Test Question

Status
Not open for further replies.

Lemuel

Member
Where is the answer to this one in the code book? It was on the Person Vue 701 Test.

Where EMT is running through the attic it shall be _______________ inches from the metal roof.

A)2
B)3
C)5
D)6
 

westernexplorer

Senior Member
The OP is not posting the correct choices for this question. His memory and the exam are somewhat different.... I would bet money on it.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Since the metal pan is usually 1.5" deep and you need to be 1.5" below the lowest point it needs to be 3" below the upper surface. But I agree that in the context of the question the correct answer is not there.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Art. 300.4(E) is quite clear in stating 1 1/2" from the nearest surface. The question should follow that thinking.

How would anyone expect a newbie or even experienced electrician, like myself :), to know the pan is 1 1/2" deep. Another example of a poor question.
 

nakulak

Senior Member
if that really was the test question (verbatim), then the answer would be a, because any other answer would be more wrong (or as they say back home, wronger).
 

Lemuel

Member
Well that was the answers given to chose from, I hold unrestricted license in four state and know the code pretty good.
 

nakulak

Senior Member
IMO when given 4 wrong answers to a question, the answer closest to correct is often the answer the tester is looking for. Of course, you can argue this till the cows come home.
 

westernexplorer

Senior Member
Well that was the answers given to chose from, I hold unrestricted license in four state and know the code pretty good.

What's your point...? We all know there are a few bad questions on exams. I have found and challenged several questions over the years on Pearson Vue, Prometric, ProV, Block & Ass., LaserGrade. They usually call me or send me a letter after the exam thanking and thats it. However, the bad question was never enough of a factor to determine whether I would have passed the exam or not. My point is, if you needed that question to pass, then you have bigger problems than that question...LOL. If not, then you can count yourself lucky enough to have found a bad question and point it out, then my hats off to you....
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
What's your point...? We all know there are a few bad questions on exams. I have found and challenged several questions over the years on Pearson Vue, Prometric, ProV, Block & Ass., LaserGrade. They usually call me or send me a letter after the exam thanking and thats it. However, the bad question was never enough of a factor to determine whether I would have passed the exam or not. My point is, if you needed that question to pass, then you have bigger problems than that question...LOL. If not, then you can count yourself lucky enough to have found a bad question and point it out, then my hats off to you....


The point is, this is one question where the test writer's mistake is obvious. Where are the questions where the mistake is not obvious?

I recall taking my Master Electrician exam. I challenged eight questions outright. They were either poorly worded, contained first-year errors (one calculated the answers in Ohms Law using a parallel circuit, but showed a series circuit in the question), two referenced Code sections that no longer existed, one referenced an obsolete Article etc.

When I contacted the company giving the test, of course they were very defensive. But their stance was basically, "We don't make mistakes", despite the fact I pointed out at least eight glaring errors.

When they asked why it made a differece, I said the same as I stated before....Where are the mistakes I cannot see?

For instance, let's say a test writer needs a calculation question. So the question is: "A 20-unit apartment building, each apartment having this, this and this, the house panel has this and this. Calculate the load on the service neutral".

Pretty straightforward, you'd think. But let's say the test writer did the calculation based on 30 units, and not 20. Now I come along and take the test, using 20 apartments in my calcs, and come up with an answer. But it's not there, because the 4 possibilities are based on 30. So I guess the closest and am considered wrong. Even though I came up with the correct answer.
 

yired29

Senior Member
Art. 300.4(E) is quite clear in stating 1 1/2" from the nearest surface. The question should follow that thinking.

How would anyone expect a newbie or even experienced electrician, like myself :), to know the pan is 1 1/2" deep. Another example of a poor question.

Am I missing something 2005 NEC 300.4 D or E 1 1/4" not 1 1/2" and I would probably reference 300.4 D for this question. I agree the correct answer is not available.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Am I missing something 2005 NEC 300.4 D or E 1 1/4" not 1 1/2" and I would probably reference 300.4 D for this question. I agree the correct answer is not available.


You still slopping around in the '05? Some of us are in the '08. Art. 300.4(E) has been re-written in the '08
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top