Sauselein - The boiler operators exam preparation guide

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Here are a few tips when taking your licensing examination:

Select what appears to be the most correct answer.

While examiners swear that there is only one obvious correct answer to a question, you may find that either none or more than one of the choices is obviously correct. Instead of trying to figure out which is the correct answer, eliminate those that are obviously wrong and then narrow it down to the most correct answer.

Dont get hung up on one question.

Go through the test and answer the questions you definitely know. Then go back and work on the ones you skipped. The last thing you want to do is expend all your nervous energy on a hard question at the beginning of the test. Dont be surprised if, after going through the test several times, there are still a few questions that make no sense. If thats the case, just give them your best guess.

Learn definitions.

A lot of multiple choice questions are based on definitions. Take the following example:

Convection means

a) the movement of liquids or gases created by a temperature difference.

b) transfer of heat by direct molecular contact.

c) the weight of a substance as compared to unit.

d) a form of heat transfer by waves.

The correct answer is a, but change the question to radiation means or conduction means, and the correct answer is then d and b, respectively.

When working a math problem, always assign units to the numbers in the problem. When the equation is set up, the units should work out to the units you expect. If not, then the equation is not set up properly. Consider the following problem:

The water surface in a fire tank is 135 feet above the suction of a fire pump. What is the psi at the suction of the fire pump?

You remember the conversion is 2.31, but the question seems to be, do you multiply or divide 2.31 by 135 feet. But the question is really 2.31 what?! Every number that is written down should have units attached to it. When these numbers, especially conversions, have units, then the math becomes much easier.

The correct measurement is actually 2.31 feet/psi. Lets say your first guess is to multiply 135 feet by 2.31 feet/psi (at this point dont worry about the numbers, just concentrate on the units):

Obviously feet2 per psi is not the answer you were looking for. Now divide 135 feet by 2.31 feet/psi:

This is more like it. The unit you were expecting was psi. Now that the problem is set up properly, just add numbers to the units and let the calculator do the number crunching:

Some examiners insist that you show all steps to the solution. This method automatically makes you show all your work. Even if you dont come up with what the examiner thinks is the correct result, if your work is laid out in an easily followed fashion partial credit might be given.

Now after all this talk about units, there are some numbers that are dimension-less. Its not that these numbers started out lacking units; its that all the units canceled themselves out. Percentages, efficiencies, and ratios like n (pi) are examples.

From elementary school you learned that the equation for the area of a circle is r2. This same equation can also be written as 0.7854d2. Use whichever one you feel most comfortable with.