What do FE Civil practice problems actually look like?

Mostly multiple choice with four options, usually phrased 'most nearly', and the options sit close enough that you cannot eliminate them by inspection. Many carry a figure: a shear and moment diagram, a soil profile, a channel section, a traverse. NCEES gives 110 questions in a 6-hour appointment, of which 5 hours 20 minutes is actual exam time, so the working time per question is under three minutes once you account for reading, a handbook lookup and a check. NCEES also uses alternative item types (multiple correct answers, point-and-click, drag-and-drop and fill-in-the-blank), each scored right or wrong with no partial credit.

How many questions are on each FE Civil topic?

The specification allocates 10-15 questions each to Water Resources and Environmental, Structural, and Geotechnical; 9-14 to Transportation; 8-12 each to Mathematics and Statistics, Statics, and Construction; 7-11 to Mechanics of Materials; 6-9 each to Fluid Mechanics and Surveying; 5-8 each to Engineering Economics and Materials; and 4-6 each to Ethics and Professional Practice and to Dynamics. The ranges are wide on purpose — they sum to between 100 and 152 across the 14 areas, against an exam of 110 questions, so no single exam hits every maximum.

Is FE Civil mostly civil engineering?

Less than people expect. Seven areas are civil practice (water resources, structural, geotechnical, transportation, construction, surveying and materials) and seven are general engineering fundamentals: mathematics and statistics, statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, engineering economics and ethics. By the specification's own ranges those fundamentals account for 42 to 52 questions (their maxima add to 64, but the other seven areas' minimums already take 58). Study time allocated purely to the civil depth areas leaves roughly 38 to 47 percent of the exam uncovered.

What reference material do you get on the FE Civil exam?

The exam is closed book with an electronic reference: the NCEES FE Reference Handbook is supplied on-screen as a searchable PDF. You cannot bring your own copy or any outside material. Practicing with the searchable PDF rather than a printed copy matters more than most candidates expect, because finding an equation is a timed skill and the on-screen search behaves nothing like flipping pages.

How long is the FE Civil exam?

The appointment is 6 hours: a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, and a 25-minute scheduled break. Only the 5 hours 20 minutes is spent answering. Across 110 questions that is a little under three minutes each, which is our own arithmetic rather than a figure NCEES publishes.

FE Civil practice problems: what the exam actually asks

A horizontal curve has an arc length, a chord length and a tangent length, and all three come from the same two numbers. On FE Civil the hardest wrong answers are often not arithmetic mistakes at all. They are other real properties of the same figure, correctly computed, answering a question that was not asked. Here are three practice problems, worked in full.

Updated October 6, 2026 · by the FE → PE Prep team

110

Questions

5h 20m

Exam time

Knowledge areas

~2.9 min

Per question

Every wrong answer is a real number

Work the three problems below and check what each wrong option actually is. Not one of the nine is a random number. Some are slips you would recognize, like a forgotten ÷2 or a traverse that never closes back to its first corner. The dangerous ones are quantities that genuinely belong to the figure in front of you.

It says “most nearly,” and it means it. On the curve problem below, the nearest wrong option is under 8% from the right one. You cannot eliminate by inspection, and you cannot eliminate by plausibility either.
The hardest distractors are other properties of the same object: a curve’s long chord, its tangent distance, the route along both tangents. Each is correctly calculated and each is wrong here, which is why re-checking your arithmetic never finds them.
The handbook is searchable, not familiar. It is supplied on-screen as a PDF, so finding an equation is a timed skill in its own right. Candidates who practice from a printed copy discover this on exam day.
The clock is tighter than the appointment suggests. The appointment is 6 hours, but only 5 hours 20 minutes is exam time. The rest is a nondisclosure agreement, a tutorial and a scheduled break. Across 110 questions that leaves under three minutes each, and that has to cover reading, the lookup, and a check.

Three practice problems

One each from Transportation, Surveying and Construction Engineering, deliberately not the three worked in the companion pass-rate guide, so the two pages together cover six different areas rather than the same three twice. All drawn from our free FE Civil set, each with its figure. Read the distractor notes, not just the answer.

