the 12th edition right after school, but "Life happened," and now I am back to the point of being able to sit for it again.  

I have an old Shigley and Mitchell "Machine Design," book and plan on rolling with those two.

Any thoughts? 

Thanks for the input everyone!

Wdy

 

[goast55]

With those two you should be fine.  Just practice problems, tab your books and make sure you know your appendix.  You don't want to take a book you've never used before!

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

I started my studying with a V12 that a buddy loaned me and decided to by V13 ONLY because I wanted to mark up the book.