Formula Wheel,,Not allowed at testing center {help}!!!

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Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
You would be surprised that what people think they know.

Can you splice conductors in a panel? In an LB? The mythical 100-foot raceway rule. Even this forum is littered with questions from the Urban Legend Electrical Code.

A classic question is : The owner of a custom home wants to add 17 receptacles in the dwelling. How many Volt-amps does that add to the service calculation?

Sometimes, a question will revolve around a specific word in a code reference. Is it 'guard', 'protect', 'preserve' or 'secure'? YOU may know what the Code means, but what does it SAY?




Charlie's Rule.
So what's wrong with trick questions. it's the job of the applicant to know what is right well enough to do the correct job. That is why there is th test. Tell me you really would like to have hired the guy who is constantly looking in the code book to guide him through your project. Comon that is like having your Heart surgeon reading the manual while he has your chest cracked open.
I realize that even Einstein said something like " never commit to memory what you can find in a book" However the test is not designed for 100% knowledge just the minimum competency to pass and do competent work.
 

Duke_Nukem

New member
You are freaking out and trying to think too hard about it. You really only need to remember 2 of the formulas and the rest is simple substitution.

P = VI

and

V = IR

If you cant do squares and square roots then you should just skip the math like someone else mentioned.
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
You are freaking out and trying to think too hard about it. You really only need to remember 2 of the formulas and the rest is simple substitution.

P = VI

and

V = IR

If you cant do squares and square roots then you should just skip the math like someone else mentioned.

Welcome to the forum.:)

I agree. I try to teach my apprentices that exact principal. Just remember E=I*R and P=I*E and you should be able to derive the rest of the formula wheel from the to base formulas.

Chris
 

Besoeker

Senior Member
Location
UK
Because the variables V, C, and W were already taken in other mathematical and scientific circles.

C is the speed of light, for one.

I think it's c not C.
R, L, and C, are often used for the basic passive elements in electrical circuits.
C and R are obvious, I suppose. But L for inductance....isn't so obvious.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
....." However the test is not designed for 100% knowledge just the minimum competency to pass and do competent work.

Isn't that the same as saying you're not expected to memorize everything, but at least know where to look it up?

Unless someone else can come up with a plausable reason for the open-book section of the test..........
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
Maybe the same thing I don't necessarily agree. I have heard the testing centers in my state say just what I wrote " However the test is not designed for 100% knowledge just the minimum competency to pass and do competent work"
Even in school or college passing is around 70% correct. In my interpetation is that if you know 70% well you can look up the rest as needed. Just not while I test you.
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
No, A = amps, the unit of measure for I.

It's no wonder people get confused.

ohmspie-450x450.gif
 

tunny

Member
Thanks guys,, I actually remember 8 of them and can do all the math.Just finished re reading Mike Holts theory book and I can do all the math, not a big deal. I've allways been real good with code remembering and quoteing art numbers and content. Familiar with all the use of the charts in the back of NEC. My problem like someone said is I over think it, and freak out inside. I'm gonna do the code class I think it's Chec's or something in Bordentown NJ, I have it saved, gonna send my dep tommorow.Like I said took test's for 5yrs of NJ apprenticeship don't know why this one is twisting me up.Some reason word qeustons mess me up, even when I know the answer it's like I don't get the qeuston clearly.
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
If you just relax....
take the test ~ know what you know, don't know what you don't know.....
review to be sure you answered all questions...
You will pass....
with an 86....
and 7.5 minutes to spare.
 

tunny

Member
lol, No wonder they drank so much back then,,:)..Just spoke with Alan Chech gonna take his code class.I can see from the replys what happened in Fl.,Tackled Math first ,checked and re-checked..Dat's a no, no. By the time I came to the other parts of test my brain was fried,,,lol. Knew most of it except the look up ones which I did pretty fast, but it was already too late lingered on math and re-checking and ran short on time .Just need some test taking structure I think and the pre-exam course will help...
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Just need some test taking structure I think ....


In nutshell:
Know what you, don't know what you don't know.

You're not going to have an epiphany during the test and become an electrical God.
:D


Have they gone "computer" with the test yet?


EDIT:
BTW, can you put your location in your profile?
 

tunny

Member
O,k, ,,I got it..Been there done that...But Test structure is far from a message from God or the Electrical god. And "we" are converising , via: the "computor".. My ephithical electric God will be instructing me every Sat for 8 hours. I don't think that will have any adverse effect on my test taking capibilities,,,,,,,,,,lol.,,,:).
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
O,k, ,,I got it..Been there done that...But Test structure is far from a message from God or the Electrical god. And "we" are converising , via: the "computor".. My ephithical electric God will be instructing me every Sat for 8 hours. I don't think that will have any adverse effect on my test taking capibilities,,,,,,,,,,lol.,,,:).


You're in/testing in NJ right?
I am wondering [although you may not be able to answer this]....if NJ has gone to an all computerized test procedure.

You see, this will alter the "test taking structure"....when I tested, it was pen and paper ~ I could start at the back of the test.
Today - if computerized - you might be allowed only a certain number of "skips" before being "forced" to answer a real brain scratcher.
 
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