FE Civil Exam Prep: Practice and a 12-Week Plan
Start your FE Civil exam prep with 28 original, unofficial questions and worked explanations, followed by a 12-week study plan. The questions sample selected skills from all 14 topic areas; this is not a full-length exam or a pass predictor.
Start here: solve one problem
1. Fluid Mechanics
FEC-01 · Choose one
Water flows steadily through a full circular pipe at 45 L/s. The pipe's inside diameter is 150 mm. What is the average flow velocity?
- A. 0.637 m/s
- B. 1.27 m/s
- C. 2.55 m/s
- D. 10.2 m/s
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 2.55 m/s
Use Q = Av, so v = Q/A. Convert first: 45 L/s = 0.045 m³/s and 150 mm = 0.150 m. Area = πd²/4 = π(0.150)²/4 = 0.01767 m². So v = 0.045 / 0.01767 = 2.55 m/s.
Why not the others: A treats the diameter as the radius (area four times too big). B uses twice the correct area. D uses one-quarter of the correct area.
Next time: Before any pipe problem, write r = d/2 and convert mm to m before you touch the calculator.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §14.5 Fluid Dynamics: Flow Rate and its Relation to Velocity
What slowed you down — the setup, the units, finding the formula, or the arithmetic? Note it. That one word decides what you practice next, and the error log below shows how to use it.
Jump to: 27 more questions · What's on the exam · 12-week study plan · Test-day checklist
27 more FE Civil practice questions
These sample every one of the 14 FE Civil topic areas, with more questions in the big civil areas. Work each one before you open the answer, and keep to about 3 minutes — the real exam's average pace. The set includes two select-two questions and two fill-in-the-number questions, because the real exam uses those formats too. NCEES: item types; Examinee Guide, p. 16: exam time.
2. Mathematics and Statistics
FEC-02 · Choose one
Four test readings are 4, 8, 6, and 2 mm. What is the sample standard deviation?
- A. 2.24 mm
- B. 2.58 mm
- C. 5.00 mm
- D. 6.67 mm
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 2.58 mm
Mean = 5 mm. Squared deviations: 1, 9, 1, 9, which sum to 20 mm². A sample divides by n − 1 = 3, so the variance is 6.67 mm². The standard deviation is √6.67 = 2.58 mm.
Why not the others: A divides by n (that's the population standard deviation, √5). C is the mean. D is the variance, not its square root.
Next time: Check whether your calculator is showing the sample (s, σn−1) or population (σ, σn) value before you copy it.
Source: NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook, §1.3.5.6 Definitions of Variability
3. Ethics and Professional Practice
FEC-03 · Choose one
An engineer finds a structural deficiency that endangers building occupants. Her supervisor tells her to leave it out of the report so the project stays on schedule. Under the NSPE Code of Ethics, what should she do?
- A. Comply, because the supervisor is responsible for the report
- B. Include the deficiency, and if she is overruled, notify her employer or client and other appropriate authority
- C. Resign without telling anyone about the deficiency
- D. Post the concern anonymously on social media
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The NSPE Code's first fundamental canon is to hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. Rule II.1.a adds that when an engineer's judgment is overruled in a way that endangers life or property, the engineer must notify the employer or client and other authority as appropriate.
Why not the others: A hands off a duty that stays with her. C leaves the hazard unreported. D skips the proper channels and doesn't make sure anyone who can fix the hazard is told.
Next time: In ethics questions, find the rule that applies to the specific conduct before picking the answer that merely sounds reasonable.
4. Ethics and Professional Practice
FEC-04 · Select 2
An engineer is writing a report for a client and has a financial interest that could appear to affect her judgment. Which TWO actions are consistent with the NSPE Code of Ethics? Select two.
- A. Remove an unfavorable finding that could weaken the client's preferred outcome
- B. Disclose the financial interest
- C. Keep the financial interest private unless the client asks
- D. Include all relevant and pertinent findings in an objective, truthful report, even if they don't support the client's preferred outcome
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B and D
NSPE Rule II.4.a requires engineers to disclose known or potential conflicts of interest that could influence, or appear to influence, their judgment. Rule II.3.a requires objective, truthful reports that include all relevant and pertinent information. B handles the conflict; D handles the report.
Why not the others: A removes material information to favor an outcome. C swaps disclosure for concealment.
Next time: On select-two items, judge each option on its own. The real exam gives no partial credit, so you need the exact set.
Source: NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers (rev. July 2019); NCEES, Computer-based testing: alternative item types and no partial credit
5. Engineering Economics
FEC-05 · Choose one
What is the present worth of $10,000 received 5 years from now at 6% interest, compounded annually?
- A. $7,000
- B. $7,473
- C. $9,434
- D. $13,382
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — $7,473
P = F/(1 + i)ⁿ = 10,000 / 1.06⁵ = 10,000 / 1.3382 = $7,473.
Why not the others: A subtracts simple interest (6% × 5 years). C discounts only one year. D is the future worth of $10,000 — compounding in the wrong direction.
Next time: Draw the cash-flow timeline and mark which end is 'now' before choosing P/F or F/P.
