FE Other Disciplines Exam Prep
Start your FE Other Disciplines exam prep with 30 original practice questions covering all 14 NCEES topic areas, each with a worked explanation. Then use the topic map and the 12-week plan below to decide what to study next.
Original, unofficial practice. Not NCEES questions, not a full-length exam, and not a pass predictor.
Start here: one Fluid Mechanics question
FEOD-01 · Choose one
Water flows steadily through a pipe that narrows from an 80 mm inside diameter to a 40 mm inside diameter. The average velocity in the 80 mm section is 1.2 m/s. Treat the water as incompressible, with no leaks or branches. What is the average velocity in the 40 mm section?
- A. 0.3 m/s
- B. 2.4 m/s
- C. 4.8 m/s
- D. 9.6 m/s
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 4.8 m/s
What flows in must flow out, and the density doesn't change, so A₁v₁ = A₂v₂. For a circle, A = πD²/4, so π/4 cancels and v₂ = v₁(D₁/D₂)² = 1.2 × (80/40)² = 1.2 × 4 = 4.8 m/s. Quick check: halving the diameter leaves one-quarter of the area, so the water has to move four times as fast.
Why not the others: A flips the area ratio. B uses the diameter ratio without squaring it. D cubes the ratio.
Next time: Write each area as πD²/4 before you divide. Velocity scales with the diameter ratio squared.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §14.5 Fluid Dynamics, Eq. 14.14 (continuity)
What slowed you down: the setup, the units, finding the formula, or the arithmetic? Note it. That one word tells you what to practice next, and the error log shows how to use it.
Jump to: 29 more questions · What's on the exam · Other Disciplines or another FE? · 12-week plan · Test-day checklist
29 more FE Other Disciplines practice questions
Every one of the 14 Other Disciplines topic areas appears at least once, with three questions each in Fluid Mechanics (the largest area), Strength of Materials, and Safety, Health, and Environment. Work each one before opening the answer, and aim for about 3 minutes per question, the real exam's average pace. Three questions ask you to enter a number and one asks you to pick two answers, because the real exam uses those formats too. Like the real exam, every question here is all-or-nothing, with no partial credit. (NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026, pp. 11 and 16)
2. Mathematics
FEOD-02 · Enter a number (m/s)
A carriage moves along a straight track with position x(t) = 0.50t³ − 2.0t² + 4.0t, where x is in meters and t is in seconds. What is its instantaneous velocity at t = 4.0 s? Enter your answer in m/s to one decimal place.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 12.0 m/s
Velocity is the derivative of position: v(t) = x′(t) = 1.50t² − 4.0t + 4.0. At t = 4.0 s, v = 1.50(16) − 16 + 4 = 24 − 16 + 4 = 12.0 m/s.
Common wrong answers: 4.0 m/s is the average velocity over the first 4 seconds, x(4)/4 = 16/4. 16 is the position in meters, not a velocity.
Next time: "Instantaneous" means take the derivative. "Average over an interval" means change in position ÷ time.
Source: OpenStax Calculus Vol. 1, §3.4 Derivatives as Rates of Change (v(t) = s′(t))
3. Mathematics
FEOD-03 · Choose one
Apply one step of Newton's method to f(x) = x² − 2, starting from x₀ = 1. What is x₁?
- A. 0.5
- B. 1.414
- C. 1.5
- D. 2.0
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 1.5
Newton's method: x₁ = x₀ − f(x₀)/f′(x₀). Here f(1) = −1 and f′(x) = 2x, so f′(1) = 2. Then x₁ = 1 − (−1)/2 = 1.5. The true root is √2 ≈ 1.414; further steps close the gap quickly.
Why not the others: A adds the correction instead of subtracting it. B is the root rounded to three decimals, not the result of one step. D uses a derivative of 1 instead of 2.
Next time: Evaluate f and f′ on separate lines before combining. Check the signs in the correction term.
4. Probability and Statistics
FEOD-04 · Choose one
Thirty-six independent measurements come from a normally distributed population with a known standard deviation of 6 kPa. The sample mean is 50 kPa. Using z = 1.96, what is the 95% confidence interval for the population mean?
- A. 38.24 to 61.76 kPa
- B. 44.00 to 56.00 kPa
- C. 48.04 to 51.96 kPa
- D. 49.67 to 50.33 kPa
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 48.04 to 51.96 kPa
The standard error of the mean is σ/√n = 6/√36 = 1 kPa. The margin is z × SE = 1.96 × 1 = 1.96 kPa. So the interval is 50 ± 1.96, or 48.04 to 51.96 kPa. The known σ and normal population are what make the z method appropriate.
Why not the others: A uses σ without dividing by √n. B uses one standard deviation on each side of the mean. D divides by n instead of √n.
Next time: A confidence interval for a mean uses the standard error, σ/√n, not σ itself.
Source: OpenStax Introductory Statistics 2e, §8.1 A Single Population Mean Using the Normal Distribution
5. Probability and Statistics
FEOD-05 · Choose one
An ordinary least-squares straight line with an intercept is fitted to 40 pairs of test data. The coefficient of determination is R² = 0.81. Which statement is correct?
- A. 81% of the data points fall exactly on the line.
- B. The slope of the fitted line is 0.81.
- C. The line accounts for 81% of the variation in y about its mean.
- D. The correlation coefficient between x and y is 0.81.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — The line accounts for 81% of the variation in y
R² is the share of the variability in y that the linear relationship accounts for; the other 19% stays in the residuals. For a straight-line fit, R² is the square of the correlation coefficient, so r = ±0.90 (its sign matches the slope).
Why not the others: A: R² describes overall fit, not how many points sit on the line. B: R² is unitless and isn't the slope. D: the correlation coefficient is ±0.90; 0.81 is its square.
Next time: Keep r and R² straight: r has a sign and runs from −1 to 1; for this fit, R² runs from 0 to 1.
Source: Shafer & Zhang, Introductory Statistics (LibreTexts), §10.6 The Coefficient of Determination
6. Chemistry
FEOD-06 · Choose one
A dilute aqueous solution at 25 °C has a hydronium-ion concentration of 2.5 × 10⁻⁴ mol/L. Treating concentration as activity, what is its pH, to two decimal places?
- A. −3.60
- B. 3.60
- C. 4.00
- D. 10.40
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 3.60
pH = −log₁₀[H₃O⁺] = −log₁₀(2.5 × 10⁻⁴) = 3.60. A pH below 7 at 25 °C fits an acidic solution, which is what a hydronium concentration above 10⁻⁷ mol/L means.
