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In the actual workbooks, the questions, answers and narratives are listed separately to more reaslistically simulate a test-taking experience. In the examples below, the answers and narratives are listed directly after the question for illustrative purposes only.

The different exam areas are listed below. Click on a subject area to see sample questions from our workbooks:

- Construction Documents and Services
- General Structures
- Lateral Forces
- Materials and Methods
- Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Acoustical
- Pre-Design

Sample Questions from the
Construction Documents and Services Workbook

Sample Question 1
An owner's responsibility, under AIA B141 Owner-Architect contract:
A. Issues certificate of substantial completion
B. Furnishes all site information
C. Reviews the shop drawing
D. Prepares costs estimates

Answer with Narrative
An owner's responsibility under AIA B141, Owner-Architect contract, is to furnish all site information (Answer B).

This is indicated in Article 4 of the noted contract, paragraph 4.5. Also under this contract, the architect issues the Certificate of Substantial Completion (A) (Article 2, paragraph 2.6.10). Also, the architect reviews shop drawings (C)(Paragraph 2.6.12), and prepares cost estimates (D)(2.3.1).

Sample Question 2
During which of the following phases is the Architect required to submit a cost estimate (or revised estimate) to the Owner?
I. Schematic Design
II. Design Development
III. Contract Document
IV. Bidding or Negotiation
V. Contract Administration

Answer choices:
A. I, III, V
B. I, II, III
C. II, III, IV
D. III, IV, V

Answer with Narrative
The architect is required to submit a cost estimate (or revised estimate) to the Owner at the end of the Schematic Design (I) Phase. The architect also is required to review and revise this estimate, if necessary, at the end of the Design Development (II) phase and the Contract Document (III) phase. The correct answer is I, II, III (B).

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Sample Questions from the General Structures Workbook

Sample Question 1
A handrail 42 inches in height has vertical supports at 4 feet on center. If a force of
50 lbs./ lin. Ft. is applied to the handrail, what is the moment at the bottom of the vertical support?
A. 200 in. lbs.
B. 4,200 in. lbs.
C. 8,400 in. lbs.
D. 12,600 in. lbs.

Answer with Narrative
A moment is a force times a distance. With a force of 50 lbs. / linear foot, applied over 4 linear feet, the force will be equal to 50 lbs. / lin. Foot X 4 lin. Feet = 200 pounds. The moment will be (200 lbs.)(42 in.) = 8,400 in. lbs. (Answer C).

Sample Question 2
A simple beam 15 feet in length is subjected to a uniformly distributed load of 2,000 lbs. The value of the maximum vertical shear is:
A. 1,000 lbs
B. 2,000 lbs
C. 4,000 lbs
D. Unable to determine from given information

Answer with Narrative
When a simple beam 15 feet in length is subjected to a uniformly distributed load of 2,000 lbs, the value of the maximum vertical shear is 1,000 lbs (Answer A). With this condition, the value for both reactions would be 1,000 lbs. Constructing a shear diagram would indicate that the maximum vertical shear would be 1,000 lbs.

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Sample Questions from the Lateral Forces Workbook

Sample Question 1
A loss of soil bearing strength (for a building) as a result of a sudden rush of water to the surface of the earth is termed:

A. Drift
B. Soft story
C. Torsional rotation
D. None of the above

Answer with Narrative
A loss of soil bearing strength (for a building) as a result of sudden rush of water to the surface of the earth is termed Liquefaction. None of the above (answer D) is the correct answer. Drift (A) is the horizontal displacement of a building element due to a lateral force. Soft story (B) is the relative lack of stiffness of one story of a building relative to an adjacent story. Torsional rotation (C) is the rotation of a building in plan as a result of unsymmetrically located shear-resisting elements.

Sample Question 2
In a 5-story building the earthquake shear force at the roof line is ____________ the force at the forth story.

A. More than
B. Less than
C. Equal to
D. None of the above

Answer with Narrative
In a multi-story building the force near the top (roof) will be Less Than (answer B) the force at any level below the level in question. The earthquake force is directly related to the weight of the structure and the weight of the structure at, or near, the roof will be less than the cumulative weight below it.

