CAST

a u d i oc r a s hc o u r s e tm

F o l l o wA l o n gM a n u a l

CAST www.AudioLearn.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One: Introduction .......................................................................... 1 Course Conventions and Content .................................................................................... 2 Course Content................................................................................................................. 4 The Key Takeaways .......................................................................................................... 7 Chapter Two: The EEI CAST Exam .............................................................. 9 The Beginning of a Great Career ..................................................................................... 9 Overview of the CAST Exam .......................................................................................... 10 Eligibility, Registration, and Scheduling ....................................................................... 14 Preparing for the Exam .................................................................................................. 15 Strategy one: Have a plan........................................................................................... 16 Strategy two: Prepare your study environment. ........................................................ 16 Strategy three Make your study time count. ...............................................................17 Strategy Four: The aforementioned practice. .............................................................17 Strategy five: Work at your own pace. ....................................................................... 19 Strategy six: Plan to guess. ......................................................................................... 19 Test Center Regulations ................................................................................................. 21 Results Policy and Retakes ............................................................................................ 22 Chapter Two Quiz .......................................................................................................... 24 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 25 Chapter Three: Graphic Arithmetic and Mathematical Usage .................... 27 How Graphic Arithmetic is Tested: Floor Plans ............................................................ 28

Which calculations do you need to understand regarding floor plans? ....................... 29 Mathematical Usage ...................................................................................................... 31 One Two Three Four Operations ................................................................................... 31 Rates and Proportions ................................................................................................... 34 What is a proportion? ................................................................................................. 34 Ratios .......................................................................................................................... 35 Percentages ................................................................................................................. 36 Lowest Values ............................................................................................................. 39 Number Series ............................................................................................................ 41 Square Number Series ................................................................................................ 45 Word Problems ........................................................................................................... 47 Calculating Ages ......................................................................................................... 48 Chapter Three Quiz ........................................................................................................ 50 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 51 Chapter Four: Mechanical Concepts.......................................................... 54 How Mechanical Concepts are Tested ........................................................................... 54 Units and Systems of Units ............................................................................................ 55 Vectors and Scalars ........................................................................................................ 56 Equal vectors .................................................................................................................. 57 Forces ............................................................................................................................. 59 Models of Friction .......................................................................................................... 60 Chapter Four Quiz.......................................................................................................... 63 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 64

Chapter Five: Mechanical Concepts Part Two ............................................ 66 Chapter Five Quiz............................................................................................................71 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 72 Chapter Six: Mechanical Concepts Part Three ........................................... 73 Section One: Acoustics ................................................................................................... 74 Section Two: Optics ....................................................................................................... 78 Section Three: Thermodynamics ................................................................................... 81 Section Four: Pressure ................................................................................................... 85 Chapter Six Quiz ............................................................................................................ 86 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 87 Chapter Seven: Mechanical Concepts Part Four ........................................ 88 Electric Power ................................................................................................................ 89 Series and Parallel Circuits ............................................................................................ 91 Electric Circuits .............................................................................................................. 92 Chapter Seven Quiz ........................................................................................................ 96 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 98 Chapter Eight: Mechanical Concepts Part Six ............................................ 99 Springs ......................................................................................................................... 100 What are springs? ..................................................................................................... 100 Pulley Systems.............................................................................................................. 102 Gears ............................................................................................................................ 104 Wheels and Belts .......................................................................................................... 106 Chapter Eight Quiz ....................................................................................................... 108 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 109

Chapter Nine: Reading Comprehension ................................................... 110 Chapter Nine Quiz......................................................................................................... 117 The Key Takeaways ....................................................................................................... 118 Chapter Ten: You Passed, What’s Next? .................................................. 120 Final Exam .............................................................................................. 123 Conclusion ...............................................................................................125 Follow Along PDF Manual .......................................................................127

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Hello, and welcome to this audio course aimed at preparing you for the Construction and Skilled Trades examination or CAST! I will be your guide throughout this course.

If you are listening now, chances are you have your CAST exam coming up. Passing the test is a requirement for getting hired at many construction and utility companies. The Construction and Skilled Trades exam is a widely accepted benchmark used to assess prospective candidates in the construction and trades fields. It checks a baseline of knowledge and skills of prospective workers this to determine if they qualify for the skilled positions for which they are applying.

This exam was created by the Edison Electric Institute. However, individual utility companies administer it directly. The CAST exam can be administered as part of the entry requirements for a variety of jobs. These include: •

Transmission and distribution companies,

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Machine and vehicle repair,

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Meter servicing and repair,

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And electrical repairs and facility management services.

Whatever position you hope to attain in the long run, I congratulate you in advance!

With adequate preparation and tools, you can rest assured of your success on your forthcoming exam. That of course will increase your value to prospective employers and open many doors for you.

After going through all of the material in this course, you will be ready for the written portions of the CAST exam. For many applicants, passing this exam is the biggest barrier they will face in the process of landing their dream jobs.

