AIC EXAM Study questions
What would be the most appropriate means for the contractor to communicate to the
project owner an unforeseen condition not identified in the soils report?
A. Document the issue in the job diary
B. Issue a jobsite memorandum
C. Draft a construction report
D. Write a formal business letter - Answers -D. Write a formal business letter
When is the best time to distribute the working agenda to the participants of a meeting?
A. As a follow-up to the meeting
B. At the beginning of the meeting
C. About one day after the meeting
D. About one day prior to the meeting - Answers -D. About one day prior to the meeting
The contractor has tasked his project engineer with developing an agenda for a
preconstruction meeting with the architect and owner. The project engineer has
received numerous emails and RFIs from subcontractors and vendors requesting a
wide range of information. Which document is most appropriate to distinguish between
appropriate topics for the meeting and topics better addressed through other means?
A. General conditions
B. General requirements
C. Technical specifications
D. Supplementary conditions - Answers -B. General requirements
What is the best time to distribute the meeting minutes to the participants?
A. At the beginning of the meeting
B. About one day after the meeting
C. About one hour prior to the meeting
D. About one day prior to the meeting - Answers -B. About one day after the meeting
Which of the following statements is true about the use of texting as a means of
communicating in the construction industry?
A) means of easily and effectively
documenting communication
B) Appropriate for clarifying but not for
formal direction
C) Should be completely avoided in
construction
D) Acceptable for communication if
specifically allowed in the contract - Answers -B) Appropriate for clarifying but not for
formal direction
,A subcontractor identifies a significant discrepancy between the architectural and
structural drawings. The subcontractor immediately meets with the general contractor at
their construction trailer to discuss the discrepancy. The general contractor agrees that
this could be a significant change depending on which of the drawings describes the
designer's intent. Which of the following actions is the most appropriate in this situation?
A) Draft a change order proposal and arrange a meeting with the design team and
owner to resolve the conflict.
B) Draft an RFI that describes the discrepancy in detail and submit it to the architect
immediately.
C) Send a short text alerting the design team of the issue and discuss the discrepancy
in detail at the next meeting.
D) Email the engineer of record to collect relevant background information and follow up
with a formal RFI to the architect - Answers -B) Draft an RFI that describes the
discrepancy in detail and submit it to the architect immediately.
What are the leadership skills needed to conduct a productive meeting?
A) Planning, probing questions, responding critically, and decision making
B) Planning, timing, coordinating, probing,
responding critically, and following up
C) Listening attentively, responding
constructively, soliciting all ideas, and matching decision making to the situation
D) Coordinating, listening selectively, responding critically, soliciting supportive ideas,
and adjusting decision making to the situation - Answers -C) Listening attentively,
responding
constructively, soliciting all ideas, and matching decision making to the situation
Which of the following statements made by the indicated parties below would least likely
be made at an owner/architect/contractor progress meeting?
A) Contractor: "There are 14 unanswered RFIs on the log."
B) Superintendent: "A third party inspector will assist the supervision of the roofing
installation."
C) Owner: "It is very likely, that change order proposal #23 will be accepted."
D) Project manager: "The bond rate for ABC subcontractor is 1.45%" - Answers -D)
Project manager: "The bond rate for ABC subcontractor is 1.45%"
What is a listener's retention percentage of an oral conversation?
A. 10%
B. 50%
C. 60%
D. 90% - Answers -A. 10%
Which of the following communication methods is the most effective way to know that
the communication has been understood?
A) The sender should ask closed-ended questions and tell the receiver twice.
B) The sender should ask open-ended questions and make them speak.
,C) The sender should ask how they feel and their attitude toward the activity.
D) The sender should tell them what to do and get them back to work quickly. - Answers
-B) The sender should ask open-ended questions and make them speak.
Which of the following is the best example of an open-ended question?
A) Do you understand what work is
supposed to be completed?
B) Do you know which shovel to get me
from the tool shed?
C) What steps are you going to take to
complete the activity?
D) How do you feel about completing the
activities assigned? - Answers -C) What steps are you going to take to complete the
activity?
Which of the following statements about the following organizations and their
justifications of its use is most appropriate when designers develop project
specifications?
A) Organize building materials by International Building Code chapters to facilitate
inspections by the authority having jurisdiction.
B) Only use materials tested by Underwriters Laboratories to ensure the highest quality
and lowest flame spread rating.
C) Use the Construction Specification Institute's organizational system for categorizing
construction materials into divisions and sections as it is widely used by the industry.
D) Use products endorsed by the American Society for Testing Materials to prevent the
likelihood of structural failure. - Answers -C) Use the Construction Specification
Institute's organizational system for categorizing construction materials into divisions
and sections as it is widely used by the industry.
Assume you have a simple beam 16 ft long supported on each end by R1 and R2.
There is a concentrated load of 900 lb that is 4 ft from R2. Reaction R1 is pinned 12 ft
from the load. Reaction R1 is 225 lb and R2 is 675 lb. What is the maximum bending
moment in pounds per foot?
