FE Exam Specifications - Electrical & Computer Exam Current (Paper Based)
Beginning Jan. 2014 (CBT)
Indicates topic that was removed from specifications
Indicates topic that was added to specifications
Indicates topic that was moved
Indicates topic that was moved
AM 120 Questions, PM 60 Questions. Each part weighted 50%. AM I. Mathematics
Portion AM/PM
Portion of Exam
15%
7.5%
Knowledge (Number of Questions) 110 questions total 1. Mathematics (11–17)
A. Analytic geometry
A. Algebra and trigonometry
B. Integral calculus
B. Complex Numbers - moved from IX.
C. Matrix operations
C. Discrete mathematics
D. Roots of equations
D. Analytic geometry
E. Vector analysis
E. Calculus
F. Differential equations
F. Differential Equations
G. Differential calculus
G. Linear Algebra
Change
11%
3.5%
4%
0 . 5%
H. Vector Analysis
AM II. Engineering Probability and Statistics
7%
3.5%
2. Probability and Statistics (4–6)
A. Measures of central tendencies and dispersions dispersions (e.g., mean, mode, standard deviation)
A. Measures of central tendencies and dispersions (e.g., mean, mode, variance, standard deviation)
B. Probability distributions (e.g., discrete, continuous, continuous, normal, binomial)
B. Probability distributions (e.g., discrete, continuous, normal, binomial) C. Expected value (weighted average) in decision making
C. Conditional probabilities probabilities
D. Estimation for a single mean (e.g. point, confidence intervals, conditional probability)
D. Estimation (e.g., point, confidence intervals) for a single mean E. Regression and curve fitting F. Expected value (weighted average) in decision-making G. Hypothesis testing
AM III. III. Chemistry
9%
4.5%
Chemistry eliminated from specifications
-4.5%
7%
3.5%
See specification 17.
0%
-3.5%
7%
3.5%
3. Ethics and Professional Practice (3-5)
3%
-0.5%
3%
-1.0%
0%
-5.0%
A. Nomenclature B. Oxidation and reduction reduction C. Periodic table table D. States of matter E. Acids and bases F. Equations (e.g., stoichiometry) stoichiometry) G. Equilibrium H. Metals and nonmetals nonmetals
AM IV. IV. Computers A. Terminology (e.g., memory types, CPU, baud rates, Internet) B. Spreadsheets (e.g., addresses, interpretation, “what “what if,” copying formulas) C. Structured programming (e.g., assignment statements, loops and branches, function calls)
AM V. Ethics and Business Practices Practices
A. Codes of ethics (professional and technical technical societies)
A. Code of ethics (professional and technical technical societies) B. Agreements and contracts
B. NCEES Model Law and Model Rules C. Intellectual property (e.g. copyright, trade secrets, patents)
C. Ethical versus legal D. Professional liability liability E. Public protection issues (e.g., licensing boards)
AM VI. Engineering Economics
8%
4.0%
A. Discounted cash flow (e.g., equivalence, PW, equivalent annual , FW, rate of return)
4. Engineering Economics (3-5) (3-5) A. Time value of money (e.g. present value, future future value, annuities) B. Cost estimation
B. Cost (e.g., incremental, average, sunk, sunk, estimating) C. Analyses (e.g., breakeven, benefit-cost)
C. Risk identification
D. Uncertainty (e.g., expected value and risk)
D. Analysis (e.g. cost-benefit, trade-off, breakeven)
AM VII. Engineering Mechanics (Statics (Statics and Dynamics) A. Statics 1. Resultants of force systems 2. Concurrent force systems 3. Equilibrium of rigid bodies bodies 4. Frames and trusses 5. Centroid of area
10%
5.0%
Engineering Mechanics eliminated from specifications
6. Area moments of inertia 7. Friction
