2006 State Agricultural Mechanics Written Examination

2007 State Agricultural Mechanics Problem Solving

Directions: Place your name, chapter, and contestant number on the accompanying scantron form that you will receive from the test administrators. Read each of the following multiple-choice items and the possible answers carefully. Mark the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet (scantron form) as instructed by the test administrators. PLEASE MAKE NO MARKS ON THIS TEST. You may use the paper provided to work out the problems.

1. If a motor has a rated speed of 3450 rpm, what size of pulley should be installed on the motor to drive a grinder with a 3-inch pulley at 1725 rpm? S x D = S' x D' (S = speed of motor, D = diameter of motor pulley, S' = speed of machine, and D' = diameter of machine pulley).

a. 1.5" b. 2" 3450x = 1725(3) c. 3.5" x = 5175/3450 d. 4" x = 1.5

2. A swine producer is shipping top hogs to a processing plant. The truck and trailer to move the hogs can weigh 81,000 pounds when loaded. The truck and trailer has an empty weight of 33,000 pounds. How many 265-pound hogs can be hauled without exceeding the load limit?

a. 147 b. 181 81000 – 48000 = 48000 c. 236 48000/265 = 181.13 d. 255

3. The speed of a combine is 5.5 miles per hour. The combine has a grain head that is 20′ wide. How many acres can be harvested if the farmer begins at 7:00 a.m. and worked until 7:00 p.m., stopping a total of 4 hours for lunch and to unload the harvested grain?

(Acres/hour = width of machinery x speed in miles/hour) 10

a. 34 b. 46 20(5.5)/10 = 11 acres per hour c. 52 11(8 hours) = 88 d. 88

4. A farmer uses the items in table below in his shop for the times specified. If electricity is 18 cents per kilowatt hour, what is the total cost of the electricity used for a month?

Ten fluorescent lights 120 watts each 4 hours per day 30 days Table saw 1800 watts 8 hours per day 20 days Compound miter saw 1750 watts 5 hours per day 16 days Drill press 1032 watts 2 hours per day 4 days 3 Fans 200 watts each 8 hours per day 30 days Note: 1 kilowatt hour = 1000 watts for 1 hour a. $ 97.89 b. $134.77 c. $141.84 d. $178.21 Page 1 of 5 10 x 20 x 4 x 30 = 144000/1000 = 144.000 kwh 1 x 1800 x 8 x 20 = 288000/1000 = 288.000 kwh 1 x 1750 x 5 x 16 = 140000/1000 = 140.000 kwh 1 x 1032 x 2 x 4 = 8256/1000 = 8.256 kwh 3 x 200 x 8 x 30 = 144000/1000 = 144.000kwh 724.256kwh x .18 = 130.36608 = 130.37

5. If the drill press is problem 4 operates on 120 volts of electricity, how many amps of electricity does the motor pull?

a. 5.2 W = VA b. 8.6 1032 = 120A c. 9.7 1032/120 = A d. 10.1 8.6 = A

6. How many acres are in the plot of land shown? Note: 10 square chains = 1 acre

a. 10.34 b. 12.89 12 chains c. 14.55 d. 18.21

7 chains 10 chains 10 chains

15 chains

12(10) = 120.0 7(3) = 21.0 3 x 3 = 9/2 = 4.5 145.5/10 = 14.5

7. Using the 1-2-3 rule, how many shovels of sand needs to be added to mix with 10 shovels of Portland cement?

a. 10 b. 15 10 – 2(10) – 3(10) c. 20 20 d. 30

of 5 8. Properly sharpened and balanced mower blades will reduce fuel use by 22%. The engine on a mower with dull blades uses 1 gallon of fuel per hour and gasoline cost $2.89 per gallon. How much money will be saved on fuel if mowing takes 4 hours?

a. $1.32 1 gal/hr x 4 hr = 4 gallons x $ 2.89 = $ 11.56 b. $1.67 $ 11.56 x 22% = $ 2.5432 c. $2.55 d. $3.01

9. If a pipe has a friction loss of 200 gallons per hour, what is the loss in gallons per minute (gpm)? a. 3.33 200/60 = 3..33 a. 4.05 b. 5.00 c. 5.25

