FET study guide
FET · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
FET - expanded on this page as the Fundamentals of Engineering Test - is a broad, computer-delivered examination of the technical core that most engineering disciplines share. Rather than probing one specialty deeply, it samples mathematics and numerical methods, probability and statistics, ethics and engineering economics, statics and dynamics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer, electrical circuits, instrumentation and control, and design and safety practice. The FET study guide has 10 sections and about 3,094 words.
01Mathematics and Numerical Methods
The FE mathematics section tests whether you can set up and solve engineering math quickly and recognize when a numerical method will misbehave. Expect algebra, trigonometry, analytic geometry, differential and integral calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, and numerical techniques such as root finding, interpolation, and integration.
322 words, about 2 min02Probability, Statistics, and Data Analysis
Probability and statistics questions test whether you choose the right model, compute conditional probabilities correctly, and interpret data without overclaiming. P(A∪B) = P(A) + P(B) − P(A∩B); mutually exclusive events have P(A∩B) = 0.
275 words, about 1 min03Ethics, Professional Practice, and Engineering Economics
Professional practice questions test judgment under the NCEES Model Rules, where the engineer's first obligation is public health, safety, and welfare. Economics questions test whether you can compare alternatives on a consistent time basis.
310 words, about 2 min04Statics and Dynamics (Rigid-Body Mechanics)
Rigid-body mechanics rewards free-body discipline: if the diagram is right, the equations are usually straightforward. Equilibrium: ΣF = 0 and ΣM = 0; a 2D problem gives three independent equations.
310 words, about 2 min05Mechanics of Materials and Engineering Materials
This area tests the stress–strain relationships and the geometric properties behind them; the materials portion tests structure–property relationships and failure modes. Normal stress σ = P/A, strain ε = δ/L, and axial deformation δ = PL/(AE) for a uniform member.
293 words, about 1 min06Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics
Fluid mechanics tests conservation laws applied to real systems, from a tank draining through an orifice to a pump moving water through a pipe network. Continuity for incompressible flow: Q = A₁V₁ = A₂V₂.
314 words, about 2 min07Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, and Energy Systems
Thermodynamics questions test property relationships and cycle analysis; heat transfer questions test which mode dominates and how to build a thermal resistance network. Steady-flow first law: Q − W = ΔH + ΔKE + ΔPE.
328 words, about 2 min08Electrical Circuits, Power, and Electronics
Circuit questions reward systematic reduction: series and parallel combinations, node equations, and source transformations. Power questions test single- and three-phase relationships along with power-factor correction.
342 words, about 2 min09Instrumentation, Measurement, and Control Systems
Instrumentation questions test whether you can quantify what a measurement means; control questions test loop structure, tuning, and stability. Accuracy is closeness to the true value; precision is repeatability.
303 words, about 2 min10Engineering Design, Systems, and Safety
Design and systems questions test whether you can turn requirements into a safe, reliable, maintainable system, and whether you know where safety effort belongs in the hierarchy of controls. Requirements must be measurable and traceable, and verified by analysis, inspection, demonstration, or test.
297 words, about 1 min