Why not the others: A drops the negative sign in the definition. C ignores the 2.5 coefficient. D is the pOH at 25 °C (14.00 − 3.60), not the pH.
Next time: Check the sign and the quantity asked for (pH or pOH) before you round.
7. Chemistry
FEOD-07 · Choose one
Methane burns completely: CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O. Using molar masses C = 12.0, H = 1.0, and O = 16.0 g/mol, how many kilograms of O₂ are needed per kilogram of CH₄?
- A. 0.25
- B. 1.0
- C. 2.0
- D. 4.0
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D — 4.0
Molar masses: CH₄ = 12.0 + 4(1.0) = 16.0 g/mol; O₂ = 32.0 g/mol. One mole of CH₄ needs two moles of O₂, so 16.0 g of CH₄ needs 64.0 g of O₂. That's 64.0/16.0 = 4.0 kg of O₂ per kg of CH₄.
Why not the others: C uses the mole ratio (2:1) as if it were a mass ratio. B assumes 1:1. A inverts the correct ratio.
Next time: Balanced equations give mole ratios. Convert with molar masses whenever the question asks about mass.
8. Instrumentation and Controls
FEOD-08 · Choose one
An ideal sensor signal has no frequency content above 180 Hz. Under the ideal sampling theorem, which listed sampling rate is high enough to reconstruct any signal in that band from its samples?
- A. 200 samples/s
- B. 300 samples/s
- C. 350 samples/s
- D. 500 samples/s
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D — 500 samples/s
For a band-limited signal, the sampling rate must exceed twice the highest frequency: fs > 2 × 180 = 360 samples/s. Only 500 samples/s clears that bar. Real data-acquisition systems also need anti-aliasing filters and a practical margin; the theorem gives only the ideal minimum.
Why not the others: A, B, and C all fall below 360 samples/s. C (350) is the closest trap: it's near twice the bandwidth but still under it.
Next time: Double the highest frequency first, then pick a rate strictly above that number.
Source: MIT OpenCourseWare 6.003 Signals and Systems (Fall 2011), Lecture 21, slide 21: The Sampling Theorem
9. Instrumentation and Controls
FEOD-09 · Choose one
An ideal 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) has a 0 to 10 V input range. What voltage does one least significant bit (LSB) represent?
- A. 0.833 V
- B. 39.1 mV
- C. 4.88 mV
- D. 2.44 mV
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D — 2.44 mV
A 12-bit converter has 2¹² = 4,096 codes. LSB size = full-scale range ÷ 2ᴺ = 10 V ÷ 4,096 = 2.44 mV.
Why not the others: A divides by the number of bits (12) instead of 2¹². B is the 8-bit answer (10 ÷ 256). C is the 11-bit answer (10 ÷ 2,048).
Next time: Each added bit halves the LSB. Sanity check: 12 bits on a 10 V span should land at a few millivolts.
10. Engineering Ethics and Societal Impacts
FEOD-10 · Select two
An engineer is asked to sign a technical report on a subject outside their competence. The report was not prepared under their direction and control. The engineer also owns a substantial share of a supplier the report recommends. Which TWO actions are consistent with the NSPE Code of Ethics? Select two.
- A. Disclose the ownership interest to the client.
- B. Sign the report if the client agrees to accept responsibility for any errors.
- C. Decline to sign the report under these circumstances.
- D. Keep the ownership interest private if the supplier offers the lowest price.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A and C
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.2.b says engineers shall not sign documents in subjects where they lack competence, or documents not prepared under their direction and control. A handles the conflict; C handles the signature. You need both, and only both, to get this item right.
Why not the others: B: a client accepting responsibility doesn't remove the restriction on signing. D: a low price doesn't cancel the duty to disclose.
Next time: In ethics items, find the specific rule that matches the conduct before choosing the answer that merely sounds reasonable.
Source: NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers (revised July 2019), Rules of Practice II.2.b and II.4.a
11. Safety, Health, and Environment
FEOD-11 · Choose one
At a general-industry workplace covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146, a pre-entry test of a confined space reads 18.8% oxygen by volume. How is that atmosphere classified with respect to oxygen?
- A. Oxygen-enriched
- B. Acceptable, because the reading is above 18%
- C. It can't be classified until carbon monoxide is measured
- D. Oxygen-deficient
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D — Oxygen-deficient
Section 1910.146(b) defines an oxygen-deficient atmosphere as less than 19.5% oxygen by volume, and an oxygen-enriched one as more than 23.5%. An oxygen level outside that range is also part of the standard's definition of a hazardous atmosphere. The same standard says to test for oxygen first, then combustible gases and vapors, then toxic gases and vapors. This question classifies the oxygen reading only; it doesn't decide whether or how entry may proceed.
Why not the others: A: enrichment starts above 23.5%. B: 18% isn't the threshold; 19.5% is. C: other gas readings matter for other hazards, but they don't change the oxygen classification.
Next time: Memorize the two oxygen boundaries as a pair: below 19.5% deficient, above 23.5% enriched.
Source: OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.146(b) definitions and (d)(5)(iii) testing order
12. Safety, Health, and Environment
FEOD-12 · Enter a number (ppm)
During an 8-hour shift, a worker is exposed to a solvent vapor at 120 ppm for 3 hours, at 60 ppm for 2 hours, and at 0 ppm for the remaining 3 hours. Using OSHA's 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) formula, what is the worker's TWA? Enter your answer in ppm to the nearest whole number.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 60 ppm
OSHA's formula is E = (CaTa + CbTb + … + CnTn) ÷ 8. Here E = (120 × 3 + 60 × 2 + 0 × 3) ÷ 8 = 480 ÷ 8 = 60 ppm. The divisor is 8 hours even for the time spent at zero. For the 8-hour TWA comparison, compare E with that substance's applicable limit in OSHA's tables; separate ceiling or peak limits may also apply.
Common wrong answers: 96 ppm divides by the 5 exposed hours instead of 8. 90 ppm averages the two concentrations without weighting them by time. 180 ppm adds the concentrations.
Next time: Build a quick C × T table, add it up, and divide by 8.
Source: OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1000(d)(1)(i) cumulative exposure formula and (a)–(b) exposure limits
13. Safety, Health, and Environment
FEOD-13 · Choose one
A radioactive tracer has a half-life of 8.0 days. What percentage of the original amount remains after 24 days?