1. Length of a simple horizontal curve

Transportation runs to 9–14 questions. This one asks for a single length on a curve you are shown, and the difficulty is that the curve has several real lengths.

1
medium
A. Horizontal & vertical geometric design
A simple horizontal circular curve has radius $R=300\,\text{m}$ and intersection angle $\Delta=80^\circ$ (see figure). The length of curve $L$ , from PC to PT along the arc, is most nearly:
Figure — drag or pinch to move around
1. 252 m
2. 386 m
3. 419 m
4. 503 m
Show the answer & worked solution
Answer: C.419 m
Length of curve (FE Reference Handbook, Civil Engineering — Horizontal Curves): $L = R\,I\,\dfrac{\pi}{180}$ with $I = \Delta$ in degrees. $L = (300\ \text{m})(80^\circ)\dfrac{\pi}{180} = 418.9$ m. Distractors: returned the tangent distance $T = R\tan(\Delta/2)$ , PI to PC, 252 m; returned the long chord $LC = 2R\sin(\Delta/2)$ , the straight PC–PT distance, 386 m; and measured along both tangents, PC–PI–PT $= 2T$ , 503 m. Using $R\Delta$ with $\Delta$ still in degrees, without the $\pi/180$ , gives about $57\times$ the arc.

What the distractors teach

386 m is the long chord: the straight-line distance from PC to PT, a genuine property of this curve and only 33 m short of the arc. Nothing about it looks wrong. 252 m is the tangent distance, T = R·tan(Δ/2), from the PI back to the PC. 503 m is twice that, the route along both tangents through the PI. All three wrong options are real lengths on this curve; only one is the arc the question asked for, L = RΔπ/180 = 419 m.

2. Traverse area by coordinates

Surveying is 6–9 questions and the coordinate method is its workhorse. Four corners, one sum, one division. Watch the division, and watch the last corner.

2
medium
A. Angles, distances, traverse & areas
The corners of a four-sided parcel, taken in order around its boundary, have site coordinates (easting, northing, in m) of A (100, 100), B (320, 110), C (350, 290), D (120, 350). The area of the parcel is most nearly:
Figure — drag or pinch to move around
1. 49,000 m²
2. 60,500 m²
3. 98,000 m²
4. 119,200 m²
Show the answer & worked solution
Answer: A.49,000 m²
Area by coordinates (FE Reference Handbook, Civil Engineering — Area formulas): $\text{Area} = \tfrac12\left[X_A(Y_B - Y_D) + X_B(Y_C - Y_A) + X_C(Y_D - Y_B) + X_D(Y_A - Y_C)\right]$ . Substituting, in m: $\tfrac12\left[100(110 - 350) + 320(290 - 100) + 350(350 - 110) + 120(100 - 290)\right] = \tfrac12\left[(-24{,}000) + 60{,}800 + 84{,}000 + (-22{,}800)\right] = \tfrac12(98{,}000) = 49{,}000$ m². Distractors: the ½ forgotten, 98,000 m²; the closing course left out (the products $x_Dy_A - x_Ay_D$ never formed, so the loop never returns to A), 60,500 m²; and only the $x_iy_{i+1}$ products summed and halved, the second set $x_{i+1}y_i$ never subtracted, 119,200 m².

What the distractors teach

98,000 m² is the cross-product sum with the ÷2 forgotten, the number you must compute on the way to the answer. 60,500 m² leaves out the closing course from D back to A: on real site coordinates that term is not zero, and dropping it adds almost a quarter to the area. 119,200 m² sums the criss-cross products in one direction only, halves that, and never subtracts the other set. The parcel is 49,000 m².

3. Total float in an activity-on-node network

Construction Engineering is 8–12 questions, and project controls is the part civil candidates most often meet first on the job rather than in a lecture. This network has seven activities, and the critical path does not run through the one you are asked about.

