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229+ Free PRC Mechanical Engineer Practice Questions

Prepare for the PRC Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination (MELE) exam with instant access — no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: PRC Mechanical Engineer Exam

70%

Passing Average

RA 8495

50%

Minimum Subject Rating

RA 8495 IRR

3

Board Subjects

PRC Board of ME

35%

Power Plant Weight

PRC syllabi

2 days

Exam Schedule

PRC

RA 8495

Governing Law

PRC

The PRC Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination (MELE) requires a general weighted average of at least 70% with no rating below 50% in any subject. It spans three board subjects weighted 30/35/35: Machine Design, Materials and Shop Practice; Industrial and Power Plant Engineering; and Mathematics, Engineering Economics and Basic Engineering Sciences. The exam is governed by RA 8495 and the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code, administered by the PRC Board of Mechanical Engineering over two days.

Sample PRC Mechanical Engineer Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your PRC Mechanical Engineer exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 229+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In the Philippine Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination (MELE), a candidate must obtain a general weighted average of at least what percentage, with no individual subject rating falling below a stated floor?
A.75% average, no rating below 60%
B.60% average, no rating below 40%
C.80% average, no rating below 70%
D.70% average, no rating below 50%
Explanation: Under RA 8495 and its IRR, a candidate for Mechanical Engineer must obtain a general average of at least 70% across all subjects with no rating below 50% in any subject. Falling below 50% in even one subject is disqualifying regardless of the average.
2The MELE is divided into three board subjects. Which subject carries the 30% weighting?
A.Power Plant Engineering
B.Mathematics, Engineering Economics and Basic Engineering Sciences
C.Machine Design, Materials and Shop Practice
D.Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Explanation: The current PRC MELE program assigns 30% to Machine Design, Materials and Shop Practice. Power Plant Engineering and Mathematics each carry 35%.
3A solid circular shaft transmits a torque T. If the shaft diameter is doubled while T is held constant, the maximum torsional shear stress on the surface becomes what fraction of the original stress?
A.1/8 of the original
B.1/2 of the original
C.1/4 of the original
D.1/16 of the original
Explanation: For a solid circular shaft, torsional shear stress is tau = 16T/(pi*d^3). Stress varies inversely with the cube of the diameter, so doubling d divides the stress by 2^3 = 8.
4In an ideal Rankine cycle, which process occurs in the boiler?
A.Isentropic expansion
B.Isentropic compression
C.Constant-pressure heat addition
D.Constant-pressure heat rejection
Explanation: The Rankine cycle boiler adds heat to the working fluid at essentially constant pressure, converting compressed liquid to superheated steam. The turbine performs isentropic expansion, the pump isentropic compression, and the condenser constant-pressure heat rejection.
5The coefficient of performance (COP) of a refrigerator operating on a reversed Carnot cycle between a cold reservoir at TL and a hot reservoir at TH is given by which expression?
A.TH / (TH - TL)
B.(TH - TL) / TL
C.TH / TL
D.TL / (TH - TL)
Explanation: For a Carnot refrigerator, COP = desired effect / work = TL/(TH - TL), with temperatures in absolute units. The numerator is the cold-reservoir temperature because the useful effect is heat removed from the cold space.
6Under the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code, a high-pressure boiler is one that furnishes steam at a gauge pressure in excess of which value?
A.15 psi (103.4 kPa)
B.100 psi (689 kPa)
C.30 psi (207 kPa)
D.5 psi (34.5 kPa)
Explanation: The Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code classifies a steam boiler furnishing steam above 15 psi (103.4 kPa) gauge as high-pressure. The 15 psi boundary, not 30 or 100 psi, distinguishes the steam-pressure classes.
7For a belt drive, the ratio of tight-side tension T1 to slack-side tension T2 (neglecting centrifugal effects) is governed by which relationship, where f is the coefficient of friction and theta is the angle of wrap?
A.T1/T2 = f*theta
B.T1 - T2 = f*theta
C.T1/T2 = theta/f
D.T1/T2 = e^(f*theta)
Explanation: The belt-friction (capstan) equation gives T1/T2 = e^(f*theta), where theta is in radians. The tension ratio grows exponentially with both the friction coefficient and the angle of contact.
8A car accelerates uniformly from rest to 20 m/s in 8 seconds. What distance does it travel during this interval?
A.160 m
B.40 m
C.200 m
D.80 m
Explanation: With uniform acceleration from rest, distance equals average velocity times time: s = (0 + 20)/2 * 8 = 10 * 8 = 80 m. Equivalently a = 2.5 m/s^2 and s = 0.5*a*t^2 = 0.5*2.5*64 = 80 m.
9In a four-stroke spark-ignition engine, how many crankshaft revolutions are required to complete one full thermodynamic cycle in a single cylinder?
A.1 revolution
B.4 revolutions
C.0.5 revolution
D.2 revolutions
Explanation: A four-stroke engine completes intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes over two crankshaft revolutions (720 degrees). Each stroke corresponds to a half-revolution of the crank, so one power stroke occurs every two revolutions.
10For a square key of width W and length L transmitting torque between a shaft and hub, which two failure modes are checked in standard key design?
A.Torsional shear and bending stress
B.Shearing stress and compressive bearing stress
C.Tensile stress and contact fatigue
D.Hoop stress and radial pressure
Explanation: A square key is checked for shear across area W times L and for compressive bearing stress over the engaged side area, commonly (H/2) times L. These checks size the key to transmit the required tangential force safely.