A. 900
B. 1,800
C. 2,700
D. 3,600 - Answers -C. 2,700 (225 x 12)
Assume that you are pouring a wall that is 151 ft 4 in. long, 14 ft high and, 1 ft 4 in.
thick. The crew's daily placement rate is 375 cy per 8-hr day. How many hours will it
take to complete the wall?
A. 0.3
B. 2.2
C. 27.0
D. 58.8 - Answers -B. 2.2 • (151.33 ft × 14 ft × 1.33 ft) × (1 cy/27 cft) = 104.6 cy
• 375 cy/8 hr = 46.9 cy/hr
, • 104.6 cy/46.9 hr/cy = 2.2 hr
Using the average soil weights from the table in Figure 1, what is the swell percentage
of a loam soil?
A. 8.3%
B. 23.8%
C. 31.9%
D. 81.0% - Answers -B. 23.8% • SW% = ((Bcy/Lcy) - 1) × 100
• (2,600/2,100) - 1 × 100 = 23.8%
Using the psychrometric chart provided in Figure 2, what is the enthalpy of 2 lb. of air
given a dry bulb temperature of 75o F and a relative humidity of 50%?
A. 28 BTUs
B. 56 BTUs
C. 108 BTUs
D. 128 BTUs - Answers -B. 56 BTUs
28BTUs/lb x 2lb = 56BTUs
An HVAC technician is inspecting an outside condensing unit of an air source heat
pump in the summer. The unit is energized and appears to be operating normally. One
of the refrigerant lines is cool to the touch and insulated. Which of the following
statements is most likely true about this refrigerant line and the phase of the refrigerant
in it?
A) It is a suction line and the refrigerant is a gas at a relatively low pressure
B) It is a suction line and the refrigerant is a liquid at a relatively high pressure
C) It is a liquid line and the refrigerant is a liquid at a relatively high pressure
D) It is a condensate line and the refrigerant is a gas at a relatively high pressure -
Answers -A) It is a suction line and the refrigerant is a gas at a relatively low pressure
Which statement most accurately describes how a 3-phase, 120/208V load would be
wired?
A) One hot, one neutral and one ground
conductor
B) Two hot and one neutral conductor
C) Three hot and one neutral conductor
D) Three hot conductors - Answers -C) Three hot and one neutral conductor
Which fire protection system would be most appropriate for an unconditioned
warehouse located in Chicago if the warehouse contains materials such as paper, wood
and other type A combustibles?
A. Wet pipe system
B. Dry pipe system
C. Deluge system
D. Clean agent system - Answers -B. Dry pipe system
What would be the most appropriate means for the contractor to communicate to the
project owner an unforeseen condition not identified in the soils report?
A. Document the issue in the job diary
B. Issue a jobsite memorandum
C. Draft a construction report
D. Write a formal business letter - Answers -D. Write a formal business letter
When is the best time to distribute the working agenda to the participants of a meeting?
A. As a follow-up to the meeting
B. At the beginning of the meeting
C. About one day after the meeting
D. About one day prior to the meeting - Answers -D. About one day prior to the meeting
The contractor has tasked his project engineer with developing an agenda for a
preconstruction meeting with the architect and owner. The project engineer has
received numerous emails and RFIs from subcontractors and vendors requesting a
wide range of information. Which document is most appropriate to distinguish between
appropriate topics for the meeting and topics better addressed through other means?
A. General conditions
B. General requirements
C. Technical specifications
D. Supplementary conditions - Answers -B. General requirements
What is the best time to distribute the meeting minutes to the participants?
A. At the beginning of the meeting
B. About one day after the meeting
C. About one hour prior to the meeting
D. About one day prior to the meeting - Answers -B. About one day after the meeting
Which of the following statements is true about the use of texting as a means of
communicating in the construction industry?
A) means of easily and effectively
documenting communication
B) Appropriate for clarifying but not for
formal direction
C) Should be completely avoided in
construction
D) Acceptable for communication if
specifically allowed in the contract - Answers -B) Appropriate for clarifying but not for
formal direction
,A subcontractor identifies a significant discrepancy between the architectural and
structural drawings. The subcontractor immediately meets with the general contractor at
their construction trailer to discuss the discrepancy. The general contractor agrees that
this could be a significant change depending on which of the drawings describes the
designer's intent. Which of the following actions is the most appropriate in this situation?
A) Draft a change order proposal and arrange a meeting with the design team and
owner to resolve the conflict.
B) Draft an RFI that describes the discrepancy in detail and submit it to the architect
immediately.
C) Send a short text alerting the design team of the issue and discuss the discrepancy
in detail at the next meeting.
D) Email the engineer of record to collect relevant background information and follow up
with a formal RFI to the architect - Answers -B) Draft an RFI that describes the
discrepancy in detail and submit it to the architect immediately.
What are the leadership skills needed to conduct a productive meeting?
