Electrical Engineering Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam, Sixth Edition [Hardcover]

John A. Camara (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2001 | ISBN-10: 1888577568 | ISBN-13: 978-1888577563 | Edition: 6th

The sixth edition of the Electrical Engineering Reference Manual has been completely revised and expanded for the new exam format. It provides a comprehensive review for the new breadth-and-depth electrical and computer PE exam, and makes studying for the exam as efficient as possible. The book's coverage of topics prepares you for the exam's scope of subject matter, and the 374 solved example problems illustrate solution methods. The manual's breadth of coverage, combined with its excellent index, make it an invaluable time-saver during the exam.

In addition, you'll find these features in the Electrical Engineering Reference Manual:

Introduction to the current exam format, content, and organization

A suggested study schedule, plus tips for successful preparation

Hundreds of table, charts, and figures providing data at your fingertips With the Reference Manual and its accompanying products, you can be confident of using the best preparation materials available for this PE exam. It won't take the work out of the preparation process, but it will make your study time as productive as possible.

For practice problems coordinated with this manual, order Practice Problems for the Electrical and Computer Engineering PE Exam (ISBN 1-888577-57-6). Both these books are part of Professional Publications's Engineering Review Series, used by over 700,000 engineers to pass their licensing exams.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Electrical Engineering Reference Manual, 6th edition (EERM6) is written for engineers taking the new-format electrical and computer PE exam, offered beginning with the April 2002 administration of the exam. The introduction in EERM6 explains the nuts and bolts of the exam process. You'll get full details on the exam format and the topics that will likely be covered in each of the three "depth" sections of the exam. And you'll find valuable advice to help you prepare for the exam-from planning your study schedule to deciding what you need to take to the test.

About the Author

John A. Camara holds PE licenses in both electrical and nuclear engineering. He is a principal engineer and integrated product team leader with Phantom Works, the R&D unit of the Boeing Company. A retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, he served as a nuclear-trained electrical engineer and submarine officer. Mr. Camara earned his BS in electrical and computer engineering and materials science and engineering from the University of California at Davis and his MS in space systems from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is the author of 101 Solved Nuclear Engineering Problems (Professional Publications, Inc.)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 797 pages
• Publisher: Professional Pubns Inc; 6th edition (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888577568
• ISBN-13: 978-1888577563
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #830,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars #1 Reference Book for the Exam, October 30, 2004

By 

Brent L. Carper (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Electrical Engineering Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam, Sixth Edition (Hardcover)

I took the Electrical PE Exam (Power Option) yesterday Oct 29, 2004 for the first time, and I felt very well prepared and expect to pass the exam easily. To study and for reference during the exam, I purchased this Reference Manual and three additional books by the same author: the Quick Reference, Practice Problems, and Six-Minute Solutions. I also purchased the NCEES Sample Questions & Solutions, and I already had a copy of the NEC. I used no other materials for studying or taking the exam.

This Reference Manual is excellent, and was my number one guide while studying and during the exam itself. My studying consisted of working the NCEES Sample Questions & Solutions and the Six-Minute Solutions books twice each, using only this Reference Manual and the NEC. Out of the 80 problems on the exam, there was only 1 not covered by this Reference Manual and NEC. I don't see how you can take the PE exam without this book! The organization and format of this book are excellent and very polished. The content is concise but also comprehensive... the perfect balance. It's the details that make it exceptional: how each section is "tabbed" by a black mark on the side and starts with a list of abbreviations and constants, top quality illustrations and tables, etc. The index is comprehensive, which is also very important during the exam.

I would strongly recommend this Reference Manual, Six-Minute Solutions, and the NCEES Sample Exam. There is now a Sample Exam by this same author, which I did not use, but would if I was doing it over again. The NEC is necessary for anyone doing the Power option. The Quick Reference and the Practice Problems are not good books, and I would not recommend them. I used neither of them during the exam, and only minimally when studying. See my reviews on those items for more details.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yarbrough helps the broadly educated BSEE pass the PE, September 24, 2001

By 

James Susky (Anchorage, Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electrical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 5th Edition (Hardcover)

I have owned Edition #4 of this book since 1988, and found it to be fully adequate when I sat for the PE in May 1994. It was the only book I actually used for the test. I have also found it to be an excellent concise electrical engineering reference.

Some context: I never met a test I didn't like. I graduated with BSEE from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 1982 and found the P.E. to be sophomore-to-junior level with low-to-moderate difficulty and depth with no significant time pressure - one hour average per problem. With respect to the PhD-EE who commented below, I suspect that the narrow focus necessary for graduate study is not useful for a broad test like the PE. I passed the test cold twelve years after leaving school, and probably benefited from the broad treatment of EE topics and the accelerated pace at Rose which tended to cram a semester's work into 10 weeks (effectively three semesters per year). Unlike the Doctor, I found Yarbrough's treatment of Electrical Engineering closely resembled the test which included: Power, Digital logic, Communications, Integration, Filters, Op amp applications, Control systems/application of feedback, and
National Electrical Code (my 1994 test had a grounding problem).

I agree that Yarbrough's problems were more difficult than those on the PE. I strenuously disagree that it "did a fair job of reviewing areas in which one already had knowledge." It is accurate, however, to say that the book is not good at introducing new subjects. It is a *reference* and not a substitute for a semester or more of grinding through the applicable EE class.

I remember doing the following problems:
1) A freshman-level problem relating power and energy (first page of the test and shockingly rudimentary).
2) An integration problem - find the RMS value of a sine-wave 10V peak-to-peak, chopped at 65% - another freshman level problem.
3) An op amp problem - find the rise time, calculate the value of feedback resistors, draw bode plot showing frequency response.
4) A grounding problem using NEC. I DIDN'T HAVE MY NEC! But worked the problem anyway because at the time I'd been doing a lot of commercial design.
5) A Control Systems problem - classic transfer function with feedback problem.
6) A Sallen and Key low-pass filter problem.
7) A power problem - transformer regulation with non-purely-resistive load.
8) ?

A word of encouragement for prospective P.E.'s: Don't sweat the fact that you may not have prepared adequately - take it anyway. I delayed sitting for it because of this non-reason, and cost myself tens-of-thousands of dollars. Apply for it, don't tell anyone you're taking it, and go in with no pressure. If you get a 69, you'll get to take the test again. I took the test with no preparation, walked out of the afternoon session (multiple choice) with one-and-one-half hours to spare, and got a 76 (laughing when I got the notice). Real-world consulting and my classes at Rose were far, far, more difficult.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Review of Yarbrough's EE Reference Manual, November 16, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Electrical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 5th Edition (Hardcover)

I have a Ph.D. in EE and several years of work experience and recently took the Profession Engineer examination in EE. I purchased this book to (a) review areas of electrical engineering with which I am familiar (e.g., circuits, devices), (b) learn enough about new areas (e.g., power transmission, motors, control systems) to pass in these areas on the Professional Engineer examination, and (c) work sample problems. I found that the book did a fair job of reviewing areas in which one already had knowledge, but was poor at introducing new subjects. There was no way I could learn much new (this varied with the topic). There are sample problems at the end of each chapter (with solutions available in a separate manual). After working real problems from a past test (available from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying in Clemson, SC), I found that Yarbrough's examples were not representative and much harder than the real test. I would give this book a worse rating, but during the exam I was able to look up critical bits of information that added many points to my score.