Engineering Exam Prep

FE Exam Prep 21, Significant Figures and Sanity Checks

Mon, 18 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The rule of thumb for matching significant figures to input data on the FE Exam. - How to use order-of-magnitude estimates to perform a sanity check and catch decimal errors. - The importance of meticulous unit cancellation to validate your equation setup. - How to spot common exam traps involving numerical precision and mixed unit systems. - A memorable mnemonic, U-S-E (Units, Significant Figures, Estimate), to verify your answers before finalizing. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 20, SI vs US Customary — lbm vs lbf and the gc Factor

Sun, 17 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical difference between pound-mass (lbm) for mass and pound-force (lbf) for force. - Why and when to use the gravitational conversion factor, gc, which is 32.174 lbm·ft/(lbf·s²). - How to correctly apply Newton's Second Law (F=ma) and energy equations (KE, PE) in US Customary units. - The common exam trap involving weight calculations where local gravity (g) is not equal to standard gravity. - Where to find gc in the NCEES FE Reference Handbook and how to spot questions requiring it. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 19, Descriptive Statistics — Mean, Median, Variance, Confidence Intervals

Sat, 16 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical difference between mean and median and why the FE exam tests this with skewed data. - How to identify whether to use the sample (n-1) or population (N) formula for variance, a common exam trap. - The distinction between standard deviation and variance and why units matter on the exam. - The decision criteria for using a z-statistic versus a t-statistic when calculating confidence intervals. - How to quickly find and apply the correct values, like the z-value of 1.96 for a 95% confidence interval, using the NCEES Reference Handbook. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 18, Probability Distributions — Binomial, Normal, Poisson

Fri, 15 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to quickly differentiate between Binomial, Normal, and Poisson distribution problems on the FE exam. - The correct application of the Binomial formula for scenarios with a fixed number of success/failure trials. - How to use the z-score and the NCEES FE Reference Handbook's z-table to solve Normal distribution questions. - The method for solving Poisson distribution problems involving event rates over a specific interval. - How to identify common exam traps, such as questions with "at least/at most" phrasing and problems with mismatched rate intervals. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 17, Vectors in 3-Space — Magnitude, Unit Vectors, Direction Cosines

Thu, 14 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to calculate the magnitude of a 3D vector using its i, j, and k components. - The definition of a unit vector and how to compute it by dividing a vector by its magnitude. - The direct relationship between a unit vector's components and the direction cosines (cosα, cosβ, cosγ). - The essential identity that the sum of the squares of the direction cosines equals one. - Common FE exam traps, such as sign errors, and confusing direction angles with direction cosines. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 16, Matrix Operations — Determinants, Inverse, Eigenvalues

Wed, 13 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to quickly calculate 2x2 and 3x3 determinants using cofactor expansion as found in the NCEES Handbook. - The critical role of the determinant in finding a matrix inverse and why a determinant of zero means no inverse exists. - The setup and solution of the characteristic equation, det(A − λI) = 0, to find a matrix's eigenvalues. - Why matrix multiplication is not commutative (AB ≠ BA) and how this can be a trick on the exam. - How to efficiently solve systems of linear equations (Ax = b) using your calculator and the concept of the matrix inverse. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 15, Differential Equations — First and Second Order, Laplace

Tue, 12 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to solve first-order linear differential equations using the integrating factor method from the NCEES Handbook. - The procedure for solving second-order homogeneous differential equations by finding the roots of the characteristic equation. - The specific solution forms for the three cases of characteristic equation roots: real and distinct, real and repeated, and complex conjugate. - A common exam trap involving the missing 'x' multiplier in the solution for repeated roots. - When to apply Laplace transforms on the FE exam, particularly for problems with discontinuous inputs found in dynamics or circuits. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 14, Integral Calculus — Substitution, Parts, Common Forms