The CAST exam is actually a battery of paper based aptitude tests. There are four sections, and the entire test takes about two hours to complete. The exam is designed to test applicants across various construction and skilled trade occupations. It is designed 1

to measure your skills and expertise. It measures your ability to interpret visual data and perform basic arithmetic calculations. Thirty four investor owned utility companies that are part of the EEI contributed to the creation of this exam. The test has become the industry standard for evaluating the skills of applicants.

Although CAST is not administered solely by the Edison Electric Institute, they still maintain the test. Each company that uses the exam to assess job applicants can administer, score, and use results in their own way. The intent is to assess an applicant’s aptitude and examine their ability to learn and understand key information required for success in their future roles.

As a new entrant into the construction industry, you may be required to take this test.

It’s part of the recruitment process in many organizations. It affords you the opportunity to show a prospective employer what you are made of, so treat passing this test as a priority.

But what if you already have a job in the construction industry? You just want to move up the ladder, so to speak? The CAST exam is a great way to prove your value to your employer. Passing this test will help demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and ability to excel in a new role, with more responsibilities.

Thank you, again, for your interest in this course. I am sure it will prove valuable in your quest to begin or advance your career. So, if you are set to go, let’s get started.

COURSE CONVENTIONS AND CONTENT In this section of the chapter, I'll focus on the conventions and content of this audio course. When I say course conventions, I’m talking about the methods and concepts that I will use to present the course material to you. The content has been divided into chapters. Each chapter is further divided into subsections. At the start of every new chapter and subsection, I will give its name to you.

There will be short quizzes near the end of every chapter. They are based on the content you heard in that particular lecture. Use them to assess your progress and to direct extra study time you might need. There is also a Follow Along PDF Manual. Later in this

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introduction, I'll explain how to use the manual and how it will help you get the most from this course.

The CAST exam is a challenging one. Quite often, talented individuals get turned away from jobs that they otherwise would have qualified for simply because they scored too low on the test. I will help you learn how to prepare for each section of CAST. You will also learn some tactics that will help you solve questions more quickly and within the exam's time constraints. This will help you save precious time and energy; it can be the difference between a passing score or a fail.

A bit earlier, I mentioned a Follow Along PDF Manual. Each AudioLearn course comes with a companion study guide, called a Follow Along PDF Manual. In this manual, you will find a summary of important information and links to valuable resources. The manual also contains the quizzes for each chapter and a practice final exam. You'll take this mock exam to put everything you learned together. It's a good indication of whether or not you are ready for the real test. Needless to say, this manual will prove invaluable to your success in this course. You can choose to read it in digital format, but I recommend that you print it out. Then you can use it to take notes or additional comments as you listen to the lectures. In any case, use the format that works best for you.

Repetition is an important part of learning. Throughout this course, I will repeat vital concepts several times. It is not because I have a lack of things to say; it’s just part of the learning process. Take note of repeated ideas, terms, and concepts as you go through the course. If I repeat things, then they are probably worth remembering.

I recommend that you listen to every chapter of this course as many times as you can; at least twice. It is unlikely that you will be able to retain enough information by listening only once. You should also pay attention to any supplemental study sources, suggestions, and learning techniques that I will mention. They can help to make your testing experience much easier. Again, taking notes as you listen is another good way to retain information.

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COURSE CONTENT Now I will provide a brief outline of the entire course content. This overview will give you an idea of what to expect. I hope the outline gets you excited about the prospects of what you will learn. I also hope it shows how valuable this audio course can be to your success and motivates you to get started!

I will begin this course with a basic overview of the CAST exam in chapter two. I will go over the application process, who is eligible to take the test, and the exam schedule. In this chapter, you will also learn some basic tips that will help with your preparation.

You'll hear about rules to keep in mind on exam day. I will also explain how the test is graded, along with results and retake policies.

As we proceed into specific topics, it is important that you remember the CAST exam is a battery of four aptitude tests. They are: •

One: The Graphic Arithmetic section,

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Two: Mechanical Concepts

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Three: Reading for Comprehension,

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And four: Mathematical Usage.

In the subsequent chapters of this course, I will cover all four exam sections or tests. I will familiarize you with the structure and format of each section and how to answer the questions presented on them.

Chapter three deals with the Graphical Arithmetic and Mathematical Usage tests. These are the first and fourth subtests, but we’ve combined them in this chapter to keep all the math sections together.

I will explain how these subjects are presented on the exam. I will also highlight and explain the calculations that you need to understand to succeed on the math portions.

Math is generally a two part process of memorizing formulas and then applying them.

The CAST exam tests how fast you can apply formulas under strict time constraints.

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The topics you can expect on the Mathematical Usage section are ratios, rates and proportions, and one/two/three/four operations. I will also talk about percentages, lowest values, and number series. This section also includes word problems.