Source: Univ. of Alberta, Introduction to Engineering Economics: interest formulas
6. Engineering Economics
FEC-06 · Choose one
A nominal annual interest rate of 8% is compounded quarterly. What is the effective annual interest rate?
- A. 2.00%
- B. 8.24%
- C. 8.00%
- D. 32.00%
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 8.24%
The rate per quarter is 0.08/4 = 0.02. The effective annual rate is (1 + 0.02)⁴ − 1 = 0.0824, or 8.24%. Round only at the end.
Why not the others: A is the quarterly rate. C ignores compounding within the year. D multiplies the annual rate by four instead of compounding the quarterly rate.
Next time: Label the compounding period next to every interest rate before using a factor table.
Source: Penn State EME 460, Nominal, Period, and Effective Interest Rates
7. Engineering Economics
FEC-07 · Choose one
A $50,000 machine lasts 10 years with no salvage value. At an effective annual interest rate of 8%, what is its equivalent uniform annual capital cost, paid at each year-end? Exclude operating and maintenance costs.
- A. $3,451
- B. $5,000
- C. $7,451
- D. $4,000
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — $7,451
A = P(A/P, 8%, 10). The capital recovery factor is i(1 + i)ⁿ / [(1 + i)ⁿ − 1] = 0.14903. So A = 50,000 × 0.14903 = $7,451.
Why not the others: A uses the sinking-fund factor (A/F = 0.06903) instead of A/P. B ignores interest (50,000 ÷ 10). D is one year's interest only (8% × 50,000).
Next time: Say the factor out loud — 'find A given P' — before reaching for the table.
Source: Univ. of Alberta, Introduction to Engineering Economics: interest formulas
8. Statics
FEC-08 · Choose one
A simply supported beam has a pin at left end A and a roller at right end B. The span is 10 ft. A single 600 lbf downward point load acts 3 ft from A. Neglect beam weight. What is the upward reaction at B?
- A. 180 lbf
- B. 300 lbf
- C. 420 lbf
- D. 1,800 lbf
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — 180 lbf
Sum moments about A: R_B(10 ft) − 600 lbf(3 ft) = 0, so R_B = 180 lbf. Check with vertical equilibrium: R_A = 600 − 180 = 420 lbf. The support nearer the load carries more.
Why not the others: B assumes the load is centered. C is the reaction at A. D is the moment of the load about A (lbf·ft), not a force.
Next time: Label every moment arm, then confirm the reactions add up to the applied load.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §12.1 Conditions for Static Equilibrium
9. Statics
FEC-09 · Choose one
What is the area moment of inertia of a 200 mm wide × 400 mm deep rectangle about its horizontal centroidal axis?
- A. 2.67 × 10⁸ mm⁴
- B. 5.33 × 10⁶ mm³
- C. 1.07 × 10⁹ mm⁴
- D. 4.27 × 10⁹ mm⁴
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 1.07 × 10⁹ mm⁴
I = bh³/12 = 200 × 400³ / 12 = 1.07 × 10⁹ mm⁴. The depth (400 mm) is the dimension that gets cubed when bending about the horizontal axis.
Why not the others: A swaps b and h. B is the section modulus bh²/6 — a different property with different units. D uses bh³/3, the value about the base, not the centroid.
Next time: Sketch the axis on the shape and mark which dimension is perpendicular to it — that's the one you cube.
Source: Engineering Statics: Open and Interactive, §10.2 Moments of Inertia of Common Shapes
10. Dynamics
FEC-10 · Choose one
A car traveling 25 m/s brakes at a constant 5 m/s² until it stops. How far does it travel while braking?
- A. 31.3 m
- B. 62.5 m
- C. 125 m
- D. 5.0 m
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 62.5 m
With v² = v₀² + 2aΔx and a = −5 m/s²: 0 = 25² − 2(5)Δx, so Δx = 625/10 = 62.5 m.
Why not the others: A divides by 4a instead of 2a. C leaves out the 2. D is the stopping time (25 ÷ 5 = 5 s), not a distance.
Next time: Write down your sign convention and which quantity you don't need (here, time) before picking a kinematics equation.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §3.4 Motion with Constant Acceleration (Eq. 3.14)
11. Mechanics of Materials
FEC-11 · Choose one
A straight steel tie has two segments in series, both carrying an axial tension of 36 kN. E = 200 GPa for both, and both stay linearly elastic. Segment 1 is 900 mm long with a 300 mm² area. Segment 2 is 600 mm long with a 150 mm² area. What is the total elongation?
- A. 0.54 mm
- B. 0.72 mm
- C. 1.26 mm
- D. 2.52 mm
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 1.26 mm
Each segment stretches δ = PL/(AE). With P = 36,000 N and E = 200,000 N/mm²: segment 1 = 36,000 × 900 / (300 × 200,000) = 0.54 mm; segment 2 = 36,000 × 600 / (150 × 200,000) = 0.72 mm. Segments in series add: 1.26 mm.
Why not the others: A and B count only one segment. D doubles the total, as if the force acted twice.
Next time: Make a small table — P, L, A, E, δ — for each segment before adding anything.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §12.3 Stress, Strain, and Elastic Modulus (Eqs. 12.34–12.36)
12. Mechanics of Materials
FEC-12 · Choose one
A simply supported beam spans 8 m and carries a uniform load of 12 kN/m over its entire span. This is the total load, including beam weight. What is the maximum bending moment?
