Engineering Exam Prep

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to convert between bearings and azimuths to correctly apply latitude and departure formulas. - The critical sign conventions for latitudes (N+/S−) and departures (E+/W−) that are common exam traps. - The process for calculating the error of closure in a traverse and adjusting it using the Compass Rule. - How...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The Height of Instrument (HI) is calculated by adding the Backsight (BS) to a known elevation point (HI = Elev + BS). - A new point's elevation is found by subtracting the Foresight (FS) from the Height of Instrument (New Elev = HI - FS). - A Turning Point (TP) is used to move t...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The four leading causes of construction fatalities, known as OSHA's Focus Four, are falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution. - Fall protection is required at heights of 6 feet or more, while trenching protective systems are mandatory for depths of 5 feet or greater. - The three OSHA soil classifications (Type A, B, a...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to differentiate between Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV), and Actual Cost (AC). - How to calculate and interpret Schedule Variance (SV) and Cost Variance (CV) to determine project status. - How to calculate and interpret Schedule Performance Index (SPI) and Cost Performance Index (CPI). - To identify common FE e...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The Critical Path is the longest duration path in a project network, and its activities have zero Total Float. - How to perform a Forward Pass to calculate the earliest start (ES) and earliest finish (EF) times for all project activities. - How to execute a Backward Pass to determine the l...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The six NAAQS criteria pollutants are Ozone (O₃), Particulate Matter (PM₂.₅/PM₁₀), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and Lead (Pb). - Primary NAAQS are designed to protect human health, while secondary standards protect public welfare, such as crops and visibility. - The Gaussian plume model, found in the NCEES FE Re...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The key difference between BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) for exam purposes. - How to conceptually understand the Dissolved Oxygen (DO) sag curve resulting from wastewater discharge. - The roles of the deoxygenation (k_d) and reaeration (k_r) rates in the Streeter-Phelps equation. - How to c...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The F/M ratio is the daily mass of incoming BOD (food) divided by the total mass of microorganisms (MLVSS) in the aeration tank. - The core formula is F/M = (Q × S₀) / (V × X), found in the Environmental Engineering section of the NCEES Handbook. - A critical exam trap is disti...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The correct sequence of the five main steps in a conventional drinking water treatment train. - How coagulation uses chemicals like alum to neutralize particle charges, enabling floc formation. - The critical difference between the rapid mix of coagulation and the slow mix of flocculation. - How to perform a CT c...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply Webster's optimal cycle length formula, C₀ = (1.5L + 5)/(1 − Y), for signal timing problems. - The critical distinction between the 'Y' for the sum of critical flow ratios and the 'Y' for the yellow interval calculation, a common exam trap. - The purpose of the AASHTO Structural Number (SN) in repre...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How Level of Service (LOS) A through F provides a qualitative grade for traffic conditions. - The correct formula for Peak Hour Factor (PHF) and how to apply it to find the design flow rate. - How to use Passenger Car Equivalents (PCEs) to account for the impact of heavy vehicles o...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The fundamental relationship of traffic flow is q = u·k, where q is flow (veh/hr), u is speed (mph), and k is density (veh/mile). - The Greenshields model provides a linear relationship between speed and density: u = u_f(1 − k/k_j), where u_f is free-flow speed and k_j...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A mass diagram plots cumulative earthwork, where rising slopes mean cut and falling slopes mean fill. - Balance points on the diagram show where the total cut equals the total fill between two stations. - The difference between free haul (cost included in excavation) and overhaul (paid separately for longer distances). ...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to correctly apply the K-Value formula (L = K*A) to determine the required length of a vertical curve. - The key design difference between crest curves (stopping sight distance) and sag curves (headlight sight distance). - How to calculate 'A', the algebraic difference in grades, and avoid the common exam t...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The difference between the arc and chord definitions for Degree of Curve, and which to expect on the FE Exam. - The correct formula to calculate the Tangent Length (T) and its role in locating the PC and PT from the PI. - The critical mistake to avoid when calculating the P...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply the Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) formula from the NCEES FE Reference Handbook. - The critical sign convention for positive (uphill) and negative (downhill) grades in SSD calculations. - The purpose of superelevation in horizontal curve design and how to use the point-mass formula. - How to balance superelevation (e...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to differentiate between at-rest (K_0), active (K_a), and passive (K_p) lateral earth pressures and select the correct formula. - A mnemonic to remember that active pressure (wall moves Away) is smaller than passive pressure (wall Pushes). - How to apply Terzaghi's ultimate bearing capacity equation and find the N...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion for different soil types on the FE Civil exam. - The critical difference between drained (effective stress) and undrained (total stress) analysis for clays. - Why the friction angle is considered zero in an undrained analysis of saturated clay. - How to determine undrained s...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to calculate the total primary consolidation settlement using the Compression Index (Cc) formula. - The critical importance of correctly calculating initial and final effective vertical stresses at the clay layer's midpoint. - How to use the time factor (Tv) equation to determine how long it will take to reach a c...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The fundamental effective stress equation is: Effective Stress (σ') = Total Stress (σ) - Pore Water Pressure (u). - Total stress represents the weight of all materials (soil and water) above a point, calculated by summing the unit weight times the thickness for each layer. - Pore water pressure is the pressure from the...