New York Principles and Practice of
Engineering (PE) Examination Practice
Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales
2025|2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf
1. Which professional duty takes precedence when project directives
conflict with public safety?
A) Loyalty to the employer
B) Meeting the project schedule
C) Protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public
D) Reducing project cost
Answer: C)
Rationale: Engineering codes place paramount responsibility on
public safety above schedule, cost, or employer interests.
,2. A critical path activity has ES=12 days and EF=18 days. If its duration
increases by 2 days, project completion will:
A) Decrease by 2 days
B) Not change
C) Increase by 2 days
D) Increase by 4 days
Answer: C)
Rationale: Critical path activities directly govern project finish;
increasing duration shifts completion by the same amount.
3. For a cash flow with uniform annual benefit A for n years at interest i,
the present worth P is:
A) P=A(1+i)nP = A(1+i)^nP=A(1+i)n
B) P=A i(1+i)nP = A\,i(1+i)^nP=Ai(1+i)n
C) P=A1−(1+i)−niP = A\frac{1-(1+i)^{-n}}{i}P=Ai1−(1+i)−n
D) P=A(1+i)n−1iP = A\frac{(1+i)^n-1}{i}P=Ai(1+i)n−1
Answer: C)
Rationale: This is the standard present-worth of a uniform series
(P/A,i,n) factor.
4. A 95% confidence interval for a mean narrows if:
A) Sample size decreases
B) Population variance increases
C) Sample size increases
D) Confidence level increases
, Answer: C)
Rationale: Larger n reduces standard error, tightening the interval,
other factors fixed.
5. A simply supported beam with midspan point load P has maximum
deflection proportional to:
A) PL/EIPL/EIPL/EI
B) PL2/EIPL^2/EIPL2/EI
C) PL3/EIPL^3/EIPL3/EI
D) PL4/EIPL^4/EIPL4/EI
Answer: C)
Rationale: For a central point load,
δmax=PL3/(48EI)\delta_{max}=PL^3/(48EI)δmax=PL3/(48EI);
dependence is cubic in span.
6. For a saturated soil, the effective stress at depth z is:
A) Total stress minus pore water pressure
B) σ′=σ−u\sigma' = \sigma - uσ′=σ−u
C) Pore water pressure only
D) Total stress only
Answer: B)
Rationale: Effective stress equals total stress less pore pressure;
governs strength and settlement.
7. The friction factor in fully rough turbulent pipe flow depends primarily
on:
, A) Reynolds number only
B) Relative roughness only
C) Pipe diameter only
D) Fluid viscosity only
Answer: B)
Rationale: At high Re in fully rough regime, f is a function of
ϵ/D\epsilon/Dϵ/D, largely independent of Re.
8. A refrigeration cycle’s coefficient of performance (COP) is:
A) Win/QoutW_{in}/Q_{out}Win/Qout
B) Qin/WoutQ_{in}/W_{out}Qin/Wout
C) QL/WinQ_L/W_{in}QL/Win
D) Win/QLW_{in}/Q_LWin/QL
Answer: C)
Rationale: For refrigerators, COP = desired effect (heat removed from
low T) divided by work input.
9. In three-phase power, real power P for a balanced Y-connected load
is:
A) P=3 VLILcosϕP=\sqrt{3}\,V_L I_L \cos\phiP=3VLILcosϕ
B) P=3 VLILcosϕP=\sqrt{3}\,V_L I_L \cos\phiP=3VLILcosϕ
C) P=3 VPIPsinϕP=3\,V_P I_P \sin\phiP=3VPIPsinϕ
D) P=VLILP=V_L I_LP=VLIL
Answer: B)
Engineering (PE) Examination Practice
Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales
2025|2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf
1. Which professional duty takes precedence when project directives
conflict with public safety?
A) Loyalty to the employer
B) Meeting the project schedule
C) Protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public
D) Reducing project cost
Answer: C)
Rationale: Engineering codes place paramount responsibility on
public safety above schedule, cost, or employer interests.
,2. A critical path activity has ES=12 days and EF=18 days. If its duration
increases by 2 days, project completion will:
A) Decrease by 2 days
B) Not change
C) Increase by 2 days
D) Increase by 4 days
Answer: C)
Rationale: Critical path activities directly govern project finish;
increasing duration shifts completion by the same amount.
3. For a cash flow with uniform annual benefit A for n years at interest i,
the present worth P is:
A) P=A(1+i)nP = A(1+i)^nP=A(1+i)n
B) P=A i(1+i)nP = A\,i(1+i)^nP=Ai(1+i)n
C) P=A1−(1+i)−niP = A\frac{1-(1+i)^{-n}}{i}P=Ai1−(1+i)−n
D) P=A(1+i)n−1iP = A\frac{(1+i)^n-1}{i}P=Ai(1+i)n−1
Answer: C)
Rationale: This is the standard present-worth of a uniform series
(P/A,i,n) factor.
4. A 95% confidence interval for a mean narrows if:
A) Sample size decreases
B) Population variance increases
C) Sample size increases
D) Confidence level increases
, Answer: C)
Rationale: Larger n reduces standard error, tightening the interval,
other factors fixed.
5. A simply supported beam with midspan point load P has maximum
deflection proportional to:
A) PL/EIPL/EIPL/EI
B) PL2/EIPL^2/EIPL2/EI
C) PL3/EIPL^3/EIPL3/EI
D) PL4/EIPL^4/EIPL4/EI
Answer: C)
Rationale: For a central point load,
δmax=PL3/(48EI)\delta_{max}=PL^3/(48EI)δmax=PL3/(48EI);
dependence is cubic in span.
6. For a saturated soil, the effective stress at depth z is:
A) Total stress minus pore water pressure
B) σ′=σ−u\sigma' = \sigma - uσ′=σ−u
C) Pore water pressure only
D) Total stress only
Answer: B)
Rationale: Effective stress equals total stress less pore pressure;
governs strength and settlement.
7. The friction factor in fully rough turbulent pipe flow depends primarily
on:
, A) Reynolds number only
B) Relative roughness only
C) Pipe diameter only
D) Fluid viscosity only
Answer: B)
Rationale: At high Re in fully rough regime, f is a function of
ϵ/D\epsilon/Dϵ/D, largely independent of Re.
8. A refrigeration cycle’s coefficient of performance (COP) is:
A) Win/QoutW_{in}/Q_{out}Win/Qout
B) Qin/WoutQ_{in}/W_{out}Qin/Wout
C) QL/WinQ_L/W_{in}QL/Win
D) Win/QLW_{in}/Q_LWin/QL
Answer: C)
Rationale: For refrigerators, COP = desired effect (heat removed from
low T) divided by work input.
9. In three-phase power, real power P for a balanced Y-connected load
is:
A) P=3 VLILcosϕP=\sqrt{3}\,V_L I_L \cos\phiP=3VLILcosϕ
B) P=3 VLILcosϕP=\sqrt{3}\,V_L I_L \cos\phiP=3VLILcosϕ
C) P=3 VPIPsinϕP=3\,V_P I_P \sin\phiP=3VPIPsinϕ
D) P=VLILP=V_L I_LP=VLIL
Answer: B)
