IBEW Mechanical Reasoning Section — What to Know
Mechanical reasoning is the section most applicants leave underprepared and then breeze through. The principles are simple — most questions reduce to lever balance or gear ratio.
What This Section Tests
- Levers and fulcrums
- Gears and pulleys
- Common hand tools and what they measure
- Basic physics: force, pressure, friction
- Simple machines: wedge, screw, inclined plane
Example Questions
Lever Question
Q: A 10-ft lever has its fulcrum 2 ft from a 200 lb load. What force is needed at the opposite end to balance the load?
A: Effort arm = 8 ft. Load arm = 2 ft. Mechanical advantage = 8/2 = 4. Required force = 200 / 4 = 50 lbs.
Gear Question
Q: Gear A has 20 teeth and drives Gear B with 5 teeth. If Gear A spins 100 RPM, how fast does Gear B spin?
A: Inverse ratio. 100 × (20/5) = 400 RPM. The smaller gear always spins faster.
The Gear Ratio Trick
The Lever Principle (Simply)
Effort × effort arm = load × load arm. A longer lever (longer effort arm) requires less force. If you double the effort arm length, you halve the force needed.
Pulleys
More pulleys means less force needed, but more rope to pull. With 2 movable pulleys, you need 1/2 the force but pull twice as much rope.
5 Practice Questions
- Gear C has 40 teeth, Gear D has 10 teeth. If D spins 200 RPM, how fast does C spin?
- An 8-foot lever has its fulcrum 2 ft from a 120 lb load. Force needed?
- If you push down on one end of a seesaw, what happens to the other end?
- Which tool measures resistance: voltmeter, ammeter, ohmmeter, or wattmeter?
- A 4:1 pulley system. If the load is 400 lbs, how much force is needed to lift it?
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Take the Free Practice TestFrequently Asked Questions
What does the IBEW mechanical reasoning section test?
The mechanical reasoning section tests basic physics and machinery: levers, gears, pulleys, common tools, force, pressure, and simple machines. No engineering math is required.
How do I prepare for the IBEW mechanical reasoning section?
Learn three concepts: lever balance (effort × effort arm = load × load arm), gear ratios (smaller gear = faster), and pulleys (more pulleys = less force, more rope). Those cover roughly 80% of questions.
Is the mechanical reasoning section hard?
It is the easiest section for most applicants once they learn the basic principles. The questions are pattern-recognition more than calculation. A few hours of focused study is usually enough.
Related Resources
Michael B.
IBEW Local 134 Journeyman · Licensed Contractor · IL Educator
Michael started in the IBEW at 18 and made foreman as a 3rd-year apprentice. Thirteen years in, he’s a Local 134 journeyman, a licensed electrical contractor, a licensed Illinois teacher, and OSHA 30 and EPA 608 certified. He teaches a federally recognized pre-apprenticeship on the south side of Chicago — where he’s helped 100+ students get into the IBEW. He built Sparky AI around exactly what the NJATC exam tests and what trips people up. Prep with this and you walk in ready.