- A. 48 kN·m
- B. 96 kN·m
- C. 192 kN·m
- D. 384 kN·m
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 96 kN·m
For a simple span under uniform load, M_max = wL²/8 = 12 × 8² / 8 = 96 kN·m, at midspan.
Why not the others: A uses wL²/16. C uses wL²/4. D uses wL²/2, the cantilever result.
Next time: Learn the few standard beam cases cold, and know how to find them in the handbook when the case is less common.
Source: American Wood Council, Design Aid 6: Beam Design Formulas, Figure 1
13. Materials
FEC-13 · Select 2
For otherwise comparable, properly consolidated ordinary concrete mixes, which TWO changes would generally increase 28-day compressive strength? Assume suitable curing temperatures and that any reduction in water-cement ratio still permits full consolidation. Select two.
- A. Lower the water-cement ratio
- B. Add water on site to make it easier to place
- C. Extend moist curing during the first 28 days rather than allowing premature drying
- D. Stop moist curing and strip forms after one day
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A and C
For the stated conditions, a lower water-cement ratio generally produces a denser, stronger cement paste. Adequate moist curing supports hydration and strength development. Both A and C help; reducing water so far that the concrete cannot be properly consolidated would fall outside the question's assumptions.
Why not the others: B raises the water-cement ratio, which lowers strength. D cuts curing short.
Next time: For materials questions, tie each choice back to one controlling property — here, water-cement ratio and hydration.
Source: FHWA-RD-97-146, Ch. 9 Water-Cement Ratio; FHWA-RD-02-099, Guide for Curing of Portland Cement Concrete Pavements, pp. 1–2 and 37
14. Fluid Mechanics
FEC-14 · Choose one
What is the gauge pressure 5 m below the surface of a freshwater tank open to the atmosphere, with the water at rest? Use γ = 9.81 kN/m³.
- A. 5.0 kPa
- B. 49.1 kPa
- C. 101.3 kPa
- D. 150.4 kPa
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 49.1 kPa
Gauge pressure = γh = 9.81 kN/m³ × 5 m = 49.1 kPa.
Why not the others: D adds an assumed atmospheric pressure of 101.3 kPa, giving absolute pressure. C is that atmospheric pressure alone. A forgets the unit weight.
Next time: Underline 'gauge' or 'absolute' in every pressure question.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §14.2 Measuring Pressure
15. Surveying
FEC-15 · Choose one
A level run starts on a benchmark at elevation 50.000 m. Setup 1: backsight on the benchmark 1.432 m, foresight on turning point TP1 0.875 m. Setup 2: backsight on TP1 2.118 m, foresight on point P 1.604 m. What is the elevation of P?
- A. 50.557 m
- B. 51.071 m
- C. 48.929 m
- D. 56.029 m
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 51.071 m
Height of instrument = elevation + backsight; new elevation = HI − foresight. Setup 1: HI = 51.432, TP1 = 50.557. Setup 2: HI = 52.675, P = 51.071 m. Arithmetic check: 50.000 + ΣBS − ΣFS = 50.000 + 3.550 − 2.479 = 51.071 m.
Why not the others: A is the turning point's elevation — the run stopped one setup early. C reverses the signs of every reading. D adds all four readings.
Next time: Always run the ΣBS − ΣFS check at the end of a leveling problem. It catches sign slips in seconds.
Source: Indiana DOT, Surveying Procedures, Chapter 2, pp. 2-2 and 2-12: differential leveling
16. Water Resources and Environmental Engineering
FEC-16 · Choose one
A 10-acre site has a runoff coefficient of 0.6 and a design rainfall intensity of 3 in./hr. Assume uniform rainfall over the site lasting at least the time of concentration. Using the rational method with the usual U.S. unit-conversion coefficient approximated as 1, what is the peak runoff?
- A. 1.8 cfs
- B. 6 cfs
- C. 18 cfs
- D. 30 cfs
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 18 cfs
Q ≈ CiA = 0.6 × 3 × 10 = 18 cfs. With i in in./hr and A in acres, this conventional form gives approximately ft³/s; the exact acre-inch/hour conversion factor is about 1.008, which is approximated as 1 here.
Why not the others: A is a decimal slip. B leaves out the intensity. D leaves out the runoff coefficient.
Next time: Check the units the rational formula expects before plugging in — acres and in./hr in U.S. units.
Source: Iowa DNR, Iowa Stormwater Management Manual, Chapter 3, Section 4, p. 31, Eq. C3-S4-1
17. Water Resources and Environmental Engineering
FEC-17 · Choose one
A prismatic rectangular concrete channel is 4 m wide with a 1 m flow depth, a bed slope of 0.001, and Manning's n = 0.015. Assume steady, uniform flow. Using the SI form V = (1/n)R^(2/3)S^(1/2), what is the discharge?
- A. 1.6 m³/s
- B. 8.4 m³/s
- C. 6.4 m³/s
- D. 9.6 m³/s
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 6.4 m³/s
Area A = 4 × 1 = 4 m². Wetted perimeter P = 4 + 2(1) = 6 m, so R = A/P = 0.667 m. In SI, V = (1/n)R^(2/3)S^(1/2) = 66.7 × 0.763 × 0.0316 = 1.61 m/s. Q = VA = 1.61 × 4 = 6.4 m³/s.
