Variable vs Constant Specific Heat

[BuffaloWings]

How should someone decide when looking at a problem on the PE Exam if they should solve the problem using variable or constant specific heats. 
 

There have been some practice problems where they have not identified a Cold Air Ideal or Standard assumptions and I used the variable specific heat method but calculated the wrong answer because they used constant specific heat. 

 

[Slay the P.E.]

See this post 

http://engineerboards.com/topic/34191-pe-thermal-and-fluids-system-study-pal-october-2019/?do=findComment&comment=7569055

 

[Slay the P.E.]

There have been some practice problems where they have not identified a Cold Air Ideal or Standard assumptions and I used the variable specific heat method but calculated the wrong answer because they used constant specific heat. 

That would be a poorly crafted problem. Can you share the problem statement (don't reveal the source)?