- A. 0%
- B. 12.5%
- C. 25%
- D. 33%
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 12.5%
24 days is three half-lives (24 ÷ 8.0 = 3). Half remains after each one: (1/2)³ = 1/8 = 12.5%.
Why not the others: A treats decay as linear, losing 50% of the original every 8 days. C stops after two half-lives. D splits the amount into thirds, one per period.
Next time: Count half-lives first (elapsed time ÷ half-life), then apply (1/2)ⁿ.
Source: OpenStax Chemistry 2e, §21.3 Radioactive Decay (half-life)
14. Engineering Economics
FEOD-14 · Choose one
A project costs $5,000 now and returns $3,000 at the end of year 1 and $3,000 at the end of year 2. There are no other cash flows. At an effective annual discount rate of 8%, what is the project's net present value, to the nearest dollar? Ignore taxes and inflation.
- A. $350
- B. $556
- C. $1,000
- D. $5,350
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — $350
Discount each receipt from its own year: NPV = −5,000 + 3,000/1.08 + 3,000/1.08² ≈ $349.79, or $350.
Why not the others: B discounts both receipts by one year only. C ignores discounting altogether. D is the present value of the receipts before subtracting the $5,000 cost.
Next time: Draw the cash-flow timeline. Each amount gets the exponent of its own year.
Source: Penn State EME 801, Discounting the Future (PV = FV/(1 + r)ᵗ)
15. Engineering Economics
FEOD-15 · Choose one
Two machines do the same job with zero operating costs and no salvage value. Machine A costs $10,000 and lasts 5 years. Machine B costs $16,000 and lasts 10 years. The interest rate is 10% per year (effective), and each machine would be replaced with an identical one when it wears out. What is Machine B's equivalent uniform annual cost (EUAC)?
- A. $1,600
- B. $2,604
- C. $2,638
- D. $4,221
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — $2,604
EUAC = P × (A/P, i, n), where (A/P, i, n) = i(1 + i)ⁿ / [(1 + i)ⁿ − 1]. For B, (A/P, 10%, 10) = 0.16275, so 16,000 × 0.16275 = $2,604 per year. For A, (A/P, 10%, 5) = 0.26380, so 10,000 × 0.26380 = $2,638 per year. Annual cost puts the different lives on equal footing, so B is cheaper by about $34 a year despite its higher first cost.
Why not the others: A spreads the cost evenly and ignores interest ($16,000 ÷ 10). C is Machine A's EUAC, not B's. D applies Machine A's 5-year life to Machine B's price.
Next time: When lives differ, compare annual worth (or use a common study period), not first costs.
Source: Penn State EME 460, Compound Interest Formulas III (capital recovery factor A/P)
16. Statics
FEOD-16 · Choose one
A horizontal beam has a pin support at A (x = 0) and a roller at B (x = 12.0 ft). A single 900 lbf downward point load acts at x = 4.0 ft. Neglect the beam's weight. What is the upward reaction at B?
- A. 300 lbf
- B. 450 lbf
- C. 600 lbf
- D. 900 lbf
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — 300 lbf
Sum moments about A so the pin reaction drops out: R_B(12.0 ft) − (900 lbf)(4.0 ft) = 0, so R_B = 300 lbf. Check with vertical equilibrium: R_A = 900 − 300 = 600 lbf. The support closer to the load carries more of it.
Why not the others: B assumes the load is at midspan. C is the reaction at A, not B. D puts the whole load on B, which fails moment equilibrium.
Next time: Pick the moment center at an unknown reaction. Then confirm the reactions add up to the applied load.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §12.1 Conditions for Static Equilibrium
17. Statics
FEOD-17 · Choose one
A crate weighing 500 N rests on a level floor. The coefficient of static friction between the crate and the floor is 0.40. A worker pushes horizontally with 150 N, and the crate does not move. What is the friction force on the crate?
- A. 0 N
- B. 50 N
- C. 150 N
- D. 200 N
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 150 N
The most static friction can supply is μsN = 0.40 × 500 N = 200 N. The push is only 150 N, so the crate stays in equilibrium and static friction matches the push: 150 N. Static friction is only as large as it needs to be, up to that maximum.
Why not the others: A ignores friction, but something has to balance the push. B is the unused margin, 200 − 150. D is the maximum possible static friction, not the friction actually acting.
Next time: Treat μsN as a ceiling. Compare the applied force with it before deciding what friction does.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §6.2 Friction (static friction, fs ≤ μsN)
18. Dynamics
FEOD-18 · Choose one
A 40 kg crate is already sliding to the right on a level floor. A constant horizontal force of 150 N pulls it to the right. The coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.20. Using g = 9.81 m/s², what is the crate's acceleration to the right?
- A. 1.79 m/s²
- B. 3.75 m/s²
- C. 5.71 m/s²
- D. 78.5 m/s²
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — 1.79 m/s²
The floor is level and the crate doesn't accelerate vertically, so N = mg. Kinetic friction is f = μkN = 0.20 × 40 × 9.81 = 78.48 N, acting against the motion. Net force = 150 − 78.48 = 71.52 N, so a = 71.52/40 = 1.79 m/s².
Why not the others: B ignores friction (150/40). C adds friction as if it helped the motion. D is the friction force in newtons, not an acceleration.
Next time: Draw the free-body diagram with friction pointing against the motion, then write ΣF = ma along that line.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §6.2 Friction (kinetic friction, fk = μkN)
19. Dynamics
FEOD-19 · Choose one
A 5.0 kg mass hangs from a spring with stiffness k = 2,000 N/m. Ignore damping and the spring's own mass. What is the natural frequency of vertical oscillation in hertz?
- A. 0.159 Hz
- B. 3.18 Hz
- C. 20.0 Hz
- D. 400 Hz
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 3.18 Hz
The angular natural frequency is ωn = √(k/m) = √(2,000/5.0) = 20.0 rad/s. Frequency in hertz is f = ωn/(2π) = 20.0/(2π) = 3.18 Hz.
Why not the others: C is the angular frequency in rad/s labeled as hertz. D is k/m without the square root. A is just 1/(2π).
Next time: Write rad/s or Hz next to every frequency you calculate. They differ by a factor of 2π.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §15.1 Simple Harmonic Motion (ω = √(k/m), f = ω/2π)
20. Strength of Materials
FEOD-20 · Choose one
A uniform solid circular tie rod with a 12.0 mm diameter carries an axial tensile force of 18.0 kN. What is the average normal stress, using the original cross-sectional area?