Why not the others: A is the velocity, not the discharge. B counts only the channel bottom in the wetted perimeter (P = 4 m). D uses the U.S. customary 1.49 coefficient with SI units.
Next time: Write the wetted perimeter out side by side — bottom plus both walls — every time.
Source: Iowa SUDAS Design Manual §2F-2.C.1, Eq. 2F-2.01, p. 2: Manning flow and hydraulic radius
18. Structural Engineering
FEC-18 · Choose one
An ideal, straight, slender elastic column's end conditions change from pinned–pinned to fixed–fixed, with no sidesway. Nothing else changes. Using theoretical effective-length factors, what happens to the Euler buckling load?
- A. It halves
- B. It doubles
- C. It increases 4 times
- D. It does not change
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — it increases 4 times
P_cr = π²EI/(KL)². K drops from 1.0 to 0.5, so (KL)² becomes one-quarter as large and P_cr becomes four times larger.
Why not the others: B forgets that K is squared. A reverses the effect of fixing the ends. D ignores end conditions.
Next time: Check the end restraints before choosing K. This theoretical Euler result describes an ideal column, not a complete design-capacity check.
19. Structural Engineering
FEC-19 · Choose one
A planar truss has 13 members, 8 joints, and 3 independent support reactions, arranged in a stable geometry. How is it classified?
- A. Statically determinate
- B. Indeterminate to the first degree
- C. Unstable
- D. Indeterminate to the second degree
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — statically determinate
Compare m + r with 2j: 13 + 3 = 16, and 2 × 8 = 16. They're equal, and the geometry is stable, so the truss is statically determinate.
Why not the others: B and D need m + r greater than 2j. C would need m + r less than 2j or an unstable arrangement, which the question rules out.
Next time: Count carefully — reactions mean independent reaction components, not supports.
Source: Engineering Statics: Open and Interactive, §6.3 Simple Trusses
20. Geotechnical Engineering
FEC-20 · Choose one
A saturated soil has a void ratio of 0.60 and a specific gravity of solids of 2.70. What is its saturated unit weight? Use γw = 9.81 kN/m³.
- A. 16.6 kN/m³
- B. 10.4 kN/m³
- C. 20.2 kN/m³
- D. 26.5 kN/m³
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 20.2 kN/m³
γsat = (Gs + e)γw / (1 + e) = (2.70 + 0.60)(9.81) / 1.60 = 20.2 kN/m³.
Why not the others: A is the dry unit weight, Gsγw/(1 + e). B is the submerged (buoyant) unit weight, γsat − γw. D is the unit weight of the solids alone, Gsγw.
Next time: Keep a one-line list of dry, saturated, and buoyant unit weight formulas side by side so you pick the right one.
Source: FHWA NHI-06-088, Soils and Foundations, Volume I, Table 2-2, p. 2-8
21. Geotechnical Engineering
FEC-21 · Enter a number (kPa)
The water table is 2 m below a level ground surface, with hydrostatic groundwater and no surface surcharge. Soil above it weighs 18 kN/m³; soil below it has γsat = 20 kN/m³. Enter the vertical effective stress at 6 m depth, in kPa, to one decimal place. Use γw = 9.81 kN/m³.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 76.8 kPa
Total stress σ = 18(2) + 20(4) = 116 kPa. Pore-water pressure u = 9.81 × 4 = 39.24 kPa (only the 4 m below the water table). Effective stress σ′ = σ − u = 116 − 39.24 = 76.76 kPa, which rounds to 76.8 kPa. Keep the unrounded pore pressure until the final step.
Why not the others: 116 is total stress. 57.1 subtracts 9.81 × 6 from total stress, incorrectly measuring water depth from the ground surface. 36 counts only the top layer.
Next time: Draw the soil column with the water table marked, then make three columns: σ, u, and σ′.
Source: UWE Bristol GeotechniCAL, Stresses in the ground: effective stress
22. Geotechnical Engineering
FEC-22 · Choose one
At a point in saturated soil, total vertical stress is 180 kPa and pore-water pressure is 70 kPa. Pore-water pressure then rises by 20 kPa while total stress stays the same. What is the new effective vertical stress?
- A. 90 kPa
- B. 110 kPa
- C. 180 kPa
- D. 270 kPa
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — 90 kPa
New pore pressure = 70 + 20 = 90 kPa. Effective stress = 180 − 90 = 90 kPa. Rising water pressure with unchanged total stress reduces effective stress — which is why it matters for strength and stability.
Why not the others: B uses the original pore pressure. C ignores pore pressure. D adds pore pressure instead of subtracting it.
Next time: When a question changes one quantity, rewrite σ, u, and σ′ before and after.
Source: UWE Bristol GeotechniCAL, Stresses in the ground: effective stress
23. Geotechnical Engineering
FEC-23 · Choose one
A smooth vertical wall retains level, cohesionless backfill with a friction angle φ = 30°. The wall has moved away from the soil enough to mobilize the active state. What is the Rankine active earth pressure coefficient?