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Sample Questions from the Materials and Methods Workbook

Sample Question 1
A measure utilized to determine the rapidity with which fire will spread across the surface of a material is termed:

A. Fire resistance
B. First stop
C. Flame spread rating
D. None of the above

Answer with Narrative
A measure utilized to determine the rapidity with which fire will spread across the surface of a material is termed the Flame spread rating (C). Fire resistance (A) is a characteristic of a material to resist fire. Firs stop (B) is an element inserted into a space to retard the spread of fire through the space.

Sample Question 2
What type of cement would be appropriate to use when soil conditions indicate a high-sulfate content:

A. Type II
B. Type III
C. Type IV
D. Type V

Answer with Narrative
The type of cement to use when soil conditions indicate a high-sulfate content is type V (D). Type II (A) is used when conditions indicate moderate heat or moderate sulfate. Type III (B) is a high-early cement, used when the 28-day waiting period for the concrete to reach its design strength is to be reduced. Type IV (C) is a low-heat cement, used when pouring large volumes of concrete as in a dam or a mat flooring.

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Sample Questions from the
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Acoustical Workbook

Sample Question 1
The latent heat of fusion is:

A. The specific amount of heat required to melt a solid creating a liquid
B. The specific amount of heat required to change a liquid into a gas
C. Enthalpy
D. None of the above

Answer with Narrative
The latent heat of fusion is the specific amount of heat required to melt a solid, creating a liquid (answer A). The specific amount of heat required to change a liquid into a gas (B) is the latent heat of evaporation. Enthalpy (C) is the sum of sensible and latent heat.

Sample Question 2
How many B.T.U./hr. flows through each square foot of wall if the R value is 12.5 with a temperature difference of 20-degrees between the two sides of the wall?

A. 1.2
B. 1.6
C. 10.3
D. 14.5

Answer with Narrative
1.6 BTUs/hr (answer B) flows through each square foot of wall, the R value of which is a temperature difference of 20-degrees between the two sides of the wall. An R value can be thought of as the number of hours required for 1 BTU to penetrate one square foot of a material for each degree of temperature difference between the two sides of the material. The overall coefficient of heat transfer is the reciprocal of R, called the U value. With an R value of 12.5, the U value = 1/12.5 = 0.08. The amount of BTUs that would flow through this wall would be (0.08.)(20-degrees) = 1.6 BTU/hr (answer B). Based upon this calculation, all of the other selections are incorrect.

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Sample Questions from the Pre-Design Workbook

Sample Question 1
A building lot of 200 ft. x 200 ft. is to have a finish elevation of 100.0'. The existing elevation at the four corners is 102.0', 104.0', 106.0', and 108.0'. The amount of cut will be approximately:

A. 3,800 cu. yd.
B. 7,400 cu. yd.
C. 12,500 cu. yd.
D. 40,000 cu. yd.

Answer with Narrative
A building lot of 200 ft. x 200 ft. is to have a finish elevation of 100.0'. The existing elevation at the four corners is 102.0', 104.0', 106.0', and 108.0'. The amount of cut for the described site will be approximately 7,400 cu. yd. (answer B). The soil to be cut would be the difference between 100.0' and the average of the soil height existing. This would be 2' + 4' + 6' + 8', divided by 4 = 5'. The cubic feet of cut would be 200' x 200' x 5' = 200,000 cubic feet. The selections are noted in cubic yards so that 200,000 cubic feet/27 cubic feet = 7,400 cubic yards (answer B). All other selections are incorrect.

Sample Question 2
The landscape architect for the Columbia Exposition of 1893 was:

A. Clarence Stein
B. Simon Eisner
C. Frederick Law Olmstead
D. Frank Lloyd Wright

Answer with Narrative
The landscape architect for the Columbia Exposition of 1893 was Frederick Law Olmstead (answer C). Clarence Stein (A) and Simon Eisner (B) have been involved in 20th Century planning. Frank Lloyd Wright (D) was not a landscape architect. A question such as this might be answered by a process of elimination if a little bit is known about several of the noted individuals.

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