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About this exam

Tecnologia i Enginyeria II is the second-year technology subject of the Catalan batxillerat, and its PAU examination is the university-access test taken by students who want engineering, architecture or science degrees to count this subject in their admission mark. It is also sat by candidates improving their score in later calls. The exam is a written paper in Catalan, structured in sections with elective questions, and it rewards worked solutions rather than memorised definitions: you will calculate, justify, sketch and interpret. Content spans materials and their selection, mechanical transmission and machine elements, DC/AC circuits, control and automation, pneumatics and hydraulics, manufacturing processes, technical drawing conventions, energy and sustainability, and project methodology. Because it mixes numerical problems with graphical and short-answer items, preparation should be active from the start: rebuild the formula sheet yourself, practise full problems under time pressure, draw schematics by hand until conventions are automatic, and mark your work against the official model exams and marking criteria published by the Generalitat's university-access body. Confirm the current structure, duration and scoring rules on the official call for your session, since these are set by the administering body and can change between years. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any official institution.

What you'll study

Common questions

About Catalonia PAU Technology and Engineering II preparation

What does the exam actually look like on the day?

Expect a written paper in Catalan divided into sections, typically offering elective questions so you choose part of the content. Items combine numerical problems needing full working, short justification questions, and graphical tasks such as views, sections or circuit and pneumatic schematics. The exact section layout, number of questions and choice rules are published in the official call and in the model exams - check those for your session rather than relying on past patterns.

How long is the exam and what score do I need?

Duration, total marks and the minimum score are fixed by the administering body for each call and are not stable facts to memorise. Read them on the official university-access website together with the model exam instructions. As a planning rule, budget roughly one minute per mark and practise whole papers with a timer so the real duration feels familiar.

How hard is it compared with the school course?

The difficulty is similar in content but higher in pace and independence. School tests often signal which method to use; PAU problems usually require you to choose the model, state assumptions and carry units through. Students who lose marks usually do so through procedure - missing units, unlabelled diagrams, unjustified choices - rather than through unknown theory. Practising complete problems with strict marking is the fastest way to close that gap.

Can I retake it, and how many times?

Retake rules, call frequency and any limits are set by the official body and change over time, so confirm them on its website before planning. In practice, candidates often sit the exam in more than one call to raise their admission mark. If you are retaking, focus on the sections where you lost the most marks last time instead of restarting the whole syllabus.

In what order should I study the topics?

Start with the quantitative cores - circuits, mechanics and pneumatics - because they build calculation fluency used elsewhere. Then add materials and manufacturing, which are more descriptive but appear in justification questions. Finish with drawing conventions and project methodology, which are quick to secure but easy to neglect. Interleave past-paper practice from week one rather than saving it for the end.

What are the most common ways candidates lose marks?

Unlabelled or unscaled diagrams, missing or wrong units, answers without justification, and skipped intermediate steps that the marking scheme rewards. In drawing items, ignoring standard conventions such as line types and correct section hatching costs easy points. In circuits and mechanics, sign errors and mixing series/parallel or ratio directions are frequent. Read the marking criteria for model exams and grade your own attempts against them.

Do I need to memorise formulas?

You should know the core formulas cold, but memorisation alone is not enough: you must select the right one and explain why. Build a one-page sheet per block in your own handwriting, then test yourself by reconstructing it from memory. Check the official instructions for your session to see what reference material, if any, is permitted in the exam room.

How should I use the official model exams?

Treat them as the primary resource. Sit one cold at the start to diagnose weaknesses, then work through them by topic, and finish with full timed attempts in the final weeks. After each attempt, mark strictly against the published criteria and log every lost mark by cause - concept, procedure or presentation - so revision targets the real problem.

Is this page an official source?

No. This is independent study material written for candidates searching this exam; it is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to any university, government body or examination board. Always verify structure, dates, fees and scoring on the official university-access website for Catalonia before making decisions about your sitting.