Random Poll: How much pencil lead did you use?

Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum

Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

How much pencil lead did you use?

  • 0.000-0.124"

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 0.125"-0.249"

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • 0.250"-0.374"

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • 0.375"-0.499"

    Votes: 3 42.9%
  • 0.500"-0.749"

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 0.750"-1.000"

    Votes: 1 14.3%
  • 1.000"+

    Votes: 1 14.3%

  • Total voters
    7

v8rx7guy

Member
Joined
May 21, 2016
Messages
9
Reaction score
6
I was staring at my pencil at work today and had one of those random moments where I decided to check how much pencil lead I used during the exam.  Since I haven't used it since, I used a calipers to measure the "loaded lead" vs. an untouched lead.  I guess I used 0.31".  Anyone else have an un-touched pencil they'd like to report? 

0.310" PE - Mechanical - Machine Deisgn & Materials

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Grrrr... somehow this thread was submitted as complete before I could finish out the poll and make read properly ... and I'm too much of a newbie to have editing ability :( .  If a mod wants to edit it to say 0.750"-1.000" and 1.000"+ please do it.

 
I added your last two options.  Personally, I have no idea how much lead I used.  I technically could find out since I saved and framed my passing pencils, unused since passing.  But I don't feel like taking apart my frame just to know.  More importantly than knowing how much lead you used during the exam is that you kept your pencil.  Nice job. 

Anyone pass without using their eraser?   

 
I added your last two options.  Personally, I have no idea how much lead I used.  I technically could find out since I saved and framed my passing pencils, unused since passing.  But I don't feel like taking apart my frame just to know.  More importantly than knowing how much lead you used during the exam is that you kept your pencil.  Nice job. 

Anyone pass without using their eraser?   
Thank you.  You can just delete the 0.750" one completely.

I don't specifically remember using my eraser, but it's got a pretty decent chamfer to it so I must have had to do some that I don't remember...

 
Speaking of pencils,

  1. I had a dream (more like a nightmare) last night where I received a letter in the mail saying my results were invalidated because I used the wrong color pencil and I had to retake it now (they were waiting on me).
  2. I got to the test site and "Hodor" was at the door holding the door and checking my calculator (who knew?).
  3.  The proctors were the Coca Cola Polar Bear, the "Most Interesting Man in the World", and my female grade school librarian who had a mustache and never smiled. ( I think Andrew Dice Clay was there too, but I am not for sure).
  4. She (??? always wondered), my librarian, made my give her (again ???) my references to check.
  5. I sat down to take the test and discovered it was in Chinese.
  6. When I opened my references, all the material had been redacted by the librarian (B*tch)
  7. The pencil I was given was one of those giant grade school type pencils (I can't remember the color, Sorry).
  8. And I was naked.
I hope when the state cashes my check, I get my certificate, and order and receive my stamp, this will all go away like a bad sushi experience.  

For the veterans does it (the dreams, stress, checking in with "engineerboard" multiple times a day, developing a retake strategy before getting your results, checking the NCEES website to see if your result was changed from Pass to Fail, etc ) indeed stop or do I need professional help?

 
A bit of trivia: prior to my going into the exam, I had actual concerns over the pencil (not knowing that they were providing mechanical ones)... whether or not bringing a sharpener would be legal (since there was no mention) and/or whether they would hand out more than one pencil.  Every little thing began freaking me out.  I had done most of my practice problems with pen, before I realized that I should probably practice with pencil.  It started bothering me that during a 4hr practice run, my pencil started getting really dull and it was making me take up more space when working problems.

 
A bit of trivia: prior to my going into the exam, I had actual concerns over the pencil (not knowing that they were providing mechanical ones)... whether or not bringing a sharpener would be legal (since there was no mention) and/or whether they would hand out more than one pencil.  Every little thing began freaking me out.  I had done most of my practice problems with pen, before I realized that I should probably practice with pencil.  It started bothering me that during a 4hr practice run, my pencil started getting really dull and it was making me take up more space when working problems.
You know you have studied too much when you freak out about the pencil

 
We were not allowed to remove our pencils from the room when I took the PE or either of the SE days.  Therefore, no idea, some proctor has dozens of NCEES mechanical pencils stashed somewhere.  I'm guessing a lot though.  On one of the SE lateral questions in the afternoon I worked the whole problem only to realize I did it wrong.  Erased 2 pages of "essay" and then re-did it, correctly?, or correct-ish enough is probably closer to the truth.

 
My pencil has three lead pieces. The unused two measure 9cm.

I don't remember any lead breaking during my test. The third one measures 6.5cm. I must have used 2.5cm then. A little under 1 inch used.

Sent from my SURTAB-722-3G-HD-1S using Tapatalk

 
Back
Top