Mon, 11 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to properly select 'u' for u-substitution by finding a function whose derivative is also in the integrand. - To apply the LIATE mnemonic (Log, Inverse, Algebraic, Trig, Exponential) to correctly choose 'u' for integration by parts. - The critical exam strategy of always checking the NCEES Reference Handbook for common integral forms before attempting other methods. - Common exam traps like mishandling limits of integration in definite integrals and sign errors in the integration by parts formula. - That a definite integral is fundamentally asking for the net area under a curve between two points. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 13, Differential Calculus — Critical Points, L'Hopital, Partials

Sun, 10 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to find critical points by setting the first derivative to zero or finding where it's undefined. - The Second Derivative Test: a positive result means a local minimum (concave up), and a negative result means a local maximum (concave down). - L'Hopital's Rule is only for indeterminate forms (0/0 or ∞/∞) and requires differentiating the numerator and denominator separately. - The core technique for partial derivatives: treat all other variables as constants and differentiate normally. - A common exam trap is misapplying the quotient rule to L'Hopital's Rule or forgetting to check for an indeterminate form first. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 12, Analytic Geometry — Conics, Distance, Vectors

Sat, 09 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to find a circle's center and radius from its general form by completing the square. - The primary application of the vector dot product on the FE exam: finding the angle between two vectors. - The physical meaning of the cross product's magnitude (area) and its result (a perpendicular vector). - How to apply the 3D distance formula, a common exam-style extension of the 2D formula. - A mnemonic to distinguish between the scalar result of a dot product and the vector result of a cross product. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 11, Depreciation — Straight-Line, MACRS, Book Value

Fri, 08 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Straight-line depreciation is a simple method calculated as (Initial Cost - Salvage Value) / Useful Life. - MACRS is an accelerated, tax-based depreciation method that uses percentage factors from tables in the NCEES Reference Handbook. - A critical exam trap is to remember that salvage value is always ignored in MACRS calculations, even if provided in the problem. - Book value represents the remaining value of an asset and is calculated as the Initial Cost - Accumulated Depreciation. - To calculate book value with MACRS, you must sum the annual depreciation amounts from each year up to the point in question. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 10, NPV, IRR, Benefit-Cost Ratio — When Each Wins

Thu, 07 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why Net Present Value (NPV) is the definitive method for ranking mutually exclusive projects. - How to avoid the common FE exam trap of incorrectly choosing a project based on the highest Internal Rate of Return (IRR) or Benefit-Cost (B/C) ratio. - The specific accept/reject criteria for a single project using NPV (>0), IRR (>MARR), and B/C Ratio (>1). - Why IRR and B/C ratios can be misleading when comparing projects of different investment scales. - A memorable shortcut to recall the correct decision method: "N-P-V for the V-I-P (Very Important Project)." For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 9, Time Value of Money — P/F, F/P, P/A, A/P, A/F, F/A Notation

Wed, 06 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to interpret standard time value of money factor notation (X/Y, i, n) as 'Find X, Given Y'. - The application of single payment factors (P/F, F/P) versus uniform series factors (P/A, A/P, F/A, A/F). - How to solve loan payment and future goal savings problems using the Capital Recovery (A/P) and Sinking Fund (A/F) factors. - To identify the most common exam trap: mismatched interest compounding periods and payment periods. - A simple mnemonic, 'Want over Got,' to quickly select the correct TVM factor from the NCEES Handbook. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 8, EIT Path to PE — State Variations

Tue, 05 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The standard requirement for PE licensure is typically four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE after passing the FE exam. - Many states offer experience credit for advanced degrees, such as one year for a master's or two for a doctorate, but rules vary significantly. - Some states have "decoupled" the PE exam from the experience requirement, allowing you to take the test early, though licensure is still granted only after experience is complete. - States like California have unique requirements, including fewer years of experience but additional state-specific exams on topics like seismic principles. - The most common mistake is assuming rules are the same everywhere; you must always verify requirements directly with your specific state's licensing board. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 7, Conflicts of Interest, Gifts, and Disclosure