- A. 0.33
- B. 0.50
- C. 0.58
- D. 3.00
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — 0.33
Ka = tan²(45° − φ/2) = tan²(30°) = 0.333.
Why not the others: D is the passive coefficient, Kp = tan²(45° + φ/2). B substitutes 1 − sin φ for the active-coefficient equation. C is tan 30° without squaring.
Next time: For this smooth-wall, level-backfill model with positive φ, Ka is below 1 and Kp is above 1. If your active value comes out above 1, recheck the sign inside the tangent.
Source: FHWA NHI-06-088, Soils and Foundations, Volume I, §2.9, Eqs. 2-23 and 2-24, p. 2-44
24. Transportation Engineering
FEC-24 · Choose one
Using the AASHTO stopping sight distance model (perception-reaction time 2.5 s, deceleration 11.2 ft/s², level grade), what is the computed stopping sight distance at 60 mph?
- A. 221 ft
- B. 346 ft
- C. 566 ft
- D. 787 ft
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 566 ft
SSD = 1.47Vt + 1.075V²/a = 1.47(60)(2.5) + 1.075(60²)/11.2 = 220.5 + 345.5 = 566 ft. The rounded design value in the cited TxDOT table for 60 mph is 570 ft.
Why not the others: A is the reaction distance only. B is the braking distance only. D adds the reaction distance twice.
Next time: Split SSD into reaction distance plus braking distance and compute each on its own line.
Source: TxDOT Roadway Design Manual §4.11 Sight Distance (AASHTO basis)
25. Transportation Engineering
FEC-25 · Choose one
A freeway lane in steady, uniform traffic has a density of 40 veh/mi and a space-mean speed of 50 mph measured for the same traffic stream. What is the flow rate?
- A. 0.8 veh/h
- B. 1.25 veh/h
- C. 90 veh/h
- D. 2,000 veh/h
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D — 2,000 veh/h
Flow = density × speed: q = kv = 40 veh/mi × 50 mi/h = 2,000 veh/h.
Why not the others: A divides density by speed. B divides speed by density. C adds them.
Next time: Let the units decide: veh/mi × mi/h leaves veh/h.
Source: FHWA, Traffic Flow Theory, Chapter 2: Traffic Stream Characteristics, §2.3.1, Eq. 2.15 (p. 2-8)
26. Construction Engineering
FEC-26 · Choose one
At a status date, a project's earned value is $400,000 and its actual cost is $500,000. What is the cost performance index, and what does it mean?
- A. 1.25 — under budget
- B. 0.80 — over budget
- C. 0.80 — behind schedule
- D. 1.25 — ahead of schedule
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 0.80, over budget
CPI = EV/AC = 400,000 / 500,000 = 0.80. A CPI below 1.0 means the work completed cost more than it was budgeted to cost.
Why not the others: A inverts the ratio. C and D confuse cost performance with schedule performance; these cost figures alone don't establish whether the project is ahead of or behind schedule.
Next time: For CPI, earned value goes on top: EV/AC. Below 1.0 means over budget for the work completed.
Source: FEMA IS-2101, CPI Calculation
27. Construction Engineering
FEC-27 · Choose one
Activity A (3 days) comes first. B (5 days) and C (2 days) both follow A. D (4 days) follows both B and C. All links are finish-to-start with no lag, durations are fixed, resources don't limit parallel work, and no separate finish-date constraint is imposed. How much total float does C have?
- A. 0 days
- B. 2 days
- C. 3 days
- D. 5 days
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 3 days
Forward pass: A finishes at day 3; B at 8; C at 5. D can't start until day 8 (it waits for B), so the project takes 12 days. C's late finish is day 8, its early finish is day 5, so total float = 8 − 5 = 3 days.
Why not the others: A treats C as critical. B is C's duration, not its float. D is B's duration.
Next time: Float is late start minus early start (or late finish minus early finish). Do the backward pass, don't eyeball it.
Source: GAO Schedule Assessment Guide (GAO-16-89G), Best Practice 7, pp. 92–93: total float
28. Construction Engineering
FEC-28 · Enter a number (working days)
A project has the six activities in the table below. All links are finish-to-start with no lag, durations are fixed, and resources don't limit parallel work. Enter the minimum project duration in working days.
| Activity | Duration (working days) | Immediate predecessors |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | None |
| B | 5 | A |
| C | 3 | A |
| D | 4 | B and C |
| E | 2 | C |
| F | 1 | D and E |
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 12 working days
Forward pass: A finishes at 2. B finishes at 7; C at 5. D waits for both B and C, so it starts at 7 and finishes at 11. E finishes at 7. F waits for D and E, starts at 11, and finishes at 12. The critical path is A–B–D–F.
Why not the others: 17 adds every duration as if nothing ran in parallel. 8 follows A–C–E–F and misses the longer path. 11 forgets activity F.
Next time: At every merge point, use the latest predecessor finish — not the sum.
Source: GAO Schedule Assessment Guide (GAO-16-89G), Best Practice 6, pp. 75–77
How did you do?
Count how many of the 28 you got right, then list the topic areas where you missed questions. That list is the useful part. With only one to four questions per area, your score is feedback on these questions — it isn't an NCEES score, and it can't tell you whether you'll pass. NCEES doesn't publish a passing score at all.