A) Planning, probing questions, responding critically, and decision making
B) Planning, timing, coordinating, probing,
responding critically, and following up
C) Listening attentively, responding
constructively, soliciting all ideas, and matching decision making to the situation
D) Coordinating, listening selectively, responding critically, soliciting supportive ideas,
and adjusting decision making to the situation - Answers -C) Listening attentively,
responding
constructively, soliciting all ideas, and matching decision making to the situation
Which of the following statements made by the indicated parties below would least likely
be made at an owner/architect/contractor progress meeting?
A) Contractor: "There are 14 unanswered RFIs on the log."
B) Superintendent: "A third party inspector will assist the supervision of the roofing
installation."
C) Owner: "It is very likely, that change order proposal #23 will be accepted."
D) Project manager: "The bond rate for ABC subcontractor is 1.45%" - Answers -D)
Project manager: "The bond rate for ABC subcontractor is 1.45%"
What is a listener's retention percentage of an oral conversation?
A. 10%
B. 50%
C. 60%
D. 90% - Answers -A. 10%
Which of the following communication methods is the most effective way to know that
the communication has been understood?
A) The sender should ask closed-ended questions and tell the receiver twice.
B) The sender should ask open-ended questions and make them speak.
,C) The sender should ask how they feel and their attitude toward the activity.
D) The sender should tell them what to do and get them back to work quickly. - Answers
-B) The sender should ask open-ended questions and make them speak.
Which of the following is the best example of an open-ended question?
A) Do you understand what work is
supposed to be completed?
B) Do you know which shovel to get me
from the tool shed?
C) What steps are you going to take to
complete the activity?
D) How do you feel about completing the
activities assigned? - Answers -C) What steps are you going to take to complete the
activity?
Which of the following statements about the following organizations and their
justifications of its use is most appropriate when designers develop project
specifications?
A) Organize building materials by International Building Code chapters to facilitate
inspections by the authority having jurisdiction.
B) Only use materials tested by Underwriters Laboratories to ensure the highest quality
and lowest flame spread rating.
C) Use the Construction Specification Institute's organizational system for categorizing
construction materials into divisions and sections as it is widely used by the industry.
D) Use products endorsed by the American Society for Testing Materials to prevent the
likelihood of structural failure. - Answers -C) Use the Construction Specification
Institute's organizational system for categorizing construction materials into divisions
and sections as it is widely used by the industry.
Assume you have a simple beam 16 ft long supported on each end by R1 and R2.
There is a concentrated load of 900 lb that is 4 ft from R2. Reaction R1 is pinned 12 ft
from the load. Reaction R1 is 225 lb and R2 is 675 lb. What is the maximum bending
moment in pounds per foot?
A. 900
B. 1,800
C. 2,700
D. 3,600 - Answers -C. 2,700 (225 x 12)
Assume that you are pouring a wall that is 151 ft 4 in. long, 14 ft high and, 1 ft 4 in.
thick. The crew's daily placement rate is 375 cy per 8-hr day. How many hours will it
take to complete the wall?
A. 0.3
B. 2.2
C. 27.0
D. 58.8 - Answers -B. 2.2 • (151.33 ft × 14 ft × 1.33 ft) × (1 cy/27 cft) = 104.6 cy
• 375 cy/8 hr = 46.9 cy/hr
, • 104.6 cy/46.9 hr/cy = 2.2 hr
Using the average soil weights from the table in Figure 1, what is the swell percentage
of a loam soil?
A. 8.3%
B. 23.8%
C. 31.9%
D. 81.0% - Answers -B. 23.8% • SW% = ((Bcy/Lcy) - 1) × 100
• (2,600/2,100) - 1 × 100 = 23.8%
Using the psychrometric chart provided in Figure 2, what is the enthalpy of 2 lb. of air
given a dry bulb temperature of 75o F and a relative humidity of 50%?
A. 28 BTUs
B. 56 BTUs
C. 108 BTUs
D. 128 BTUs - Answers -B. 56 BTUs
28BTUs/lb x 2lb = 56BTUs
An HVAC technician is inspecting an outside condensing unit of an air source heat
pump in the summer. The unit is energized and appears to be operating normally. One
of the refrigerant lines is cool to the touch and insulated. Which of the following
statements is most likely true about this refrigerant line and the phase of the refrigerant
in it?
A) It is a suction line and the refrigerant is a gas at a relatively low pressure
B) It is a suction line and the refrigerant is a liquid at a relatively high pressure
C) It is a liquid line and the refrigerant is a liquid at a relatively high pressure
D) It is a condensate line and the refrigerant is a gas at a relatively high pressure -
Answers -A) It is a suction line and the refrigerant is a gas at a relatively low pressure
Which statement most accurately describes how a 3-phase, 120/208V load would be
wired?
A) One hot, one neutral and one ground
conductor
B) Two hot and one neutral conductor
C) Three hot and one neutral conductor
D) Three hot conductors - Answers -C) Three hot and one neutral conductor
Which fire protection system would be most appropriate for an unconditioned
warehouse located in Chicago if the warehouse contains materials such as paper, wood
and other type A combustibles?
A. Wet pipe system
B. Dry pipe system
C. Deluge system
D. Clean agent system - Answers -B. Dry pipe system