10. A nurseryman uses “Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food” on nursery stock. The fertilizer is formulated at 19-6-12. If 100 pound of fertilizer is used, how many pounds of nitrogen has he actually applied?

a. 10 100 x 19% = 19 b. 12 c. 19 d. 37

11. A farmer produces crops on 1000 acres. The diesel fuel required for conventional tillage in the farming operation is 8 gallons per acre at a cost of $3 per gallon of diesel fuel. On 500 acres, the farmer uses no till and saves 45% on fuel cost. How much money does the farmer save on the no till as compared to the conventional tillage?

a. $2200 500 x 8 gal/acre x $ 3.00 = $ 12,000 b. $5400 $12,000 x 45% = $ 5400 c. $6000 d. $7300

12. An agricultural mechanics student is using rough cut 2"x 8" lumber to floor a trailer. The trailer will require 6 pieces 8 feet long. How many board feet of lumber will the student need for the trailer floor?

a. 48 BF = 6 x 2 x 8 x 8 = 64 b. 56 12 c. 64 d. 72

13. How many gallons of paint are needed to apply two coats of paint to a shed type roof that is 20' wide by 30' long? (Assume 1 gallon will cover approximately 400 square feet).

a. 1 20(30) = 600 sq ft b. 11/2 600/400 = 1.5 gallons per coat c. 2 1.5 gallons x 2 coats = 3.0 gallons of paint d. 3

of 5 14. Wanda uses Miracle Gro Water Soluble Bloom Booster 15-30-15 for her flower gardens. The fertilizer will feed approximately 600 square feet with 1.5 pounds. At that rate, approximately how many pounds of actual nitrogen is she giving her plants?

a. .23 b. .35 1.5(15%) = .225 = .23 c. .50 d. .75

Lowe’s Companies Incorporated gave your company prices for the following bill of materials. The materials in the table below are needed to construct a small building. Use the information for problems 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20.

Sample Price Quote for Building It Right Construction Lowe’s Companies Incorporated Bill of Materials

Quantity Item Unit Item Unit Extended Number Price Price 60 28349 Each 2" x 4" x 12' Top Choice SPF $ 3.50 $ 210.00 10 29003 Each 2" x 4" x 16' Top Choice SPF $ 5.74 $ 57.40 14 88917 Each 24′ Trusses 1 FT. Over $ 60.00 $ 840.00 12 12229 Sheets 23/32" BC Plywood $ 24.98 $ 299.76 16 12221 Sheets 19/32" BC Plywood $ 22.45 $ 359.20 2 134974 Each 32″ x 46″ Vinyl DH Grid Window $ 133.00 $ 266.00 1 60652 Each 36″ RB Mini-Blind 2 Panel RH Door $ 262.00 $ 262.00 40 14612 Bundle OC AR Onyx Black25 Year Shingles $ 14.25 $ 570.00 15 65432 5 Lbs. 16D Bright Common Nails $ $ 21.75 Total for Items $ 2886.11 Tax Amount – 6.75% $ 194.82 Total Estimate $ 3080.93 Contractor Discount – 20% of Total for Items $ 2308.88 Tax Amount for Total Bill $ 194.82 Contractor Price $ 2503.71

15. What is the unit cost for the 16d common nails?

a. $1.45 b. $2.16 c. $7.21 d. $10.82

16. Which is item number 134974?

a. Door b. Shingles c. Truss d. Window Page 4 of 5 17. What is the percent tax rate that was charged?

a. 6.75 b. 21.73 c. 194.80 d. 210.00

18. If you substitute Select Construction Grade 2″ x 4″ for the 12′ Top Choice SPF in the bill of materials you can save $ .47 per 2″ x 4″. How much total savings for the 12′ pieces of 2″ x 4″ lumber will you save if you go with the Construction Grade lumber?

a. $ 15.60 60($3.03) = $ 181.80 b. $ 28.20 $ 210.00 – 181.80 = $28.20 c. $ 36.80 d. $ 42.00

19. What is the size of the vinyl windows?

a. 24″ x 36″ b. 24″ x 46″ c. 32″ x 46″ d. 32″ x 48″

20. The 23/32" BC plywood is sold as what size of plywood?

a. ¼ b. ½ c. 5/8 d. ¾