The FE Reference Handbook Is Your Most Important Tool
The NCEES FE Reference Handbook is the only reference material available during the FE exam. It is provided as a searchable PDF on your computer screen, and every formula, table, and constant you need is somewhere within its pages. Your ability to navigate this handbook quickly and accurately directly impacts your exam performance. Time spent searching for a formula is time not spent solving problems.
Downloading and Studying the Handbook
The FE Reference Handbook is available as a free PDF download from the NCEES website. Download it immediately when you begin your exam preparation and use it during every study session. By exam day, you should know the handbook well enough to find any formula within 30 seconds.
NCEES updates the handbook periodically, so make sure you are studying the version that will be used during your exam. Check the NCEES website for the current version number and any recent changes.
Handbook Organization
The handbook is organized into major sections that roughly correspond to the content areas tested on the FE exam:
- Units, Unit Prefixes, and Constants
- Conversion Factors
- Mathematics
- Engineering Probability and Statistics
- Ethics and Professional Practice
- Engineering Economics
- Statics
- Dynamics
- Mechanics of Materials
- Fluid Mechanics
- Thermodynamics
- Heat Transfer
- Transport Phenomena
- Chemistry
- Materials Science/Structure of Matter
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Engineering Management
- Discipline-Specific Sections
Within each section, content is organized from fundamental concepts to more specialized applications. Knowing this structure helps you navigate to the right section quickly, even when a search does not immediately find what you need.
Using the Search Function
The searchable PDF allows you to find formulas by keyword. Here are tips for effective searching:
- Use specific technical terms: Search for "Bernoulli" rather than "fluid flow equation." The more specific your search term, the faster you will find the right formula.
- Try different terms: If "buckling" does not find what you need, try "Euler" or "critical load." Formulas may be listed under different terminology than you expect.
- Search for variable names: If you know the formula contains a specific variable, searching for that variable name may lead you to it.
- Know when to browse instead: For topics you know well, it may be faster to navigate directly to the correct section than to search. The table of contents links directly to each section.
Key Sections to Know by Heart
For maximum efficiency, memorize the location of these frequently-used sections:
- Conversion factors: Near the front. You will need these for unit conversion problems.
- Mathematics tables: Derivatives, integrals, trigonometric identities, and series are in the math section.
- Statistical tables: Normal distribution, t-distribution, and chi-squared distribution tables.
- Engineering economics factors: Interest rate tables for present worth, future worth, and annuity calculations.
- Fluid mechanics: Moody diagram, Manning's coefficients, loss coefficient tables.
- Thermodynamics: Steam tables, refrigerant tables, ideal gas properties.
- Material properties: Tables of mechanical properties for common engineering materials.
What the Handbook Does NOT Include
Understanding what is not in the handbook is just as important as knowing what is there. The handbook does not include:
- Explanations of how to apply formulas
- Worked examples or sample problems
- Detailed derivations of equations
- Discipline-specific design standards or codes
- All possible formulas (some less common formulas are not included)
This means you must know how to apply each formula, not just where to find it. The handbook tells you what the formula is; you must know when and how to use it.
Practice Strategy
During every practice session, open the FE Reference Handbook and use it to solve problems. Do not solve practice problems using your own notes or textbook formulas. This builds the habit of finding and applying handbook formulas under exam conditions. Time yourself on formula lookups: you should be able to find common formulas within 15 to 30 seconds.
Create a personal index or mental map of the handbook sections you use most frequently. While you cannot bring notes into the exam, having a mental model of the handbook layout dramatically reduces search time on exam day.