B. Dynamics 1. Linear motion (e.g., force, mass, acceleration, momentum) 2. Angular motion (e.g., torque, inertia, acceleration, momentum) 3. Mass moments of inertia 4. Impulse and momentum applied to: a. particles b. rigid bodies 5. Work, energy, and power as applied to: a. particles b. rigid bodies 6. Friction
AM VIII. Strength of Materials
7%
3.5%
7%
3.5%
Strength of Materials eliminated from specifications
0%
-3.5%
5. Properties of Electrical Materials (4-6)
4%
0.5%
Fluid Mechanics eliminated from specifications
0%
-3.5%
6. Engineering Sciences (6-9)
6%
1.5%
0%
-3.5%
A. Shear and moment diagrams B. Stress types (e.g., normal, shear, bending, torsion) C. Stress strain caused by: 1. axial loads 2. bending loads 3. torsion 4. shear D. Deformations (e.g., axial, bending, torsion) E. Combined stresses F. Columns G. Indeterminant analysis H. Plastic versus elastic deformation
AM IX. Material Properties A. Properties
A. Chemical (e.g. corrosion, ions, diffusion)
1. chemical
B. Electrical (e.g. conductivity, resistivity, permittivity, magnetic permeability)
2. electrical
C. Mechanical (e.g. piezoelectric, strength)
3. mechanical
D. Thermal (e.g. conductivity, expansion)
4. physical B. Corrosion mechanisms and control C. Materials 1. engineered materials 2. ferrous metals 3. nonferrous metals
AM X. Fluid Mechanics
7%
3.5%
9%
4.5%
A. Flow measurement B. Fluid properties C. Fluid statics D. Energy, impulse, and momentum equations E. Pipe and other internal flow
AM XI. Electricity and Magnetism A. Charge, energy, current, voltage, power
A. Work, energy, power, heat
B. Work done in moving a charge in an electric field
B. Charge, energy, current, voltage, power
(relationship between voltage and work)
C. Forces (e.g. between charges, on conductors) D. Work done in moving a charge in an electric field (relationship between voltage and work)
C. Force between charges D. Current and voltage laws (Kirchhoff, Ohm) - moved to new specifications 7. E. Equivalent circuits (series, parallel) - moved to new specifications 7.
E. Capacitance F. Inductance
F. Capacitance and inductance G. Reactance and impedance, susceptance and admittance moved to new specifications 7. H. AC circuits - moved to new specifications 7. I. Basic complex algebra - moved to new specifications 1.
AM XII. Thermodynamics A. Thermodynamic laws (e.g., 1st Law, 2nd Law) B. Energy, heat, and work C. Availability and reversibility D. Cycles E. Ideal gases
7%
3.5%
Thermodynamics eliminated from specifications
F. Mixture of gases G. Phase changes H. Heat transfer - moved to new specifications 5. I. Properties of: 1. enthalpy 2. entropy
PM I. Circuits
16%
8.0%
7. Circuit Analysis (DC and AC Steady State) (10-15)
A. KCL, KVL
A. KCL, KVL
B. Series/parallel equivalent circuits
B. Series/parallel equivalent circuits
C. Node and loop analysis
C. Thevenin and Norton theorems
D. Thevenin/Norton theorems E. Impedance
D. Node and loop analysis E. Waveform analysis (e.g. RMS, average, freqency, phase, wavelength)
F. Transfer Functions - moved to new specifications 8.
F. Phasors - moved from PM II.
G. Frequency/transient response - moved to new specifications 8.
G. Impedance
10%
2.0%
5%
5.0%
8%
1.5%
5%
1.5%
6%
1.0%
5%
0.5%
3%
3.0%
H. Resonance - moved to new specifications 8. I. Laplace transforms - moved to new specifications 8. J. 2-port theory - moved to new specifications 8. K. Filters (simple passive) - moved to new specifications 9.
8. Linear Systems (5-8) A. Frequency/transient response - moved from PM I. B. Resonance - moved from PM I. C. Laplace transforms - moved from PM I. D. Transfer Functions - moved from PM I. E. 2-port theory - moved from PM I.