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply Darcy's Law (q=kiA) to calculate the volumetric flow rate of water through a soil sample. - The correct way to determine the hydraulic gradient (i = Δh/L) and avoid common exam traps related to head loss and flow path length. - How to use a flow net to...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - To differentiate Standard (ASTM D698) and Modified (ASTM D1557) Proctor tests by their compactive energy. - How the compaction curve plots dry unit weight versus water content to find the maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content. - The essential formula for converting total (moist) unit weight to dry unit w...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The three-phase soil diagram (solids, water, air) is the foundation for all geotechnical weight-volume problems on the FE Civil exam. - How to master the critical difference between void ratio (e = Vv/Vs) and porosity (n = Vv/V_total), a common exam trap. - Why the relationship Se = wGs is a p...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical first step in soil classification is determining if it's coarse or fine-grained based on the 50% rule for the No. 200 sieve. - How to classify coarse-grained soils as gravel (G) or sand (S), and then as well-graded (W) or poorly-graded (P) using gradation data. - How to use the Atterberg L...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to differentiate between one-way and two-way slabs using the long-to-short side ratio of 2.0. - Why one-way slabs are analyzed as wide beams with load transfer occurring primarily in the short direction. - The definition of development length (l_d) and its importance for achieving the rebar's full yield strength. - H...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The key difference between tied and spiral columns and why spirals are more ductile. - How to apply the correct strength reduction factors (φ): 0.65 for tied and 0.75 for spiral columns. - To master the formula for nominal axial capacity (Pn) and the adjustment factor for maximum capacity (α = 0.80 for tied, 0.85 for spiral). - How...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply the Whitney Stress Block to find the moment capacity of a reinforced concrete beam. - The critical equilibrium equation, C = T, that forms the basis of the calculation. - A step-by-step process for solving for the design moment capacity, φMn, in an exam-style problem. - Common traps on th...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The fundamental difference in load transfer between bearing-type (shear and bearing) and slip-critical (friction) bolted connections. - How to identify critical failure modes for bearing connections, such as bolt shear and plate bearing, as presented in the NCEES Handbook. - The importance of correctly identifying bolt type (A325 vs. A490) and t...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to correctly calculate the slenderness ratio (KL/r) for steel columns. - The importance of selecting the correct effective length factor (K) based on column end conditions. - Why the weak-axis radius of gyration (r_y) is the critical value for buckling in unbraced wide-flange shapes. - How to apply t...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The difference between the plastic modulus (Z) and elastic modulus (S), and how to calculate the plastic moment (Mp). - How Lateral-Torsional Buckling (LTB) can reduce a steel beam's capacity based on its unbraced length (Lb). - The three LTB zones defined by the limiting lengths Lp and Lr, and which e...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to calculate the distributed dead load of a structural member using its dimensions and material density. - That live loads are provided on the exam and depend on the specific building occupancy described in the problem. - The difference between seismic weight (W) and wind load (W), a common source o...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The core design philosophy of Allowable Stress Design (ASD) and its reliance on a single factor of safety. - The fundamental equation for Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) and how it accounts for uncertainty on both the load and resistance sides. - How to apply the correct load and resistance f...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The fundamental principle of detention basins: limiting post-development outflow to pre-development rates. - How to apply the storage routing equation: Change in Storage = Inflow Volume - Outflow Volume. - The key differences between inlet control and outlet control for culvert hydraulics. - The critical rule for determining the controlling flow condition i...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A unit hydrograph represents the direct runoff from exactly one inch (or cm) of effective rainfall over a specific duration. - To calculate a storm hydrograph, you multiply the unit hydrograph's flow rates by the actual depth of effective rainfall. - The most frequent exam trap is using total rainfall instead o...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The direct application of the Rational Method formula, Q = CiA, for peak runoff calculations. - The critical importance of using the correct, non-intuitive units: cubic feet per second (cfs) for Q, inches/hour for rainfall intensity (i), and acres for area (A). - How to calculate a weighted-average runoff coefficient (C) f...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That Manning's equation has two forms; the 1.49 constant must only be used for US Customary units, while SI units use a constant of 1.0. - How to correctly calculate the hydraulic radius (R) as the flow area (A) divided by the wetted perimeter (P), ensuring not to include the top water surface i...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to find the system's operating point by intersecting the pump curve and system curve. - The critical difference between fluid power and brake horsepower, including the role of pump efficiency. - How the system curve is determined by static head and dynamic (friction) losses. - The definition of cavitation and w...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The fundamental difference between major losses (pipe friction) and minor losses (fittings, valves, bends). - How to decide whether to use the universal Darcy-Weisbach equation or the water-only Hazen-Williams equation. - The correct procedure for using the Reynolds number and Moody Diagram to find the Darcy friction factor 'f'. - Common F...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to calculate the Reynolds Number and ensure unit consistency, a common exam trap. - The critical thresholds for laminar and turbulent flow as defined in the NCEES FE Reference Handbook. - A step-by-step process for finding the friction factor using the Moody Diagram with relative roughness (ε/D). - How to ap...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The Continuity Equation (A1V1 = A2V2) applies to incompressible flow and shows how fluid velocity must increase as the cross-sectional area decreases. - Bernoulli's equation is a statement of energy conservation for an ideal fluid, balancing pressure head, velocity head, and elevation head, but it is only valid for steady, i...