For each question, give it one of three labels:
- Rebuild: You couldn't tell which model or equation applied. Go back to the concept and work an explained example slowly.
- Rehearse: You knew the method but lost it on units, the handbook search, algebra, or calculator entry. Drill that one step, then try a fresh problem.
- Maintain: You got it and could explain why. Keep it in mixed review and move on.
Put your Rebuild areas first in the study plan below.
What's on the FE Civil exam
NCEES's FE Civil specifications list 14 knowledge areas, each with a range for how many of the 110 questions it can contain. The ranges are not independent totals: their upper and lower endpoints cannot all occur together in a 110-question exam. Use each area's published range without adding endpoints to claim a combined allocation.
| # | Topic area | Questions | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematics and Statistics | 8–12 | Analytic geometry, single-variable calculus, vectors, statistics (distributions, standard deviation, confidence intervals, regression) |
| 2 | Ethics and Professional Practice | 4–6 | Codes of ethics, professional liability, licensure, contracts and contract law |
| 3 | Engineering Economics | 5–8 | Time value of money, cost types, break-even and benefit-cost analysis, life cycle, expected value and risk |
| 4 | Statics | 8–12 | Force systems, equilibrium, frames and trusses, centroids, area moments of inertia, static friction |
| 5 | Dynamics | 4–6 | Kinematics, mass moments of inertia, force and acceleration, work, energy, and power |
| 6 | Mechanics of Materials | 7–11 | Shear and moment diagrams, stresses and strains, deformations, combined stresses and Mohr's circle |
| 7 | Materials | 5–8 | Concrete and asphalt mix design; tests and properties of metals, concrete, aggregates, asphalt, and wood |
| 8 | Fluid Mechanics | 6–9 | Flow measurement, fluid properties, fluid statics, energy, impulse, and momentum |
| 9 | Surveying | 6–9 | Angles and distances, areas, earthwork volumes, coordinate systems, leveling and grades |
| 10 | Water Resources and Environmental Engineering | 10–15 | Hydrology, hydraulics (Manning, Bernoulli, open channels), pumps, water distribution, flood control, stormwater, collection systems, groundwater, water quality, testing and standards, water and wastewater treatment |
| 11 | Structural Engineering | 10–15 | Analysis and deflection of determinate beams, trusses, and frames; column buckling; determinacy and stability; simple indeterminate structures; loads and load paths; steel and reinforced concrete design |
| 12 | Geotechnical Engineering | 10–15 | Soil classification, phase relations, lab and field tests, effective stress, retaining structures, shear strength, bearing capacity, foundations, consolidation and settlement, slope stability, soil stabilization |
| 13 | Transportation Engineering | 9–14 | Geometric design, pavement design, traffic capacity and flow, traffic control devices, transportation planning |
| 14 | Construction Engineering | 8–12 | Project administration, construction operations and methods, project controls (earned value, scheduling), estimating, reading engineering drawings |
The ranges tell you roughly where the questions are. They don't tell you which areas are hardest for you or how long each will take — use your practice results and error log to adjust your priorities. The specification is effective beginning with the July 2020 examinations and was the one NCEES linked on October 6, 2026; if NCEES announces a new one, check which version applies on your test date.
Check your study topics against this Civil table, not against another FE discipline's specification. A general FE topic list is not a substitute for the Civil blueprint.
Environmental review: concentration is not a mass load
A concentration tells you how much material is in a volume of water. A mass load also accounts for the flow. Multiply flow by concentration and carry the units through; the EPA's mass-loading equation uses the same relationship with a unit-conversion factor.
Worked example — FEC-WE-01 (unscored): A hypothetical treatment process has a steady flow of 2,000 m³/day both entering and leaving it. The same constituent measures 30 mg/L in the influent and 6 mg/L in the effluent. Assume no side streams. What mass leaves in the effluent each day, and what percentage of the influent load is removed?
Because 1 m³ = 1,000 L and 1 kg = 1,000,000 mg:
Load (kg/day) = Q (m³/day) × C (mg/L) × 0.001.
| Quantity | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Influent load | 2,000 × 30 × 0.001 | 60 kg/day |
| Effluent load | 2,000 × 6 × 0.001 | 12 kg/day |
| Load removed | 60 − 12 | 48 kg/day |
| Removal percentage | (60 − 12) ÷ 60 × 100 | 80% |
Answer: 12 kg/day leaves in the effluent, and 80% of the influent load is removed. With equal inflow and outflow, (30 − 6) ÷ 30 × 100 gives the same percentage. If the flows differ, calculate the two loads separately rather than using the concentration ratio alone. Use influent load, not effluent load, as the denominator.
These are invented study inputs, not discharge limits or a finding that a treatment process complies with a permit. This worked example is separate from the 28-question practice score.
Your 12-week FE Civil study plan
Time assumption: about 8 hours a week — four 90-minute sessions plus one 2-hour review block, or about 96 hours in all. That's our planning estimate, not an NCEES requirement or a promise. Adjust it with the options below the table.