PM II. Power
13%
6.5%
11. Power (8-12)
A. 3-phase
A. Single phase and three phase
B. Transmission lines
B. Transmission and distribution
C. Voltage regulation
C. Voltage regulation
D. Delta and wye
D. Transformers
E. Phasors - moved to new specifications 7.
E. Motors and generators
F. Motors
F. Power factor (pf)
G. Power electronics - moved to new specifications 10. H. Power factor (pf) I. Transformers
PM III. Electromagnetics
7%
3.5%
12. Electromagnetics (5-8)
A. Electrostatics/magnetostatics (e.g. measurement of spatial relationships, vector analysis)
A. Maxwell equations
B. Wave propagation
B. Electrostatics/magnetostatics (e.g. measurement of spatial relationships, vector analysis)
C. Transmission lines (high frequency)
C. Wave propagation D. Transmission lines (high frequency) E. Electromagnetic compatibility
PM IV. Control Systems
10%
5.0%
13. Control Systems (6-9)
A. Block diagrams (feed forward, feedback)
A. Block diagrams (feed forward, feedback)
B. Bode plots
B. Bode plots
C. Controller performance (gain, PID), steady-state errors
C. Closed-loop and open-loop response
D. Root locus
D. Controller performance (gain, PID), steady-state errors
E. Stability
E. Root locus F. Stability G. State variables
PM V. Communications
9%
4.5%
14. Communications (5-8)
A. B asic modulation/demodulation concepts (e.g. AM, FM, PCM)
A. B asic modulation/demodulation concepts (e.g. AM, FM, PCM)
B. Fourier transforms/Fourier series
B. Fourier transforms/Fourier series
C. Sampling theorem - moved to new specifications 9. D. Computer networks, including OSI model - moved to new specifications 15.
C. Multiplexing D. Digital communications
E. Multiplexing
15. Computer Networks (3-5) A. Routing and switching
B. Network topologies/frameworks/models C. Local area networks
PM VI. Signal Processing
8%
4.0%
9. Signal Processing (5-8)
A. Analog/digital conversion
A. Convolution (continuous and discrete)
B. Convolution (continuous and discrete)
B. Difference equations
C. Difference equations
C. Z-transforms
D. Z-transforms
5%
1.0%
7%
-0.5%
7%
1.0%
4%
-1.0%
4%
4.0%
100%
0%
D. Sampling (e.g. aliasing, Nyquist theorem) E. Analog filters F. Digital filters
PM VII. Electronics
15%
7.5%
A. Solid-state fundamentals (tunneling, diffusion/drift current, energy bands, doping bands, p-n theory)
10. Electronics (7-11)
B. Bias circuits
A. Solid-state fundamentals (tunneling, diffusion/drift current, energy bands, doping bands, p-n theory) B. Discrete devices (diodes, transistors, BJT, CMOS) and models and their performance
C. Differential amplifiers
C. Bias circuits
D. Discrete devices (diodes, transistors, BJT, CMOS) and models and their performance
D. Amplifiers (e.g. single-stage/common emitter, differential)
E. Operational amplifiers
E. Operational amplifiers (ideal, non-ideal)
F. Filters (active) - moved to new specifications 9.
F. Instrumentation (e.g. measurements, data acquisition, transducers)
G. Instrumentation (measurements, data acquisition, transducers)
G. Power electronics - moved from PM II.
PM VIII. Digital Systems
12%
6.0%
16. Digital Systems (7-11)
A. Numbering Systems
A. Number systems
B. Data path/control system design
B. Boolean logic
C. Boolean logic
C. Logic gates and circuits
D. Counters
D. Logic minimization (e.g. SOP, POS, Karnaugh maps)
E. Flip-flops
E. Flip-flops and counters
F. Programmable logic devices and gate arrays
F. Programmable logic devices and gate arrays
G. Logic gates and circuits
G. State machine design
H. Logic minimization (SOP, POS, Karnaugh maps)
H. Data path/controller design
I. State tables/diagrams
I. Timing (diagrams, asynchronous inputs, races, hazards)
J. Timing diagrams
PM IX. Computer Systems
10%
5.0%
17. Computer Systems (4-6)
A. Architecture (e.g. pipelining, cache memory)
A. Architecture (e.g. pipelining, cache memory)
B. Interfacing
B. Microprocessors
C. Microprocessors
C. Memory technology and systems
D. Memory technology and systems
D. Interfacing
E. Software design methods (structured, top-down, bottom-up, object-oriented design) - moved to new specifications 18. F. Software implementation (structured programming, algorithms, data structures) - moved to new specifications 18.
18. Software Development (4-6) A. Algorithms - moved from PM IX. B. Data Structures - moved from PM IX. C. Software design methods (structured, object-oriented design) moved from PM IX. D. Software implementation (e.g. procedural, scripting languages) - moved from PM IX. E. Software testing
Total
100%