In the following chapters, I will discuss the topics under the Mechanical Concepts part of the exam. This section is most relevant to the construction industry. You still need to pass it, though, no matter the field or trade job you are applying for. The Mechanical Concepts section, as the name implies, tests your understanding of basic mechanical concepts. This is the most extensive section of the exam. To effectively cover the Mechanical Concepts topics, we have split the content up over six chapters.

Chapter four is an introduction to the Mechanical Concepts section. I will explain what you can expect on this part of the exam. Then I will present a brief breakdown of some basic mechanical concepts: for example, units and systems of units, vectors, and scalers.

I will also go over the concepts of forces.

In subsequent chapters, I will cover additional mechanical concepts, beginning with work, energy, power, and buoyancy. After that, I will discuss acoustics and optics. I will also explain thermodynamics and pressure.

The fourth part of the mechanical concepts section is mainly about electricity. I will discuss electric power, and series and parallel connection of electrical circuits. Part five of mechanical concepts involves gas pressure, circular motion, ballistics, and an introduction to simple machines.

Next, I will talk about various types of simple machines, beginning with springs, pulley systems, gears, wheels, and belts.

I'll cover the final section of the exam in chapter nine. This is the reading comprehension section. As the name implies, this section will evaluate your reading and comprehension skills. I will explain how this is tested on the CAST exam along with several examples.

The last part of this audio course is somewhat of a bonus chapter. It covers all you need to know after you complete this course. I will wrap things up with a summary of what you must do after you pass your CAST exam. Here you will find information about what

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to do to advance your career in the construction and utilities industry now that you have passed your exam and have demonstrated your value. This chapter also provides you with the practice final exam for the course. Again, it’s a great way to prepare for the real thing. You'll use everything you learned in the lectures when you take the test. The feedback you get from what you got right and what you miss will be very helpful.

As you can tell, we have quite a lot to cover. Still, I encourage you to take everything in stride. Don’t rush it. Work at a comfortable pace to get the most from this course. As I mentioned earlier, you may have to listen to each chapter a couple of times to fully digest the wealth of information. And remember, taking the quizzes at the end of each chapter, along with the final exam, will help you prepare better as well. Time yourself so you get used to working quickly but accurately. If you are constantly running short on time, you've identified an issue. Try to determine what is taking up your time. Is it material you do not remember? Are you not understanding the questions? Are you a slow reader? Fix this before the real exam. You'll go in with more confidence and will spend less time and energy on questions.

If you go through this audio course and follow all the recommendations I provide, you will be as prepared as anyone can be for this test. The more information you can acquire and retain, the more prepared you will be. This will serve as a real confidence boost ahead of the exam.

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THE KEY TAKEAWAYS I hope this introductory chapter has been insightful. Right now, I'd like to go over your ten takeaways before I close out the chapter: •

One: The Construction and Skilled Trades exam is a widely accepted benchmark.

It assesses the skills of prospective candidates seeking employment in various construction and utilities companies.

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Two: The CAST exam is used by individual companies to assess an applicant’s aptitude. It examines the applicants' ability to learn key information required to succeed in the roles they apply for.

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Three: This exam was created by the Edison Electric Institute. However, the exam is administered directly by individual utility companies.

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Four: In this chapter, I have gone over the conventions and content of this CAST audio course. While they are not on the exam, they are critical to your success in this course.

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Five: Expect short quizzes near the end of each chapter. They will help to evaluate your understanding and retention of the information you heard.

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Six: Make use of the Follow along PDF Manual. It will help you to grasp the information better.

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Seven: The CAST exam is challenging. Make sure you practice answering questions within the strict time limits.

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Eight: Repetition and emphasis are important to help you retain information. Pay close attention to items and concepts that I repeat in each chapter.

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Nine: If you already have a job in the construction industry, the CAST exam can help to advance your career. It’s a great way to show your employer your true value.

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Ten: Don’t rush the course. Make time to listen to each chapter at least a couple of times.

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Construction and Skilled Trades (CAST)

Follow Along PDF Manual

www.AudioLearn.com

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34.

Objects 1 and 2 are submerged in separate tanks, both filled with water. In which tank, A or B, will the water level be highest? a. Tank A b. Tank B c. They will be equal

35.

If ball one and two are of equal weight and moving at the same speed, in which direction will ball one tend to go when it collides with ball two at point X? a. Direction A b. Direction B c. Direction C

36.

Which of the two identical objects, A or B, will launch a higher distance when the springs are released? a. Object A b. Object B c. They would be launched equal distances

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78.

On which side of the pipe, A or B, would the water speed be slower? a. Side A b. Side B c. The water would flow at the same rate on both sides

79.

A load of boxes is being carried by the two men shown above. Which of the two men, A or B, is carrying more weight? a. Man A b. Man B c. They are carrying the same amount of weight.

80.

Two birds are sitting on branches of a tree at different elevations. Both drop objects of identical size and weight. Which object will hit the ground with a bigger force? a. Object A b. Object B c. They hit the ground with equal force

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