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PPD Question - Advice (Case Study)

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 1:40 pm
by keepgoing
Okay - I've taken PPD 2x now and have managed to fail - 2x!
I realize it's not just about what you study but also about the questions you get as well - I've accepted that.
The question in 5.0 are a little confusing to me so I wanted to ask, without asking, the following..

During the last 20 questions of the exam, I'm asked to measure distances or list a number of items based on areas but theres no indication
of the area anywhere. Is there a measurement tool I'm missing or some skill that I'm not recalling that can help me here?
I've gotten questions about maintaining distances and have found myself using the graphic scale and kind of taking my best guess.

Outside of this - I've studied all of the same materials listed everywhere else and felt like the 2nd retake the questions were more vague than the 1st time. At least the first time was just me reading through confusing questions - the latest the questions came from everywhere BUT the recommended readings in the ARE Handbook.
and yes, they have fixed the darn pond questions and it was a little better after I read the required materials and understood.

Sorry if I gave away something that I was not supposed to - I tried to be as vague as possible.

Re: PPD Question - Advice (Case Study)

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 1:53 pm
by kerzzo
sorry to hear that...I bet you are not alone in this one.
I have taken once and failed once---probably re-taking in November along with PDD.

anyhow, I guess to understand the questions for ARE 5.0, the below linnk is helpful:

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=49684

not sure if you have read it before, but I thought it did explain what NCARB is trying to do.
I am not saying this will tell you where to find things, but just generally, maybe it helps explain the weird questions.

I did find it difficult to find the info to answer the questions--the computer lagging etc....things not clear...but it's good to check what you have available in the reference docs before you begin to answer the questions...again, just my take as I have not yet passed a 5.0 version examination.

Re: PPD Question - Advice (Case Study)

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:50 pm
by tarynbone
keepgoing wrote:
During the last 20 questions of the exam, I'm asked to measure distances or list a number of items based on areas but theres no indication
of the area anywhere. Is there a measurement tool I'm missing or some skill that I'm not recalling that can help me here?
I've gotten questions about maintaining distances and have found myself using the graphic scale and kind of taking my best guess.


Are you saying your case studies not have dimensioned plans? What about square footage call outs for particular spaces? All of these were on both of mine, so I had no problems with those questions.

Re: PPD Question - Advice (Case Study)

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:59 am
by keepgoing
tarynbone wrote:
keepgoing wrote:
During the last 20 questions of the exam, I'm asked to measure distances or list a number of items based on areas but theres no indication
of the area anywhere. Is there a measurement tool I'm missing or some skill that I'm not recalling that can help me here?
I've gotten questions about maintaining distances and have found myself using the graphic scale and kind of taking my best guess.


Are you saying your case studies not have dimensioned plans? What about square footage call outs for particular spaces? All of these were on both of mine, so I had no problems with those questions.


I did have the square footages for some of the areas - clearly listed...
You know what - it just clicked.
I did have the darn areas. It wasn't clearly listed like everything else on a particular plan but I did have them listed on a different drawing and I just didn't put two and two together to answer the question!
Ahhh... 2 days too late to have this click !

Re: PPD Question - Advice (Case Study)

PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 8:38 am
by tarynbone
keepgoing wrote:
I did have the square footages for some of the areas - clearly listed...
You know what - it just clicked.
I did have the darn areas. It wasn't clearly listed like everything else on a particular plan but I did have them listed on a different drawing and I just didn't put two and two together to answer the question!
Ahhh... 2 days too late to have this click !


Ah man! Hate it when that happens... Best of luck to you next time!