Cheat sheet
FE Exam Cheat Sheet
Quant + Professional
- 36-55% of exam
- Exam Day Handbook Math + Stats Economics Ethics + Safety
Mechanics + Materials
- 30-46% of exam
- Statics Dynamics Strength Materials FBD Picker
Fluids + Thermal + Electrical
- 25-37% of exam
- Fluids Thermal Electrical Flow Picker Cycle Picker
Quick Facts
- Exam FE
- Owner NCEES
- Format CBT
- Questions 110
- Exam time 5 hr 20 min
- Appointment 5 hr 55 min
- Break 25 min
- Fee $225
- Reference Onscreen handbook
- Units SI + USCS
Exam Clock QU
- Two halves, one clock, break after submit.
- NDA Tutorial Exam Break
Scheduled vs Unscheduled Break QU
Scheduled
- After first half
- Clock paused
Unscheduled
- Any time
- Clock runs
- Break type changes clock
Pacing Picker QU
- Instant path → Solve now ( Bank time )
- Formula known → Search handbook ( One lookup )
- Units messy → Convert first ( Avoid traps )
- Concept unclear → Flag ( Return later )
- After half → Review before submit ( Locks section )
- Clock tight → Educated guess ( No blanks )
Exam Day QU
- ID Physical photo ID
- Arrival 30 min early
- NDA 2 min accept
- Tutorial 8 min orientation
- First half Submit then locked
- Break After half submitted
- Scratch Reusable booklet
- Calculator Approved model only
Cash Flow QU
- Draw cash flow before factor tables.
- PW AW FW IRR
Search vs Memory QU
Search
- Formula location
- Table values
Memory
- Method choice
- Sign convention
- Handbook gives formulas
Handbook QU
- Reference Searchable onscreen PDF
- Screen Question + handbook
- Search Left search box
- Ctrl+F Not available
- Zoom Usually 100%
- Constants Front sections
- Formulas Know section names
- Examples Not provided
PW vs AW QU
PW
- Single present value
- Compare now
AW
- Uniform annual value
- Compare yearly
- Match cash-flow basis
Math + Stats QU
- Derivative Rate/slope
- Integral Area/accumulation
- ODE Function plus derivatives
- Matrix det Area/volume scale
- Eigenvalue Special scale factor
- Mean Center
- Std dev Spread
- Expected value Weighted average
Economics QU
- PW Today value
- FW Future value
- AW Annual equivalent
- IRR Rate giving zero
- B/C Benefits over costs
- Sunk cost Ignore in choice
- Breakeven Cost equals revenue
- Depreciation Cost allocation
Ethics + Safety QU
- Public First duty
- Competence Practice within expertise
- Conflict Disclose early
- Confidentiality Protect client info
- SDS Hazard details
- PEL Legal exposure limit
- TWA Time-weighted exposure
- PPE Last defense
Mechanics Order ME
- FBD, equations, units, answer.
- FBD Equilibrium Solve Check
Statics vs Dynamics ME
Statics
- Acceleration zero
- Equilibrium equations
Dynamics
- Acceleration nonzero
- Newton/energy/momentum
- Acceleration decides model
FBD Picker ME
- Body at rest → Statics ( Equilibrium )
- Acceleration present → Dynamics ( F = ma )
- Force at distance → Moment ( Use arm )
- Member stretched → Axial stress ( F/A )
- Shaft twisted → Torsion ( T r/J )
- Beam loaded → Shear/moment ( Diagram first )
Statics + Dynamics ME
- FBD Draw first
- Equilibrium Sum forces zero
- Moment Force times arm
- Centroid Area balance point
- Friction Mu times normal
- Kinematics Motion geometry
- Kinetics Forces cause motion
- Impulse Momentum change
Stress vs Strain ME
Stress
- Load intensity
- Force per area
Strain
- Deformation ratio
- Length per length
- Stress causes strain
Strength + Materials ME
- Normal stress Axial force/area
- Shear stress Shear force/area
- Strain Deformation/length
- Hooke Stress equals E strain
- Torsion Torque causes shear
- Bending Moment causes stress
- Mohr Stress transformation
- Buckling Compression instability
Materials ME
- Yield Permanent deformation starts
- Ultimate Peak stress
- Toughness Energy to fracture
- Hardness Indentation resistance
- Ductility Plastic stretch
- Creep Time deformation
- Fatigue Cyclic failure
- Phase diagram Phase versus condition
Fluid Energy SY
- Pressure, velocity, elevation trade head.
- Pressure Velocity Elevation Losses
Laminar vs Turbulent SY
Laminar
- Low Reynolds
- Viscous dominated
Turbulent
- High Reynolds
- Inertia dominated
- Use Reynolds number
Flow Picker SY
- Closed conduit → Pipe flow ( Head loss )
- Free surface → Open channel ( Manning )
- Pressure height → Hydrostatics ( rho g h )
- Velocity change → Bernoulli ( Energy )
- Need regime → Reynolds ( Laminar/turbulent )
- Machine adds energy → Pump ( Add head )
Fluids SY
- Density Mass/volume
- Viscosity Flow resistance
- Reynolds Inertia/viscous
- Bernoulli Energy along streamline
- Head loss Friction energy loss
- Manometer Pressure from height
- Pump Adds head
- Turbine Extracts head
Electrical Laws SY
- KCL counts current, KVL counts voltage.
- Node Loop Current Voltage
Heat vs Work SY
Heat
- Temperature transfer
- Path function
Work
- Force displacement
- Path function
- Both cross boundary
Thermal Picker SY
- Wall conduction → Fourier ( kA dT/L )
- Surface-fluid → Convection ( hA dT )
- Hot surface → Radiation ( T fourth )
- Power cycle → Efficiency ( W out/Q in )
- Refrigerator → COP ( Q cold/W )
- Two-phase state → Quality ( x fraction )
Thermal SY
- Enthalpy Flow energy property
- Entropy Irreversibility marker
- Quality Vapor mass fraction
- Conduction Solid heat flow
- Convection Fluid heat transfer
- Radiation Thermal emission
- COP Cooling per work
- Efficiency Work over heat
KCL vs KVL SY
KCL
- Node currents
- Charge conservation
KVL
- Loop voltages
- Energy conservation
- Node versus loop
Electrical SY
- Ohm Voltage equals IR
- KCL Currents sum zero
- KVL Voltages sum zero
- Power Voltage times current
- Impedance AC opposition
- Reactance Frequency opposition
- Power factor Real/apparent power
- Three-phase Balanced power system
Common Traps
Appointment vs Exam Time
- 5 hr 55 min appointment ≠ 5 hr 20 min exam
First Half Locked
- Review before submit ≠ No return after break
Digital ID Rejected
- Physical ID required ≠ Student ID rejected
Ctrl+F Trap
- Use handbook search box ≠ Ctrl+F unavailable
Unit System Trap
- SI and USCS appear ≠ Convert before formula
Calculator Cover
- Calculator allowed ≠ Cover stored outside
Ethics Priority
- Public safety first ≠ Employer loyalty second
No Partial Credit
- All-or-nothing scoring ≠ Pretest items hidden
Last Minute
- 1. Physical ID name matches
- 2. Approved calculator, no cover
- 3. Arrive 30 min early
- 4. Accept NDA within 2 min
- 5. Use handbook search box
- 6. Submit half only after review
- 7. Scheduled break after submit
- 8. Unscheduled breaks burn time
- 9. Convert SI/USCS before solving
- 10. Draw FBD before equations
- 11. Public safety outranks employer
- 12. Never leave blanks
FE Fundamentals of Engineering
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