Effective July 1st, 2020, these are the categories and subcategories specified by the NCEES that this discipline covers. It includes an estimate of the number of questions you will see on the official exam for each category. We've covered the specification changes in this blog post. PrepFE provides hundreds of questions in proportional amounts to the official exam.
For the prior categories and topics that were discontinued at the end of June, 2020, please see the categories here.
Analytic geometry
Calculus (e.g., differential, integral, single-variable, multivariable)
Ordinary differential equations (e.g., homogeneous, nonhomogeneous, Laplace transforms)
Linear algebra (e.g., matrix operations, vector analysis)
Numerical methods (e.g., approximations, precision limits, error propagation, Taylor's series, Newton's method)
Algorithm and logic development (e.g., flowcharts, pseudocode)
Probability distributions (e.g., normal, binomial, empirical, discrete, continuous)
Measures of central tendencies and dispersions (e.g., mean, mode, standard deviation, confidence intervals)
Expected value (weighted average) in decision making
Regression (linear, multiple), curve fitting, and goodness of fit (e.g., correlation coefficient, least squares)
Codes of ethics (e.g., NCEES Model Law, professional and technical societies, ethical and legal considerations)
Public health, safety, and welfare
Intellectual property (e.g., copyright, trade secrets, patents, trademarks)
Societal considerations (e.g., economic, sustainability, life-cycle analysis, environmental)
Time value of money (e.g., equivalence, present worth, equivalent annual worth, future worth, rate of return, annuities)
Cost types and breakdowns (e.g., fixed, variable, incremental, average, sunk)
Economic analyses (e.g., cost-benefit, break-even, minimum cost, overhead, life cycle)
Electrical fundamentals (e.g., charge, current, voltage, resistance, power, energy, magnetic flux)
DC circuit analysis (e.g., Kirchhoff's laws, Ohm's law, series, parallel)
AC circuit analysis (e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors)
Motors and generators
Resultants of force systems
Concurrent force systems
Equilibrium of rigid bodies
Frames and trusses
Centroids and moments of inertia
Static friction
Kinematics of particles
Kinetic friction
Newton’s second law for particles
Work-energy of particles
Impulse-momentum of particles
Kinematics of rigid bodies
Newton’s second law for rigid bodies
Work-energy of rigid bodies
Impulse-momentum of rigid bodies
Free and forced vibrations
Shear and moment diagrams
Stress transformations and Mohr's circle
Stress and strain caused by axial loads
Stress and strain caused by bending loads
Stress and strain caused by torsional loads
Stress and strain caused by shear
Stress and strain caused by temperature changes
Combined loading
Deformations
Column buckling
Statically indeterminate systems
Properties (e.g., chemical, electrical, mechanical, physical, thermal)
Stress-strain diagrams
Ferrous metals
Nonferrous metals
Engineered materials (e.g., composites, polymers)
Manufacturing processes
Phase diagrams, phase transformation, and heat treating
Materials selection
Corrosion mechanisms and control
Failure mechanisms (e.g., thermal failure, fatigue, fracture, creep)
Fluid properties
Fluid statics
Energy, impulse, and momentum
Internal flow
External flow
Compressible flow (e.g., Mach number, isentropic flow relationships, normal shock)
Power and efficiency
Performance curves
Scaling laws for fans, pumps, and compressors
Properties of ideal gases and pure substances
Energy transfers
Laws of thermodynamics
Processes
Performance of components
Power cycles
Refrigeration and heat pump cycles
Nonreacting mixtures of gases
Psychrometrics
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) processes
Combustion and combustion products
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Transient processes
Heat exchangers
Sensors and transducers
Control systems (e.g., feedback, block diagrams)
Dynamic system response
Measurement uncertainty (e.g., error propagation, accuracy, precision, significant figures)
Stress analysis of machine elements
Failure theories and analysis
Deformation and stiffness
Springs
Pressure vessels and piping
Bearings
Power screws
Power transmission
Joining methods (e.g., welding, adhesives, mechanical fasteners)
Manufacturability (e.g., limits, fits)
Quality and reliability
Components (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, electromechanical)
Engineering drawing interpretations and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)