3
medium
A. Earned value & CPM scheduling
In the activity-on-node network shown for a storm-sewer replacement, the durations are A 6, B 9, C 14, D 4, E 2, F 7 and G 10 days. A, B and C start at day 0; D follows A and B; E and F follow D; G follows C; E, F and G precede End. The total float of activity D is most nearly:
Figure — drag or pinch to move around
1. 4 d
2. 7 d
3. 9 d
4. 12 d
Show the answer & worked solution
Answer: A.4 d
Float $= LS - ES = LF - EF$ , with $ES$ = latest $EF$ of the predecessors and $LF$ = earliest $LS$ of the successors (FE Reference Handbook, Civil Engineering — Construction, Nomenclature). Forward pass: $ES_D = \max(EF_A,\, EF_B) = \max(6,\, 9) = 9$ d, so $EF_D = 9 + 4 = 13$ d; then $EF_E = 13 + 2 = 15$ , $EF_F = 13 + 7 = 20$ and $EF_G = 14 + 10 = 24$ d. The project takes $24$ d, set by the longest path (C–G). Backward pass: $LS_E = 24 - 2 = 22$ and $LS_F = 24 - 7 = 17$ d, so $LF_D = \min(22,\, 17) = 17$ d (F controls) and $LS_D = 17 - 4 = 13$ d. Float of D $= LS_D - ES_D = 13 - 9 = 4$ d (equally $LF_D - EF_D = 17 - 13$ ). Distractors: took the EARLIER finish at D's merge ( $ES_D = EF_A = 6$ d) in the forward pass, giving 7 d; took the LATER late start at D's burst ( $LF_D = LS_E = 22$ d) in the backward pass, giving 9 d; and measured D against the SHORTEST path through it (A–D–E) instead of the longest, reversing both rules, giving 12 d.

What the distractors teach

7 days is what you get by taking the earlier of A's and B's finishes where they merge into D; the forward pass takes the later one, because D cannot start until both are done. 9 days takes the later of E's and F's late starts where D branches; the backward pass takes the earlier one, because D must finish in time for both. 12 days does both, measuring D against the shortest path through it. The answer is 4: the longest path through D, B–D–F, takes 20 days, and the project's critical path, C–G, takes 24.

Where the 110 questions come from

NCEES publishes a question range for each knowledge area in the exam specification. It is the most useful study document most candidates never open, because it tells you where your hours belong. The ranges are wide and sum to between 100 and 152 across the 14 areas, against an exam of 110, so no single exam hits every maximum, and the largest areas are the ones worth protecting.

FE Civil knowledge areas and question counts, per the NCEES specification effective July 2020
Knowledge area	Questions
Water Resources and EnvironmentalThe largest single block, tied with two others. Eleven subtopics: hydrology, Manning and Bernoulli, pumps, distribution, flood control, stormwater, collection, groundwater, water quality, testing, treatment.	10–15
Structural EngineeringDeterminate analysis and deflection, buckling, determinacy, load paths, plus design of steel and reinforced concrete components.	10–15
Geotechnical EngineeringIndex properties, phase relations, effective stress, lateral earth pressure, shear strength, bearing capacity, settlement, slope stability.	10–15
Transportation EngineeringGeometric design, pavement systems, capacity and flow theory, control devices, planning.	9–14
Mathematics and StatisticsAs large as Construction and nearly as large as Transportation. Analytic geometry, single-variable calculus, vectors, and statistics through regression.	8–12
StaticsAlso as large as Construction. Resultants, equilibrium, frames and trusses, centroids, moments of inertia, friction.	8–12
Construction EngineeringProject administration and delivery methods, operations, project controls and earned value, estimating, reading drawings.	8–12
Mechanics of MaterialsShear and moment diagrams, stress and strain, deformation, combined and principal stresses, Mohr's circle.	7–11
Fluid MechanicsFlow measurement, fluid properties, statics, and the energy–impulse–momentum group.	6–9
SurveyingAngles and distances, areas, earthwork volumes, coordinate systems, leveling.	6–9
Engineering EconomicsTime value of money, cost structures, break-even and life-cycle analysis, expected value.	5–8
MaterialsConcrete and asphalt mix design, test methods, and the properties of metals, concrete, aggregates, asphalt and wood.	5–8
Ethics and Professional PracticeCodes of ethics, professional liability, licensure, contracts and contract law.	4–6
DynamicsKinematics, mass moments of inertia, force–acceleration, and work–energy–power.	4–6