Mon, 04 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Engineers must disclose any known or potential conflict of interest to their employer or client, including financial, familial, or prior business relationships. - Accepting gifts of more than 'nominal value' is prohibited if there is a risk it could influence, or appear to influence, your professional judgment. - Receiving payment from multiple parties for the same service requires full written disclosure and consent from all interested parties. - The NCEES Reference Handbook's 'Ethics and Professional Practice' section is the definitive guide for these situational questions on the FE exam. - A key exam strategy for ethics questions is to always choose the path of greatest transparency and disclosure. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 6, NCEES Model Rules — Hold Paramount Public Safety

Sun, 03 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The engineer's first and foremost responsibility is to safeguard the public's health, safety, and welfare. - This paramount duty overrides all other obligations, including loyalty to an employer, client demands, or project budgets. - FE exam questions test this concept through situational scenarios involving conflicts of interest, pressure to compromise standards, and confidentiality dilemmas. - A common exam trap involves choosing an answer that delegates or ignores your personal ethical responsibility; the correct action is to refuse to comply with unsafe directives and report them through proper channels. - Use the mnemonic "Public over Paycheck" to quickly identify the correct course of action in complex ethics questions. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 5, Scoring, Cut Score, and Retake Strategy

Sat, 02 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The FE exam is strictly pass/fail; you will not receive a numerical score. - The passing standard is set by subject matter experts using the Modified Angoff method, not a fixed percentage. - A failing result includes a diagnostic report showing your performance by subject area compared to passing candidates. - NCEES policy allows one attempt per testing window and a maximum of three attempts in a 12-month period. - The most effective retake strategy involves using your diagnostic report to focus study efforts on your weakest areas. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 4, Navigating the Reference Handbook v10.0.1

Fri, 01 May 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why the NCEES FE Reference Handbook is a navigation test, not a memory test. - How to use the Ctrl+F search function as your primary problem-solving strategy. - To identify and avoid common exam traps related to unit conversions and formula selection. - The importance of downloading and practicing exclusively with the official, current PDF version. - A mental shortcut, "Search, Don't Scroll," to maximize your speed and efficiency during the exam. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 3, NCEES-Approved Calculators — HP 35s, TI-36X Pro, Casio fx-115/991

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The exact NCEES-approved calculator models for the FE exam (TI-36X Pro, Casio fx-115/991, HP 35s) and why graphing calculators are banned. - How to use advanced functions like matrix solvers and complex number operations to save critical time on exam problems. - The most common and costly calculator mistake involving Degrees and Radians mode that can invalidate your calculations. - The consequences of bringing a non-approved calculator to the test center and the importance of checking the official NCEES list. - A memorable mnemonic (M.O.D.E.) to ensure your calculator is always set up correctly to avoid unforced errors. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 2, CBT Mechanics — Pearson VUE Check-in, On-Screen Calculator, Breaks

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:05:24 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Arrive 30 minutes early with a valid, government-issued photo ID that exactly matches your NCEES registration name. - The 6-hour appointment includes a tutorial and a 25-minute scheduled break, with 5 hours and 20 minutes of actual testing time. - Rely on your own NCEES-approved physical calculator, as the provided on-screen version is inefficient for exam conditions. - The exam clock does not stop for unscheduled breaks, so any time away from your seat is time lost on the exam. - Use the 'flag for review' feature to manage your time, ensuring you answer all questions you know before returning to more difficult ones. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep

FE Exam Prep 1, What the FE Exam Is and Who Should Take It

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 03:58:00 -0700

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The FE exam is a 110-question, 5-hour and 20-minute computer-based test, representing the first step toward PE licensure. - While eligibility varies by state, the strategic time to take the exam is during your senior year of an ABET-accredited engineering program. - Passing the exam grants you the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Engineer Intern (EI) designation, a key credential for your early career. - A common exam trap is underestimating the NCEES Reference Handbook; success hinges on your speed and efficiency in using this searchable PDF. - The exam is comprehensive, covering the broad range of subjects from a typical undergraduate engineering curriculum. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep