Study Guide

Field 143: Technology Engineering 
Sample Selected-Response Questions

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General Test Directions

This test consists of two sections: 1) a section with selected-response questions and 2) a constructed-response section.

Each question in the first section is a selected-response question with four answer choices. Read each question and answer choice carefully and choose the  start uppercase ONE end uppercase  best answer.

Try to answer all questions. Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all. You will  start uppercase NOT end uppercase  be penalized for guessing.

The second section of this test consists of one constructed-response assignment. You will be asked to provide a written response to the assignment. Directions for completing your written response to the constructed-response assignment appear immediately before the assignment.

You may  start uppercase NOT end uppercase  use any type of calculator or reference materials during the test session.

Sample Selected-Response Questions

Competency 0001 
Apply knowledge of the historical and social context of technology.

1. The invention of the transistor in the 19 40s replaced which of the following electronic components used to amplify signals?

  1. piezoelectric element
  2. lead-acid battery
  3. vacuum tube
  4. resistor

Correct Response: C. Before transistors were invented, vacuum tubes were used to control the flow of electricity through a circuit. The design of vacuum tubes allows small changes in voltage to be converted into amplified signals.

Competency 0004 
Apply knowledge of the relationship between business and industry and the concepts and skills required in the modern technology workplace.

2. Over the past year a manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries raised the price of a battery in response to increased material costs. Which of the following economic concepts best describes the likely consequences of this increase in cost?

  1. supply and demand
  2. opportunity cost
  3. game theory
  4. competition

Correct Response: A. The most relevant economic concept to this scenario is supply and demand. The concept of supply and demand says that the quantity of a product supplied is an increasing function of the price and the quantity demanded is a decreasing function of price. In this scenario, since the price charged by the manufacturer has increased, demand for the product will drop as a consequence.

Competency 0005 
Apply knowledge of principles, terminology, system design, and issues related to technology education delivery systems and telecommunication.

3. A school is planning to purchase laptop computers with modest processing power and no storage capacity for saving files or installing applications. Which of the following additional criteria would be most important for the school to consider as part of this plan?

  1. Internet bandwidth
  2. network topology
  3. printer availability
  4. teacher proficiency

Correct Response: A. This type of laptop computer is designed to rely on cloud-based storage and processing for the majority of its functions. Therefore, it needs to continuously send and receive data through the Internet. Having several classrooms full of these laptop computers requires significant Internet bandwidth to move all of this data.

Competency 0006 
Apply principles and processes related to communication systems.

4.  start bold Use the table below to answer the question that follows. end bold 

Color Value
cyan 0 percent
magenta 100 percent
yellow 0 percent
black 0 percent

The table shows the colors of a printed image represented in CMYK. Which of the following tables of RGB colors best matches the CMYK colors in the printed image?

  1. Color Value
    red 0 percent
    green 100 percent
    blue 0 percent
  2. Color Value
    red 75 percent
    green 75 percent
    blue 0 percent
  3. Color Value
    red 50 percent
    green 50 percent
    blue 50 percent
  4. Color Value
    red 100 percent
    green 0 percent
    blue 100 percent

Correct Response: D. The CMYK system describes the colors of printed images based on the relative proportions of the four different colors of ink deposited on the paper, each defined by the color of light that it absorbs. The RGB system describes the colors of displayed or projected images based on the three colors of light. Magenta ink absorbs green light, leaving only red and blue light to be reflected off of the paper and seen by the human eye.

Competency 0007 
Apply knowledge of the selection and use of materials, tools, and equipment in communication systems.

5. In which of the following situations would a digital camera with a high megapixel rating be most useful?

  1. A photo needs to have both the foreground and background in focus.
  2. The shooting location has very little ambient light.
  3. The images will be cropped and enlarged significantly.
  4. The scene to capture has a very wide field of view.

Correct Response: C. A camera's megapixel rating specifies the amount of detail information contained in an entire digital image. Cropping an image cuts out a portion of the megapixels. Enlarging takes the reduced number of megapixels contained in the cropped image and spreads them across a larger area. A camera with a high megapixel rating will generate an original image that can be cropped and enlarged with less noticeable loss of detail.

Competency 0008 
Apply principles and processes related to construction systems.

6. Which of the following residential construction projects generally requires an evaluation of the rate at which the nearby soil can absorb water?

  1. pouring wet concrete
  2. installing a septic system
  3. creating a slope for rainwater runoff
  4. weatherproofing underground cables

Correct Response: B. A residential septic system consists of a septic tank, where wastewater is stored while solids settle to the bottom to decompose, and a leach field, where the remaining liquid is absorbed into the soil and broken down by bacteria. If the soil cannot absorb a sufficient amount of water, the system will not function properly and may overflow.

Competency 0009 
Apply knowledge of the selection and use of materials, tools, and equipment in construction systems.

7. Engineers are designing a circular culvert for a new road that passes over an existing stream. Which of the following parameters would be most important to consider when determining the diameter of the culvert?

  1. average annual rainfall
  2. width of the roadway
  3. number of tributaries
  4. peak annual flow

The parameters that determine the flow rate of water through a circular culvert are the length of the culvert, the pressure differential between the two ends of the culvert, and the radius of the culvert. If the first two parameters do not change, the flow rate is determined by the radius, which is half of the diameter. The culvert diameter should be specified to meet the peak expected flow rate.

Competency 0010 
Apply principles and processes related to manufacturing technology.

8.  start bold Use the diagram below to answer the question that follows. end bold 


The diagram shows a cylindrical container nearly as wide in diameter as it is tall. The top of the container slopes upward to a short narrow necked round opening.

The diagram shows a thin-walled plastic bottle. Which of the following manufacturing processes is best used to create the bottle in the diagram?

  1. die casting
  2. blow molding
  3. sand casting
  4. extruding

Correct Response: B. Blow molding is the process of using compressed air to inflate a tube of molten plastic against the interior surface of a mold. This results in a thin-walled hollow object. It is the most common process for manufacturing plastic bottles and other containers.

Competency 0012 
Apply principles and processes related to energy, power, and transportation systems.

9. Naturally occurring methane gas is produced through the breakdown of organic matter in the:

  1. absence of oxygen.
  2. absence of carbon dioxide.
  3. presence of oxygen.
  4. presence of carbon dioxide.

Correct Response: A. In nature, methane is created by anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria live in the absence of oxygen. The methane molecule contains only carbon and hydrogen. It contains no oxygen.

Competency 0013 
Apply knowledge of the selection and use of materials, tools, and equipment in energy, power, and transportation systems.

10. Which of the following characteristics of diesel fuel is most responsible for the change in formulation due to seasonal changes in temperature?

  1. It must be heated before combustion in an engine.
  2. Its viscosity increases at lower temperatures.
  3. Its lubricating characteristics change with temperature.
  4. Its vapor pressure varies with temperature.

Correct Response: B. Diesel fuel contains paraffin wax that solidifies at low temperatures and increases the viscosity of the fuel, preventing it from flowing through vehicle fuel systems. Mixing diesel fuel with additives prevents the paraffin wax from solidifying at low temperatures.