State of West Virginia
Professional Engineer Exam
Sample Questions:

1. Calculate the smallest limb diameter on a persimmon tree that will support a 10 lb possum.

   Answer: The fiber density of a persimmon tree, since it is not given, will be assumed the same as a plumb tree. The answer is about 1.478 inches. Fiber density (Fibers/Iinch) * fiber strength (LBS/Fiber) = Weight.

2. Which of the following cars will rust out the quickest when placed on blocks in your front yard?
   A) '66 Ford Fairlane B) '69 Chevrolet Chevelle C) '64 Pontiac GTO

   Answer: The 64 Pontiac. It has a head start on the others by two to five years.

3. If your uncle builds a still that operates at a capacity of 20 gallons of shine per hour, how many car radiators are necessary to condense the product?

   Answer: That still is too big! The revenuers will see it and come an gettin im an take im to the federal pen. Besides, my uncle always uses copper tube from Wolverine Tube of Alabama. It takes 25 feet (if you stretch out the coils) of 3/4 inch copper tube. Besides, bus and Mack truck radiators would be much better than car radiators for such a project.

4. A pulpwood cutter has a chain saw that operates at 2700 rpm. The density of the pine trees in a plot to be harvested is 470 per acre. The plot is 2.3 acres in size. The average tree diameter is 14 inches. How many Pabst Blue Ribbons will be consumed in cutting the trees?

   Answer: That's 1081 trees, at 2 Buds per tree, equals 2162 bottles of Bud.

5. If every old refrigerator in the state vented its charge of R-12 simultaneously, what would be the decrease in the ozone layer?

   Answer: 0.0. the whole thing is a hoax by environmentalist wackos. They come round here an they'll get shot.

6. A front porch is constructed of 2x8 pine on 24 inch centers with a field rock foundation. The span is 8 feet and the porch length is 16 feet. The porch floor is 1 inch rough sawn pine. When the porch collapses, how many hound dogs will be killed?

   Answer: bout 20 or so.

7. A man owns a house and 3.7 acres of land in a hollow with an average slope of 15%. The man has 5 children. Can each of the children place a mobile home on the man's land?

   Answer: No, but since the girls will marry the boys, only the boys will need trailors.

8. A 2 ton pulpwood truck is overloaded and proceeding down a steep grade on a secondary road at 45 mph. The brakes fail. Given the average traffic loading of secondary roads, how many people will swerve to avoid the truck before it crashes at the bottom of the mountain? For extra credit, how many of the vehicles that swerved will have mufflers and uncracked windshields?

   Answer: Slim to none. And Slim left town.

9. A coal mine operates an NFPA Class 1, Division 2 Hazardous Area. The mine employs 120 miners per shift. A gas warning is issued at the beginning of 3rd shift. How many cartons of unfiltered Camels will be smoked during the shift?

   Answer: 10 CPH * 8 hours * 119 = 9520 cigarettes. The Foreman smokes them pansy Marlboros with a filter. 9520 / 20 = 476 packs / 10 = 47.6 cartons o Camels.

10. How many generations will it take before cattle develop two legs shorter than the others because of grazing along a mountain side?

    Answer: About 3 assuming a compounding factor 0f 7.5, not simple variability.