- A. 39.8 MPa
- B. 79.6 MPa
- C. 159 MPa
- D. 637 MPa
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 159 MPa
Area A = πd²/4 = π(12.0 mm)²/4 = 113.1 mm². Stress σ = F/A = 18,000 N ÷ 113.1 mm² = 159 N/mm² = 159 MPa. One N/mm² is exactly one MPa, which makes millimeter-based problems quick.
Why not the others: A uses the diameter as if it were the radius (area four times too big). B uses twice the correct area. D uses one-quarter of the correct area.
Next time: Keep forces in N and areas in mm² and the answer comes out directly in MPa.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §12.3 Stress, Strain, and Elastic Modulus (tensile stress = F/A)
21. Strength of Materials
FEOD-21 · Choose one
A solid circular steel shaft with a 40 mm diameter carries a torque of 500 N·m. The material stays linear-elastic. What is the maximum shear stress in the shaft?
- A. 4.97 MPa
- B. 39.8 MPa
- C. 79.6 MPa
- D. 159 MPa
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 39.8 MPa
Use τmax = Tr/J. For a solid circular section, J = πd⁴/32 = π(0.040 m)⁴/32 = 2.513 × 10⁻⁷ m⁴, and the outer radius is r = 0.020 m. So τmax = (500 N·m)(0.020 m) ÷ (2.513 × 10⁻⁷ m⁴) = 3.98 × 10⁷ Pa = 39.8 MPa, at the outer surface.
Why not the others: A treats 40 mm as the radius everywhere. C uses the full diameter as the distance from the center. D uses the diameter and also swaps the polar moment J for the bending moment of inertia I = πd⁴/64.
Next time: Mark r = d/2 on your sketch, and check whether the formula wants J (twisting) or I (bending).
22. Strength of Materials
FEOD-22 · Choose one
At a point in plane stress, σx = 80 MPa, σy = 20 MPa, and τxy = 40 MPa. What are the in-plane principal stresses?
- A. 80 MPa and 20 MPa
- B. 90 MPa and 10 MPa
- C. 100 MPa and 0 MPa
- D. 122 MPa and −22 MPa
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — 100 MPa and 0 MPa
The center of Mohr's circle is (σx + σy)/2 = 50 MPa. The radius is R = √[((σx − σy)/2)² + τxy²] = √(30² + 40²) = 50 MPa. The principal stresses are center ± radius: 100 MPa and 0 MPa.
Why not the others: A ignores the shear stress; those are just the normal stresses on the original planes. B uses only τxy as the radius. D uses the full difference, 60 MPa, instead of half of it.
Next time: Sketch the circle: center first, then the radius from the (σx − σy)/2 and τxy legs. Read the two extremes.
Source: Stanford ME111, Lecture 7, §§7.4 and 7.6, PDF pp. 5 and 9–10 (principal stresses and Mohr's circle)
23. Materials
FEOD-23 · Choose one
Two rods have equal lengths and equal cross-sectional areas. Material X has an elastic modulus E = 200 GPa and a yield strength of 250 MPa. Material Y has E = 70 GPa and a yield strength of 500 MPa. Both carry 100 MPa of tensile stress and stay linear-elastic. Which statement is correct?
- A. X stretches less, because it has the higher elastic modulus.
- B. Y stretches less, because it has the higher yield strength.
- C. They stretch equally, because the stresses are equal.
- D. You can't compare them without their densities.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A — X stretches less
In the elastic range, strain = stress/E. X: 100 MPa ÷ 200,000 MPa = 0.00050. Y: 100 MPa ÷ 70,000 MPa ≈ 0.00143. With equal lengths, the smaller strain means less elongation, so X stretches less. Yield strength tells you when permanent deformation starts; it doesn't set stiffness.
Why not the others: B mixes up strength with stiffness. C assumes equal stress means equal strain, which only holds for equal moduli. D: density doesn't enter this comparison.
Next time: Ask which property the question is about: stiffness (E), strength (yield or ultimate), or ductility. They're different numbers.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §12.3 Stress, Strain, and Elastic Modulus; OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §12.4 Elasticity and Plasticity
24. Materials
FEOD-24 · Choose one
At a given temperature, an alloy containing 30 wt% B sits at equilibrium in a two-phase field of solid α and liquid L. The tie line meets the α boundary at 10 wt% B and the liquid boundary at 60 wt% B. What mass fraction of the alloy is liquid?
- A. 0.33
- B. 0.40
- C. 0.50
- D. 0.60
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 0.40
By the lever rule, fraction liquid = (C₀ − Cα)/(CL − Cα) = (30 − 10)/(60 − 10) = 20/50 = 0.40. The remaining 0.60 is α. The alloy composition sits closer to the α end of the tie line, so α is the larger share.
Why not the others: D is the α fraction, which is the lever read backward. C assumes equal amounts of each phase. A divides by the liquid composition (60) instead of the tie-line length (50).
Next time: The phase you're solving for uses the segment on the opposite side of the alloy composition.
Source: DoITPoMS, University of Cambridge, §12.7 The Lever Rule (republished by Engineering LibreTexts)
25. Fluid Mechanics
FEOD-25 · Choose one
Water with a kinematic viscosity of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ m²/s flows at an average velocity of 2.0 m/s through a pipe with a 50 mm inside diameter. What is the Reynolds number, and what flow regime should you expect?
- A. 1.0 × 10⁵, laminar
- B. 1.0 × 10⁵, turbulent
- C. 5.0 × 10⁴, laminar
- D. 1.0 × 10⁸, turbulent
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 1.0 × 10⁵, turbulent
Re = VD/ν = (2.0 m/s)(0.050 m) ÷ (1.0 × 10⁻⁶ m²/s) = 1.0 × 10⁵. Pipe flow is generally laminar below about 2,000 and turbulent above about 3,000, so 1.0 × 10⁵ is far into the turbulent range. VD/ν is the same quantity as OpenStax's 2ρvr/η, because ν = η/ρ and D = 2r.
Why not the others: A has the right number but the wrong regime. C uses the 25 mm radius instead of the diameter, and 5.0 × 10⁴ would still be turbulent. D leaves the diameter in millimeters.
Next time: Convert every length to meters before computing a dimensionless number. If Re comes out with units, something didn't cancel.