About the PRC Mechanical Engineer Exam

The PRC Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination (MELE) is the objective written board examination required to register as a Mechanical Engineer in the Philippines under Republic Act No. 8495 (the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Act of 1998). It is administered by the Professional Regulation Commission and its Board of Mechanical Engineering over a two-day schedule, covering three board subjects: Machine Design, Materials and Shop Practice (30%); Industrial and Power Plant Engineering (35%); and Mathematics, Engineering Economics and Basic Engineering Sciences (35%). The separate Professional Mechanical Engineer upgrade is interview- and report-based and is not part of this examination.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

Two-day examination schedule

Passing Score

70% general weighted average, no rating below 50%

Exam Fee

PRC examination and processing fees apply (Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Board of Mechanical Engineering)

PRC Mechanical Engineer Exam Content Outline

30%

Machine Design, Materials and Equipment (MDME)

Machine elements (shafts, gears, belts, springs, fasteners, bearings), kinematics and mechanisms, materials and heat treatment, mechanical testing, manufacturing and shop practices, engineering drawing and GD&T

35%

Industrial and Power Plant Engineering (PIPE)

Power plants and prime movers, boilers and pressure vessels, internal combustion engines, pumps and fluid machinery, compressors, refrigeration and air-conditioning, the PME Code, and industrial plant management

35%

Mathematics, Engineering Economics and Basic Engineering Sciences (MEEBES)

Algebra, trigonometry, analytic geometry, differential and integral calculus, differential equations, probability and statistics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, engineering mechanics and dynamics, strength of materials, engineering economics, mechanical engineering law and ethics

How to Pass the PRC Mechanical Engineer Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70% general weighted average, no rating below 50%
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: Two-day examination schedule
  • Exam fee: PRC examination and processing fees apply

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 229 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

PRC Mechanical Engineer Study Tips from Top Performers

1Allocate study time to the 30/35/35 board-subject weighting, prioritizing Industrial and Power Plant Engineering and the Math/Sciences block
2Master power plant cycles (Rankine, Brayton, Otto, Diesel) and the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle
3Memorize key machine-design formulas: torsion, beam bending, factor of safety, belt friction, and gear ratios
4Review the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code (PME Code) provisions on boilers, pressure vessels, and refrigeration
5Drill engineering economics: compound interest, present worth, depreciation, and EOQ
6Practice unit conversions and be comfortable with both SI and US Customary units
7Study RA 8495 and the Code of Ethics for Mechanical Engineers for the law and ethics items
8Work timed problem sets to build the speed needed across a two-day examination

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing rule for the PRC Mechanical Engineer board exam?

Under RA 8495 and its implementing rules, a candidate must obtain a general weighted average of at least 70% across all subjects, with no rating below 50% in any individual subject. A rating below 50% in even one subject is disqualifying regardless of the overall average.

What subjects are covered in the MELE?

The examination has three board subjects: Machine Design, Materials and Shop Practice (30%); Industrial and Power Plant Engineering (35%); and Mathematics, Engineering Economics and Basic Engineering Sciences (35%). Together they cover machine elements, power plants, refrigeration, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mathematics, engineering economics, and mechanical engineering law and ethics.

Is the Mechanical Engineer exam the same as the Professional Mechanical Engineer credential?

No. The Mechanical Engineer (ME) tier is the objective written licensure examination covered here. The higher Professional Mechanical Engineer (PME) tier is an upgrade based on an interview and a technical report, not a multiple-choice written exam, and is not part of this practice set.

What law governs mechanical engineering practice in the Philippines?

Republic Act No. 8495, the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Act of 1998, regulates the practice of mechanical engineering. It establishes the Board of Mechanical Engineering, the licensure examination, registration requirements, and the scope of practice. The Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code (PME Code) governs the design and operation of mechanical equipment such as boilers, pressure vessels, and refrigeration systems.

How is the exam administered?

The Professional Regulation Commission, through its Board of Mechanical Engineering, administers the objective multiple-choice examination over a two-day schedule at designated testing venues. PRC has been moving licensure examinations toward computerized delivery. Candidates apply through the PRC online services portal.

Do I need work experience to take the Mechanical Engineer exam?

No additional work experience is required to sit for the Mechanical Engineer written tier. Candidates generally need a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from a recognized program and must meet PRC eligibility requirements such as citizenship and good moral character.