Every session follows the same pattern: review the concept, find the formula in the handbook, work problems with the handbook open, then log what went wrong. The 28 questions on this page introduce selected skills, not every subtopic in the blueprint. Use the topic map to choose the rest of each week's review; revisit your own coursework for additional problems. For extra free fluid-mechanics practice, OpenStax supplies chapter problems. Those are general physics exercises, not an FE Civil simulation.
| Week | Focus | Practice from this page | By the end of the week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set up, then Mathematics and Statistics, Ethics | Questions 2–4, plus the handbook search drill | Handbook downloaded, search terms tested, first error-log entries |
| 2 | Engineering Economics | Questions 5–7 | You can draw a cash-flow timeline and pick the right factor without guessing |
| 3 | Statics and Dynamics | Questions 8–10 | A clean free-body diagram for every statics problem |
| 4 | Mechanics of Materials and Materials | Questions 11–13 | Shear and moment diagrams, PL/AE, Mohr's circle, concrete and asphalt basics |
| 5 | Fluid Mechanics and Surveying | Questions 1, 14, 15 | Pressure, continuity, and energy problems; a leveling run checked with ΣBS − ΣFS |
| 6 | Water Resources (1): hydrology, hydraulics, pumps, stormwater, groundwater | Questions 16–17 | Rational method and Manning problems done without hunting for the formula |
| 7 | Water Resources (2): distribution, water quality, treatment, testing | Mass-loading worked example, then revisit the topic map | Calculate influent and effluent loads; list treatment and water-quality topics still shaky |
| 8 | Structural Engineering | Questions 18–19 | Beam and truss analysis, buckling, load paths, steel and concrete design basics |
| 9 | Geotechnical Engineering | Questions 20–23 | Phase relations, effective stress, earth pressure, bearing capacity, settlement |
| 10 | Transportation and Construction | Questions 24–28 | Sight distance, traffic flow, pavement, earned value, critical path |
| 11 | Mixed timed review | Retry all 28 questions in about 82 minutes without opening the answers; then review every miss | Every miss logged by topic and by cause; separate remembered answers from independently solved work |
| 12 | Repair and logistics | Redo every logged miss after a gap; repeat the handbook drill | Weakest areas re-worked; ID, calculator, and appointment confirmed |
The Week 11 target comes from 320 ÷ 110 × 28 ≈ 81.45 minutes, rounded up to 82. Use the rest of your study time for corrections and the handbook drill. Repeating familiar questions is a pacing exercise, not a full-exam simulation or an independent readiness test.
Adjust the plan to your time
- About 4 hours a week: Give each row two weeks (24 weeks total). Shrink each session's scope rather than rushing.
- About 16 hours a week and solid on the basics: Combine rows in pairs for a 6-week plan. Six weeks is tight for 14 areas, so let your practice results decide where the extra hours go.
- Out of school for years: Stretch Weeks 1–4. Algebra, units, and free-body diagrams carry everything after them, so rebuilding them first saves time later.
- Test date coming up fast: Spend what time you have on your Rebuild areas, mixed timed practice, and the handbook drill. Don't skip whole areas on purpose — every area shows up on the exam.
Keep an error log
One line per missed problem. Look for repeated causes rather than just repeated topics.
| Problem / topic | What went wrong | Type | Fix | Recheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 / Fluid Mechanics | Used 150 mm as the radius | Rehearse — geometry and units | Write r = d/2 and convert to meters before calculating | Redo it in 3 days, then try a fresh pipe-flow problem |
| Your next miss | The exact step that failed | Rebuild, Rehearse, or Maintain | One specific action | When you'll try it again |
How the FE Civil exam works
These details come from NCEES's FE exam page, the May 2026 Examinee Guide, the computer-based testing page, and the exam scoring page.
- Where and when: Computer-based, year-round, at NCEES-approved Pearson VUE test centers. You register and schedule through MyNCEES.
- Length: 110 questions. The appointment runs about 6 hours: a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, and a 25-minute scheduled break.
- Two sections, one clock: The exam is split into two sections, but you get all 5 hours 20 minutes up front with no separate section timers. After about half the questions, you review and submit the first section. Once you submit it, you can't go back to those questions.
- Question types: Standard multiple choice, plus multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop, and fill in the blank.
- Scoring: Pass or fail. You're scored on the number of correct answers, with no deduction for wrong ones — so never leave a question blank. Each scored question, including the alternative formats, is all-or-nothing; there's no partial credit. A limited number of unidentified pretest questions do not count toward the result. NCEES converts your score to a scale to adjust for differences between exam forms and doesn't publish the passing score.
- Results: Usually within 7–10 business days, by email, viewable in MyNCEES. If you don't pass, you get a diagnostic report showing how you did in each major topic.
- Retakes: One attempt per quarterly testing window (January–March, April–June, July–September, or October–December), and no more than three in any 12-month period. Your licensing board may impose additional restrictions.
- Fee: $225, paid to NCEES. This is not necessarily your total application cost: some licensing boards require a separate application or fee. Check your board in the NCEES licensing board directory.
Eligibility and credentials: Check the board for the jurisdiction where you are applying before you register; its education and application requirements control. Passing the FE does not by itself issue an engineer-in-training certificate or a professional engineer license. NCEES: licensure; Examinee Guide, pp. 2–3.
