Chemical FE Exam: Reviewing the Knowledge Areas

I’ve merely only begun to scratch the surface with what is covered in the exam on mathematics, let alone all the other topics tested. For reference, mathematics is the first of 16 different topics tested. The list of them all is outlined below:

  1. Mathematics
  2. Probability and Statistics
  3. Engineering Services
  4. Computational Tools
  5. Materials Science
  6. Chemistry
  7. Fluid Mechanics & Dynamics
  8. Thermodynamics
  9. Material & Energy Balances
  10. Heat Transfer
  11. Mass Transfer & Separation
  12. Chemical Reaction Engineering
  13. Process Design & Economics
  14. Process Control
  15. Safety, Health, & Environment
  16. Ethics & Professional Practice

Within the mathematics section alone the various subtopics covered include:

  1. Units
  2. Algebra
  3. Vector
  4. Analytic Geometry
  5. Trigonometry
  6. Linear Algebra
  7. Calculus
  8. Differential Equations
  9. Numerical Methods

It is a lot to take in all at once. Units was a breeze to go through, but I was caught up in a few areas in Algebra and have stopped here for the moment. There was a formula for expressing complex numbers, called de Moivre’s Formula, that I wasn’t familiar with and so one of the example problems had me stuck. Otherwise, the subtopic is straightforward and very consistent with what you will already know having gone through algebra in your education. I’ve come to terms with how long it will take to feel fully prepared to take the FE Chemical Exam. It will take me the full 15 weeks of ongoing preparation that is recommended by FE Chemical Review Manual I’ve referenced in previous posts. Every week I’ll be grinding away at a new knowledge area and once I’m far enough along, in my 15th week I’ll look into scheduling my FE Exam in the 17th week. That puts me near the end of November, right around the time of my birthday, a perfect time to crush a new short-term goal!