26. Fluid Mechanics
FEOD-26 · Choose one
Water (ρ = 1,000 kg/m³) flows steadily through a horizontal pipe that narrows from a 100 mm to a 50 mm inside diameter. The velocity in the 100 mm section is 2.0 m/s. Assume ideal flow (incompressible and frictionless) with no pump or turbine between the two sections. What is the pressure drop, p₁ − p₂?
- A. 6.0 kPa
- B. 30 kPa
- C. 32 kPa
- D. 60 kPa
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 30 kPa
Use continuity first: v₂ = 2.0 × (100/50)² = 8.0 m/s. On a horizontal line, Bernoulli's equation reduces to p₁ + ½ρv₁² = p₂ + ½ρv₂², so p₁ − p₂ = ½ρ(v₂² − v₁²) = ½(1,000)(64 − 4) = 30,000 Pa = 30 kPa. Pressure falls where the flow speeds up.
Why not the others: A uses the diameter ratio without squaring it (v₂ = 4.0 m/s). C drops the upstream ½ρv₁² term. D leaves out the ½.
Next time: Two-section pipe problems usually take two equations: continuity for the new velocity, then energy for the pressure.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §14.5 Fluid Dynamics (continuity); OpenStax University Physics Vol. 1, §14.6 Bernoulli's Equation
27. Basic Electrical Engineering
FEOD-27 · Choose one
An ideal 12 V DC source supplies a 4 Ω resistor in series with a parallel pair of resistors, 6 Ω and 3 Ω. What current does the source supply?
- A. 0.923 A
- B. 2.00 A
- C. 3.00 A
- D. 6.00 A
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 2.00 A
Combine the parallel pair first: Rp = (1/6 + 1/3)⁻¹ = 2 Ω. Add the series resistor: Req = 4 + 2 = 6 Ω. Then I = V/R = 12/6 = 2.00 A. All of that current passes through the 4 Ω resistor before it splits between the branches.
Why not the others: A treats all three resistors as series (12/13). C ignores the parallel pair (12/4). D ignores the 4 Ω series resistor (12/2).
Next time: Redraw the circuit and collapse it one combination at a time, innermost first.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 2, §10.2 Resistors in Series and Parallel
28. Basic Electrical Engineering
FEOD-28 · Enter a number (kW)
A balanced three-phase load draws a line current of 20 A rms from a 480 V rms (line-to-line) supply at a power factor of 0.85 lagging. Assume sinusoidal voltages and currents. What real power does it consume? Enter your answer in kW to one decimal place.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 14.1 kW
For a balanced three-phase load, P = √3 × VL × IL × cos θ = √3 × 480 × 20 × 0.85 = 14,134 W ≈ 14.1 kW. The power factor, cos θ = 0.85, is what turns apparent power into real power.
Common wrong answers: 8.2 kW leaves out √3. 24.5 kW multiplies by 3 while still using line-to-line voltage and line current. 16.6 kW skips the power factor; that's apparent power, in kVA.
Next time: Label each value as line or phase before choosing √3 or 3.
29. Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
FEOD-29 · Choose one
During a process, a closed system receives 500 kJ of heat and does 180 kJ of work on its surroundings. Those are its only energy transfers, and changes in kinetic and potential energy are negligible. What is the change in internal energy?
- A. −680 kJ
- B. −320 kJ
- C. +320 kJ
- D. +680 kJ
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C — +320 kJ
With heat into the system positive and work done by the system positive, ΔU = Q − W = 500 − 180 = +320 kJ. The system took in more energy as heat than it gave away as work, so its internal energy rose.
Why not the others: A treats both transfers as energy leaving. B reverses the sign of the net change. D adds the work as if it were done on the system.
Next time: Write your sign convention at the top of the problem before plugging anything in.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 2, §3.3 First Law of Thermodynamics
30. Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
FEOD-30 · Choose one
An ideal reversible heat engine runs between a hot reservoir at 327 °C and a cold reservoir at 27 °C. What is the maximum possible thermal efficiency?
- A. 8.3%
- B. 50.0%
- C. 91.7%
- D. 100%
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B — 50.0%
Convert to kelvins first: 327 °C = 600.15 K and 27 °C = 300.15 K. Carnot efficiency = 1 − Tc/Th = 1 − 300.15/600.15 ≈ 0.499875, or 50.0% to one decimal place. No engine running between these two reservoirs can beat that.
Why not the others: C plugs Celsius values into the formula: 1 − 27/327. A is just 27/327. D would require a cold reservoir at absolute zero.
Next time: Carnot's temperature ratio needs absolute temperatures. Convert before you divide.
Source: OpenStax University Physics Vol. 2, §4.5 The Carnot Cycle, Eq. 4.5; OpenStax University Physics Vol. 2, §1.2 Thermometers and Temperature Scales, Table 1.1
How did you do?
Count how many of the 30 you got right, then note which topic areas your misses came from. That list is the useful part. With one to three questions per area, your score is feedback on these questions only. 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 (NCEES exam scoring).
If you opened an answer before solving the question, mark it “reviewed with help” and leave it out of your independent correct count.
Give each question one of three labels:
- Rebuild: You couldn't tell which idea or equation applied. Go back to the concept and work an explained example slowly.
- Rehearse: You knew the method but slipped on units, setup, the handbook search, or calculator entry. Drill that one step, then try a fresh problem.
- Maintain: You got it right and could explain why. Keep it in mixed review and move on.
A right answer that took more than about 5 minutes counts as Rehearse for planning purposes. Speed matters on a timed exam.
| Topic area | Questions on this page |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 2, 3 |
| Probability and Statistics | 4, 5 |
| Chemistry | 6, 7 |
| Instrumentation and Controls | 8, 9 |
| Engineering Ethics and Societal Impacts | 10 |
| Safety, Health, and Environment | 11, 12, 13 |
| Engineering Economics | 14, 15 |
| Statics | 16, 17 |
| Dynamics | 18, 19 |
| Strength of Materials | 20, 21, 22 |
| Materials | 23, 24 |
| Fluid Mechanics | 1, 25, 26 |
| Basic Electrical Engineering | 27, 28 |
| Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer | 29, 30 |
Put your Rebuild areas first in the study plan below.