Accommodations: Request testing accommodations during NCEES registration, before scheduling a test-center appointment. Follow the approval and scheduling instructions NCEES provides; a candidate who misses the request at registration must cancel that registration and register again to request them. Examinee Guide, p. 3.
Pacing: about 3 minutes a question
5 hours 20 minutes is 320 minutes. Spread over 110 questions, that's about 2.9 minutes each. Because the first section is about half the exam and you can't return to it, a sensible checkpoint is to be submitting the first section at around the 2 hour 40 minute mark — half your exam time. As a practice strategy, if a problem passes 4 minutes, pick your best answer, jot its number in your scratch booklet, and move on. You can only go back to it before you submit that section. These checkpoints are planning choices, not NCEES section time limits.
Use the reference handbook the way you'll use it on exam day
The FE Reference Handbook is the only reference you get during the exam. It appears on screen as a searchable PDF, and NCEES supplies the current version. Download the current study copy free from MyNCEES and study with it from day one. Recheck the available version before your test; your saved copy does not determine which version NCEES supplies. You can print it for personal use. (NCEES help: reference handbooks)
Two exam-day details worth practicing now (Examinee Guide, p. 10):
- You search with the search box on the left side of the handbook. Ctrl+F doesn't work.
- NCEES says 100% zoom is typically the most readable; adjust it to suit the content and your needs.
Handbook search drill: These are suggested search terms, not guaranteed headings or exact strings in every handbook version. Before Week 1, time yourself finding the right section for each term below. Repeat in Week 11. Any search that takes more than about 30 seconds is worth practicing. If a term comes up empty in your copy, try a synonym and write down the one that works.
| Topic area | Try searching | Practice question |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics and Statistics | standard deviation | 2 |
| Ethics | ethics, Model Rules | 3–4 |
| Engineering Economics | effective, capital recovery, present worth | 5–7 |
| Statics | moment of inertia, equilibrium | 8–9 |
| Dynamics | constant acceleration | 10 |
| Mechanics of Materials | axial, simply supported | 11–12 |
| Materials | concrete, water-cement | 13 |
| Fluid Mechanics | continuity, pressure | 1, 14 |
| Surveying | leveling | 15 |
| Water Resources and Environmental | rational, Manning | 16–17 |
| Structural | Euler, effective length, determinacy | 18–19 |
| Geotechnical | saturated unit weight, effective stress, Rankine | 20–23 |
| Transportation | stopping sight distance, density | 24–25 |
| Construction | earned value, float, critical path | 26–28 |
Test-day checklist
- [ ] Approved calculator: check the Calculator Policy linked from the NCEES exams page for your test year. Bring one approved handheld calculator without its cover. An on-screen TI-30XS is also available during the exam.
- [ ] Physical photo ID: bring an unexpired government-issued ID from the country where you are testing, a passport from your country of citizenship in Roman characters, or a U.S. military ID. It must show an expiration date, your name, date of birth, photo, and signature; a signature is not required on a military ID. Digital IDs aren't accepted, and the first and last name must match your appointment confirmation.
- [ ] Arrival planned: arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Confirm the address and travel time beforehand.
- [ ] Permitted items checked: review the guide's complete list, including comfort aids and approved accommodations. Pearson provides two reusable booklets and three markers for scratch work; do not bring your own paper or reference handbook.
- [ ] Need to move your appointment? Open Manage Appointment in MyNCEES to reach Pearson VUE, and reschedule or cancel at least 48 hours ahead; a $50 appointment-change fee applies. Canceling the appointment and canceling the NCEES exam registration are separate steps; use the guide's cancellation instructions for refund conditions.
- [ ] Handbook practice done: you've run the search drill with your MyNCEES copy.
Details from the May 2026 Examinee Guide, pp. 6–10. Its ID and calculator rules govern; the checklist is not a substitute for an approved accommodation or an individual eligibility decision.
Sources and independence
By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team · Last verified October 6, 2026 for the exam-administration facts and specification cited below.
Exam facts:
- NCEES, Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam — format, appointment time, fee, results, diagnostic report
- NCEES, FE Civil CBT Exam Specifications, effective beginning with the July 2020 examinations — topic areas and question ranges
- NCEES, Examinee Guide, May 2026 — sections, handbook search, ID, permitted items, rescheduling, retakes
- NCEES, Computer-based testing — question types, no partial credit
- NCEES, Exam scoring — scaled pass/fail scoring, no published passing score
- NCEES, Exams page — starting point for the Calculator Policy linked by the Examinee Guide; consult it for your testing year
- NCEES, Reference handbook help article — free handbook access and personal printing
Practice-question sources: listed beside each answer above. They support the engineering principle behind each question; the questions themselves are written by Castleport.
What we checked: NCEES's exam facts against the documents listed above, the technical principles used in all 28 practice answers, and the numerical calculations in the questions, worked example, and study schedule. AI tools assisted with drafting, source checks, and calculation checks under our editorial standards. This page hasn't been reviewed by a licensed professional engineer; source and calculation checks are not a professional engineering review.
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by NCEES or Pearson VUE. Exam and credential names are used to identify their subjects; trademarks belong to their respective owners. The practice questions on this page are original and unofficial, and this guide doesn't guarantee a passing result or an engineering license.