Need help with an open ended question on experior Master exam

[RAMSES79]

I've been studying for the experior Master exam and have been using the practice exams from experior. I came across a question last night that I think could have two possible answers. I would like some advice incase I happen to come across this specific question. Here it is:

Coaxial cable used for a CATV distribution system shall have a seperation of at least ( ) mm from electric light and power conductors.

a. 4
b. 25
c. 100
d. none of these

While looking for the answer I found 100mm for outside and entering a building and 50mm inside a building. So, which would I go with here? The question didn't specifically say which they wanted and you could answer either c or d. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[charlie b]

This is a particularly badly written question. I say ?particularly bad? because I can come up with two very good reasons why a particular answer is your best bet, and the two answers are different. But here are my two reasons anyway, just in case there is any possibility that it won?t confuse you further, and that it might help.

Reason 1: The best answer is ?C,? because the answer ?100? is correct for at least one possible installation. Since ?100? might be a correct answer, we infer that ?none of the above? can be correct.

Reason 2: The best answer is ?D,? because the question addresses a ?distribution system.? You don?t have a distribution system outside the building. You begin the distribution once you get inside the building. So therefore the correct distance is 50mm, and that is not on the list, so ?none of the above? is the correct answer.

All that nonsense being said, what I would actually do is give the answer ?C.? I suggest that you don?t treat the test question author as being a devious and conniving person. My guess is that the author was reading through the code book and saw a requirement for 100 mm, and didn?t see that there was a different requirement for 50mm. So the question was written on the basis of the requirement that he or she did find.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[cpal]

Mass used expeior for quite a while as their testing agent, there were many appeals because of the way the questions were presented , worded, or for content. Those that missed by one or two queestions were always encouraged to appeal the questions and in many instances they were granted a license.

MA now uses a different vendor,although the reason presented was economics.

 

[Bernard1599]

I would choose the answer (D) based on NEC '08 Section 820.133(A)(2)