What's on the FE Other Disciplines exam
NCEES's FE Other Disciplines specification lists 14 knowledge areas, each with a range for how many of the 110 questions it can contain. The exam uses both SI and U.S. customary units.
| # | Topic area | Questions | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematics | 8–12 | Analytic geometry and trigonometry, differential equations, numerical methods, linear algebra, single-variable calculus |
| 2 | Probability and Statistics | 6–9 | Estimation and confidence intervals, expected value in decisions, sampling distributions and hypothesis tests, goodness of fit |
| 3 | Chemistry | 5–8 | Oxidation-reduction and corrosion, acids, bases, pH and buffers, stoichiometry, equilibrium, bioconversion |
| 4 | Instrumentation and Controls | 4–6 | Sensors, data acquisition (sampling, filtering, A/D and D/A conversion), logic diagrams |
| 5 | Engineering Ethics and Societal Impacts | 5–8 | Codes of ethics, public protection and licensing boards, economic, sustainability, life-cycle, environmental, and public-safety impacts |
| 6 | Safety, Health, and Environment | 6–9 | Industrial hygiene (toxicology, exposure limits, radiation, half-life), safety equipment, gas detection, electrical safety, confined spaces and ventilation, hazard communication |
| 7 | Engineering Economics | 6–9 | Time value of money, cost analysis, break-even and benefit-cost, uncertainty, project selection (unequal lives, depreciation, decision trees) |
| 8 | Statics | 9–14 | Vectors, force systems and couples, equilibrium, trusses and frames, centroids and moments of inertia, static friction, weight and mass units |
| 9 | Dynamics | 9–14 | Kinematics, force and acceleration, angular motion, impulse and momentum, work-energy-power, dynamic friction, vibrations |
| 10 | Strength of Materials | 9–14 | Axial, bending, torsion, and shear stress; shear and moment diagrams; deformation; Mohr's circle and failure theories; buckling, fatigue, and factor of safety |
| 11 | Materials | 6–9 | Phase diagrams; mechanical, chemical, thermal, and electrical properties; material selection |
| 12 | Fluid Mechanics | 12–18 | Fluid properties, Reynolds and other dimensionless numbers, fluid statics, Bernoulli and momentum, pipe losses, open-channel flow, pumps and turbines, flow measurement, ideal and real gases |
| 13 | Basic Electrical Engineering | 6–9 | Ohm's and Kirchhoff's laws, AC and DC circuits, impedance and power factor, meters, three-phase power |
| 14 | Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer | 9–14 | First and second laws, properties and processes, conduction, convection and radiation, mass and energy balances, combustion, psychrometrics |
How to read the ranges: they tell you roughly where the questions are, not which areas are hardest for you. They also aren't independent: the low ends add up to 100 and the high ends to 153, so no single exam can sit at every extreme at once. Use your own results to set priorities.
The mechanics-and-energy core is big. Statics, Dynamics, Strength of Materials, and Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer each have published ranges of 9–14 questions; Fluid Mechanics has 12–18. If you're shaky on free-body diagrams and energy balances, fixing them pays off across five areas at once.
Is this the current version? The specification is effective beginning with the July 2020 examinations. NCEES's July 20, 2026 notice of upcoming exam changes, which gives licensing boards at least a year's warning, lists no FE changes through fall 2027 (NCEES memo, July 20, 2026). Still, recheck the NCEES FE exam page before your test date.
Should you take Other Disciplines or a discipline-specific FE?
The FE is offered in seven disciplines: Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Environmental, Industrial and Systems, Mechanical, and Other Disciplines. You take one. NCEES describes Other Disciplines as the exam available for engineering majors outside the six discipline-specific exams, and it reports that students "typically perform better on the discipline-specific exam most closely aligned to their major" (NCEES, Using the FE as an Outcomes Assessment Tool, 2026, pp. 2 and 4).
A practical way to decide:
- Your degree matches a named exam (say, mechanical or civil): open that exam's specification and compare it with the table above. If the named exam fits your coursework, that's usually the better match.
- Your degree doesn't match any of the six (for example, aerospace, biomedical, nuclear, or engineering mechanics): Other Disciplines is the exam NCEES built for you.
- You're unsure: put both specifications side by side and count the topics you've actually studied. Our FE exam prep guide lists the topic areas for all seven disciplines.
Either way, your licensing board decides whether you're eligible to test. If you change disciplines after registering, you cancel and re-register. NCEES normally deducts a $50 administrative fee from the registration refund, but waives that deduction if you paid Pearson's appointment-cancellation fee (Examinee Guide, pp. 2 and 4).
FE Other Disciplines pass rates
In NCEES's 2024–25 fiscal year (October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025), 61% of first-time FE Other Disciplines takers passed.
| Group | First-time takers | First-time pass rate | Repeat takers | Repeat pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Other Disciplines takers | 2,386 | 61% | 951 | 29% |
| Bachelor's from an EAC/ABET program | 1,888 | 64% | 626 | 32% |
| Bachelor's from an ETAC/ABET program | 66 | 45% | 59 | 14% |
| Other takers | 432 | 52% | 266 | 24% |
Source: NCEES, Squared 2025, pp. 10–11. "Other takers" are examinees without a bachelor's degree from an EAC/ETAC/ABET-accredited program, or who didn't report one.
For comparison, the same year's first-time pass rate was 61% for FE Civil and 69% for FE Mechanical. A pass rate isn't a difficulty rating, though: each exam draws a different group of candidates. Two patterns are worth knowing. Repeat takers in this Other Disciplines cohort passed at less than half the first-time rate; that comparison doesn't measure how one person's chances change after a failed attempt. If you're retaking, use your diagnostic report and fresh problems to change the study plan. And across all FE disciplines, first-time takers from ABET programs under NCEES member-board jurisdictions had pass rates of about 71% both before graduation and within 12 months of it, compared with about 63% in the chart's “12+ months after graduation” group (NCEES 2014–25 data, Squared 2025, p. 15). That's a correlation, not a guarantee, but it's a reason not to let the exam drift.
Your 12-week FE Other Disciplines study plan
Time assumption: about 8 hours a week, such as four 90-minute sessions plus one 2-hour review block, or roughly 96 hours in all. That's our planning estimate for someone who finished most of the relevant coursework. It isn't an NCEES requirement or a promise that 96 hours is enough.