Read that table by family rather than by row. Seven areas are civil practice: water resources, structural, geotechnical, transportation, construction, surveying and materials. The other seven are general engineering fundamentals, and by the specification's own ranges they account for 42 to 52 of the questions (their maxima add to 64, but the other seven areas' minimums already take 58). Mathematics and Statistics is as large a block as Construction. Statics is too.

That is the allocation mistake worth avoiding. A civil engineer preparing for a civil exam naturally studies civil topics, and up to nearly half the exam is the fundamentals sequence from sophomore year: statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, fluids, math, economics and ethics. Those are also the cheapest points on the exam, because the questions are shorter and the lookups are faster.

For the pass-rate picture alongside this, the companion guide covers it: how hard is the FE Civil exam?

Common questions

What do FE Civil practice problems actually look like?: Mostly multiple choice with four options, usually phrased 'most nearly', and the options sit close enough that you cannot eliminate them by inspection. Many carry a figure: a shear and moment diagram, a soil profile, a channel section, a traverse. NCEES gives 110 questions in a 6-hour appointment, of which 5 hours 20 minutes is actual exam time, so the working time per question is under three minutes once you account for reading, a handbook lookup and a check. NCEES also uses alternative item types (multiple correct answers, point-and-click, drag-and-drop and fill-in-the-blank), each scored right or wrong with no partial credit.
How many questions are on each FE Civil topic?: The specification allocates 10-15 questions each to Water Resources and Environmental, Structural, and Geotechnical; 9-14 to Transportation; 8-12 each to Mathematics and Statistics, Statics, and Construction; 7-11 to Mechanics of Materials; 6-9 each to Fluid Mechanics and Surveying; 5-8 each to Engineering Economics and Materials; and 4-6 each to Ethics and Professional Practice and to Dynamics. The ranges are wide on purpose — they sum to between 100 and 152 across the 14 areas, against an exam of 110 questions, so no single exam hits every maximum.
Is FE Civil mostly civil engineering?: Less than people expect. Seven areas are civil practice (water resources, structural, geotechnical, transportation, construction, surveying and materials) and seven are general engineering fundamentals: mathematics and statistics, statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, engineering economics and ethics. By the specification's own ranges those fundamentals account for 42 to 52 questions (their maxima add to 64, but the other seven areas' minimums already take 58). Study time allocated purely to the civil depth areas leaves roughly 38 to 47 percent of the exam uncovered.
What reference material do you get on the FE Civil exam?: The exam is closed book with an electronic reference: the NCEES FE Reference Handbook is supplied on-screen as a searchable PDF. You cannot bring your own copy or any outside material. Practicing with the searchable PDF rather than a printed copy matters more than most candidates expect, because finding an equation is a timed skill and the on-screen search behaves nothing like flipping pages.
How long is the FE Civil exam?: The appointment is 6 hours: a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time, and a 25-minute scheduled break. Only the 5 hours 20 minutes is spent answering. Across 110 questions that is a little under three minutes each, which is our own arithmetic rather than a figure NCEES publishes.

Build your study plan

Tell us how long you have. We'll budget your hours across every knowledge area using the official NCEES question weights. The heaviest areas get the most time, which is the opposite of how most people study.

Work through seven more

Ten free FE Civil problems in total: total float, continuity, bending stress, beam reactions, traverse area, horizontal curves, capital recovery. Every one comes with the figure and the full worked solution. No signup.

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Format, knowledge areas and appointment length are from the NCEES FE Civil specification effective with the July 2020 examinations. The per-question time is our own arithmetic, not an NCEES figure. Specifications and fees change over time; confirm current specifics at ncees.org. Independent study resource; not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCEES.