Brain cells needed - 1955 test

found this test lurking in the filing cabinet at work, some of the questions might need a bit more context.

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Reply to
misterroy
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I like that...bit like O level Physics .....or applied mechanics

Reply to
J1MBO ...

Would I be disqualified for putting a mark on the line provided, rather than crossing out the letter corresponding to the correct answer as instructed?

Reply to
Graham.

Is the gate question a trick? H has the brace the wrong way round.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

A lot of them don't have one definite answer.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

tesnd to work either way.

There were more than one question however where there seemed to be insufficient information.

The car skid for example.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

In message , misterroy writes

I went for an interview for an apprenticeship at George Kent, Luton (water meters etc. long gone now). The supervisor held up a series of mechanisms similar to some of your drawings but hidden behind a sheet of ply such that only some of the moving parts could be seen.

We were invited to sketch what we thought was happening behind the screen.

After the test and during the interview, they asked if I had considered electrical engineering as a career:-(

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Reply to
Tim Lamb

Many questions are ambiguous and, in my opinion, badly framed. The author also uses the term 'strain' where the correct term should be 'stress'.

Reply to
Chris Holford

The butchers hook one as well... depending what you want to achieve - least load on the supports, then in the middle. Least bending of the rail, then right at the end.

Reply to
John Rumm

I quite liked that.

Reply to
Clive George

No the force has to be compression on the brace.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

It isn't the wood, it's the joints. The brace is effectively wedged between the rails. If it's the wrong way round the joints will pull out. This is utterly basic.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

Unfortunately this seems to be a picture pdf, ie it contains no text whatsoever, so I need retina cells to read it, or some kind of ocred version. As this option is not available one has to assume the text in the picture pdf is so bad that one could not read it by computer recognition. I guess its a very old bit of paper or some such. These pdfs cause blind people no end of aggro as even manufacturers of equipment tend to supply their manuals this way, making them totally impossible to use. Ho hum. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Bill Wright wrote in news:og7f30$5gu$ snipped-for-privacy@gioia.aioe.org:

To really judge someone you would need to hear their thought processes.

Reply to
DerbyBorn

Also the capstan.

Least distance to carry the bloody thing :)

Reply to
Robin

It does not *have* to be. Granted that is the traditional way, but it will also work in tension if its well fixed. What is required to prevent racking of the gate is a triangulated cross member. Having it in compression works well since it can be notched into the other timbers and will hence work and stay put even without much in the way of fixings. In tension it relies more heavily on the fixings, but will still work.

As has been said though, in the context of the question, where all the other alternatives simply had variations on right angle joints and no brace, its the only clear correct answer.

Reply to
John Rumm

"HOW TO DO THE TEST This test is to see how well you understand mechanical ideas. In each item of this test is a drawing and a question about it. Underneath the question are five answers. Only one of these is the right answer to the question. Your task is to find out which is the right answer and to cross out the corresponding letter on the answer sheet. For example in the first item below the second answer is right so the letter B at the end of the line following this answer is crossed out. Now do the other two items in the same way."

It then goes on to show some examples - the first are two meshed cogs on shafts, with an indicated direction or rotation on the left one, and an X on the other. The question is then "What will happend to the wheel X when the driver turns as shown?"

Reply to
John Rumm

As others have said the test is poorly constructed. A few questions one has to guess what is wanted.

However is is interesting as it is a very practical test of engineering mechanics. Practical experience really helps.

When helping my son with mathematical mechanics problems I was surprised how little practical experience/intuition he had. He had to learn everything as theory, book learning. For today's computer generation of children a little more practical teaching in school would be a good thing but perhaps it is too expensive

Reply to
Nick

No it says "least likely" - the brace is merely under tension rather than compression but it's still all triangular. :)

Reply to
www.GymRatZ.co.uk

He ought to be getting that from his Physics classes - friction, rolling balls down inclined planes, etc.

Reply to
Tim Streater

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