Every session follows the same pattern: review the concept, find the relationship in the handbook, work problems with the handbook open, then log what went wrong. The 30 questions on this page introduce selected skills, not every subtopic. Use the topic table above and your own coursework and textbooks for the rest of each week's problems.
| Week | Focus | Practice from this page | By the end of the week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Setup, Mathematics, Probability and Statistics | Questions 2–5, plus the handbook search drill | Handbook downloaded, calculator model confirmed, first error-log entries |
| 2 | Engineering Economics, Ethics | Questions 10, 14, 15 | You can draw a cash-flow timeline and pick the right factor without guessing |
| 3 | Statics | Questions 16, 17 | A clean free-body diagram for every problem; lbm, lbf, and slug handled correctly |
| 4 | Dynamics | Questions 18, 19 | Force-acceleration, impulse-momentum, and work-energy problems, plus rad/s versus Hz |
| 5 | Strength of Materials | Questions 20–22 | Axial, torsion, and bending stress; shear and moment diagrams; Mohr's circle |
| 6 | Fluid Mechanics (1): properties, statics, continuity, Bernoulli, Reynolds number | Questions 1, 25, 26 | Two-section pipe problems solved with continuity, then energy |
| 7 | Fluid Mechanics (2): pipe losses, pumps, flow measurement, open-channel flow | Use subtopics F–J in the specification | Friction-loss and pump problems done without hunting for the formula |
| 8 | Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer | Questions 29, 30 | First and second law, property tables, conduction and convection, psychrometrics |
| 9 | Basic Electrical Engineering, Materials | Questions 23, 24, 27, 28 | Series-parallel circuits, power factor, three-phase power, phase diagrams |
| 10 | Chemistry, Instrumentation and Controls, Safety, Health, and Environment | Questions 6–9, 11–13 | pH and stoichiometry, sampling and A/D resolution, exposure averages, confined-space limits, half-life |
| 11 | Mixed timed review | Retry all 30 in 88 minutes without opening the answers, then review every miss | Every miss logged by topic and by cause; remembered answers marked as repeats |
| 12 | Repair and logistics | Redo every logged miss after a gap; repeat the handbook drill | Weakest areas reworked; ID, calculator, appointment time, and route confirmed |
Why Week 10 groups those three areas: Chemistry, Instrumentation and Controls, and Safety, Health, and Environment together carry 15–23 questions by the published ranges (5–8, 4–6, and 6–9). They're easy to skip if your major didn't cover them, and that's exactly why they belong on the calendar.
Week 11 timing: 320 minutes ÷ 110 questions × 30 questions = 87.3 minutes, rounded up to 88. Repeating familiar questions is a pacing exercise, not a full-exam simulation or an independent readiness check.
Adjust the plan to your situation
| Situation | What to change |
|---|---|
| About 4 hours a week | Give each row two weeks (24 weeks total). Shrink each session's scope rather than rushing it. |
| About 12–16 hours a week and solid on the basics | Spread the same approximately 96 hours across eight weeks at 12 hours a week, or six weeks at 16 hours a week. Combine or split rows as needed, and let your practice results decide where the extra hours go. |
| Out of school for years | Add 2–4 weeks before Week 1 for algebra, units, and free-body diagrams. Everything after depends on them. |
| Retaking after a fail | NCEES's diagnostic report shows your relative strengths and weaknesses by topic area. Move your weakest areas earlier, but keep every area in the plan; the report doesn't list every concept you missed. Retake timing is on our NCEES retake policy page. |
| A tired or disrupted day | Do a 15-minute minimum: explain one governing relationship, try one problem, and write down the next repair. Move the rest to another session. |
| Strong in an area already | Work one unfamiliar problem in it and explain the assumptions. If that goes well, move most of that block to a weaker area and schedule a later revisit. |
| Test date close and big gaps remain | Spend the time 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. If you need to move your appointment, do it at least 48 hours ahead (see the checklist below). |
Keep an error log
One line per missed or slow problem. Look for repeated causes, not just repeated topics.
| Question / topic | What went wrong | Type | Fix | Recheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 19 / Dynamics | Reported 20 Hz; that was rad/s | Rehearse: units | Write rad/s or Hz beside every frequency; convert with 2π | Redo in 3 days, then a fresh vibration problem |
| Your next miss | The exact step that failed | Rebuild, Rehearse, or Maintain | One specific action | When you'll try it again |
| Cause | What fixes it |
|---|---|
| Concept | Explain the governing idea in your own words and when it applies, then solve a fresh example. |
| Setup | List the givens and the unknown, and draw the body, pipe section, circuit, or cash-flow timeline before you touch a number. |
| Units | Carry units through every substitution. Square or cube conversions for areas and volumes, and keep mass and force separate. |
| Calculator | Redo the exact keystrokes. Check parentheses, scientific notation, and degree/radian mode. |
| Handbook lookup | Write down the search term that found the right section, and read its variable definitions and conditions, not just the equation. |
Use the reference handbook the way you will on exam day
The FE Reference Handbook is the only reference you get during the exam. NCEES supplies the current version on screen as a searchable PDF, on a 24-inch monitor with room for both the question and the handbook. You search with the search box on the left side of the reference panel; Ctrl+F doesn't work (Examinee Guide, p. 10).
Download the current study copy free through your MyNCEES account and practice with it from day one. You can print it for personal use, but not share or post it (NCEES help: exam reference handbooks). Recheck the version shown in MyNCEES before your test; the copy you saved months ago doesn't decide which version you'll see. You don't need the handbook or an NCEES account to use the questions on this page.
A five-step routine for every practice problem:
- Name the unknown and its units before you search.
- Name the governing idea: continuity, equilibrium, first law, time value of money.
- Search a short concept term, not the problem's wording.
- Read the variable definitions and conditions. Gauge or absolute? Sample or population? Line or phase?
- Solve, sanity-check the size of the answer, and log the search term that worked.
Handbook search drill: Before Week 1, time yourself finding the right section for each term below. Repeat in Week 11. Anything that takes more than about 30 seconds is worth practicing. These are suggested terms, not guaranteed headings in every handbook version; if one comes up empty, try a synonym and note the one that works.
| Topic area | Try searching | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | derivative, Newton's method | 2, 3 |
| Probability and Statistics | confidence interval, coefficient of determination | 4, 5 |
| Chemistry | pH, stoichiometry | 6, 7 |
| Instrumentation and Controls | sampling, analog-to-digital | 8, 9 |
| Engineering Ethics and Societal Impacts | ethics | 10 |
| Safety, Health, and Environment | confined space, time weighted average, half-life | 11–13 |
| Engineering Economics | present worth, capital recovery | 14, 15 |
| Statics | equilibrium, friction | 16, 17 |
| Dynamics | friction, natural frequency | 18, 19 |
| Strength of Materials | axial stress, torsion, Mohr's circle | 20–22 |
| Materials | modulus of elasticity, lever rule | 23, 24 |
| Fluid Mechanics | continuity, Reynolds number, Bernoulli | 1, 25, 26 |
| Basic Electrical Engineering | parallel resistors, three-phase | 27, 28 |
| Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer | first law, Carnot | 29, 30 |
How the FE exam works
These details come from the NCEES FE exam page, the May 2026 Examinee Guide, and the NCEES exam scoring page. The guide's current version is always at ncees.org/examinee-guide.
- Where and when: Computer-based, year-round, at NCEES-approved Pearson test centers. You register and schedule through MyNCEES.
- Length: 110 questions and 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time. The appointment adds a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, and a 25-minute scheduled break. The guide lists the full appointment as 5 hours 55 minutes; the FE webpage calls it 6 hours.
- Two sections, one clock: You get all 5 hours 20 minutes at the start, with no separate section timers. After about half the questions, you review and submit the first section, and then you can't go back to it. The scheduled break comes after that. Flag and review before you submit.
- Question types: Mostly standard multiple choice, plus multiple correct, point-and-click, drag-and-drop, and fill-in-the-blank. Every question is scored right or wrong, with no partial credit. A few unscored pretest questions are mixed in and can't be identified.
- Scoring: Pass or fail. Your result is based on the number of correct answers, with no deduction for wrong ones, so don't leave anything blank. NCEES converts that to a scaled score to adjust for differences between exam forms and doesn't publish the passing score.
- Results: Typically within 7–10 days, with an email notification to view them in MyNCEES. If you don't pass, you get a diagnostic report showing your performance by topic area. More detail is on our NCEES exam results page.
- Retakes: One attempt per testing window (January–March, April–June, July–September, October–December) and no more than three in any 12 months. Your licensing board may be stricter.
- Fee: $225 per attempt, paid to NCEES. Some boards also charge their own application fee.
- Eligibility and credentials: Your licensing board sets the requirements, so check its process before you register. Passing the FE is generally the first step toward a PE license; it isn't a license itself, and titles like engineer intern or engineer-in-training follow your board's process. See our NCEES exam registration guide for the steps.
- Accommodations: Request them during registration. If you miss that step, you have to cancel and register again. Our NCEES accommodations page walks through it.
Pacing: about 3 minutes a question
320 minutes over 110 questions works out to about 2 minutes 55 seconds per question on average. That's an average, not a per-question limit. Since you can't return to the first section once it's submitted, a sensible checkpoint is to be submitting it around the 2 hour 40 minute mark, half your exam time. As a practice habit, if a problem passes 4 or 5 minutes, pick your best answer, flag it, and move on; you can only revisit it before that section is submitted. These checkpoints are our planning suggestions, not NCEES time limits.
Test-day checklist
- [ ] Approved calculator: For 2026 exams, NCEES allows only Casio models with "fx-115" or "fx-991" in the model name, the HP 33s and HP 35s, and Texas Instruments models with "TI-30X" or "TI-36X" in the model name (NCEES exams page, Calculator policy). NCEES reviews the list every year, so check it for your test year. Bring one approved calculator without its cover. An on-screen TI-30XS is also available during the exam.
- [ ] Physical photo ID: A current government-issued ID from the country where you're testing, a passport in Roman characters from your country of citizenship, or a U.S. military ID. It must show an expiration date, your name, date of birth, a recognizable photo, and your signature (a valid U.S. military ID may omit the signature). Your first and last name must match your appointment confirmation. Digital IDs and student IDs aren't accepted.
- [ ] Arrival: Get to the Pearson test center 30 minutes before your appointment, and bring a printed copy of your appointment confirmation to speed up check-in.
- [ ] Scratch materials: Pearson provides two reusable booklets and three markers. Don't bring your own paper, pens, notes, or handbook.
- [ ] Need to move your appointment? Reschedule or cancel through MyNCEES at least 48 hours ahead; Pearson charges $50. Canceling the appointment doesn't cancel your NCEES registration; that's a separate step.
- [ ] Handbook practice done: You've run the search drill with your MyNCEES copy.
Details from the May 2026 Examinee Guide, pp. 5–10. The guide's rules govern on exam day.
Sources and verification
By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team · Last verified October 7, 2026, for the NCEES exam facts, specification, pass rates, and calculator list cited below, and for the teaching sources linked under each question.
Exam facts:
- NCEES, FE exam: disciplines, format, fee, appointment time
- NCEES, FE Other Disciplines CBT Exam Specifications, effective beginning with the July 2020 examinations: topic areas, question ranges, subtopics, units
- NCEES, Examinee Guide, May 2026 (current guide landing page): registration, retakes, ID, permitted items, handbook use, sections, item types, results, appointment timing
- NCEES, Exam scoring: scaled pass/fail scoring, no published passing score, diagnostic report
- NCEES, Exams page, Calculator policy: approved calculators for 2026 exams
- NCEES, Exam reference handbooks help article: free handbook access and personal-use printing
- NCEES, Notice of Future Changes to NCEES Exams, July 20, 2026 (posted by the Virginia DPOR): announced exam changes through fall 2027
- NCEES, Squared 2025, pp. 10–11 and 15: FY 2024–25 pass rates and pass rates by time since graduation
- NCEES, Using the FE as an Outcomes Assessment Tool, 2026, pp. 2 and 4: who Other Disciplines is for, discipline-matched performance
Teaching sources: listed beneath each answer. They support the engineering, science, or code principle behind each question; the questions themselves were written by Castleport Test Prep.
What we checked: the NCEES exam facts and published pass-rate figures against the documents above, and the principle behind each of the 30 answers against its linked source. We recalculated the numerical answers, distractors, range sums, and study-plan arithmetic. AI tools assisted with drafting, source checking, and calculation checks under our editorial standards; see how we check exam-prep content. This page has not been reviewed by a licensed professional engineer, and source and calculation checks are not a professional engineering review. Spot an error? Report a correction.
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 identify their subjects; trademarks belong to their respective owners. The practice questions on this page are original and unofficial, not NCEES exam questions. This page doesn't determine eligibility or guarantee an exam result or a license.
Related free resources: FE exam prep for all seven disciplines · NCEES exam registration · NCEES exam results · NCEES retake policy · NCEES exam accommodations