Top Front End - PAT - DAT - Seeking for Tips and Strategy

[Shadowwalker]

Hello everyone,

I am prepping for PAT section. I found it hard for me to tackle Top Front End part. Could someone share your tips and strategy? Thanks.

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[harleen317]

I am struggling in that section too right now. I hope someone has a strategy that's helpful.

 

[Ari Rezaei]

This thread helped me understand TFE back when I was studying. It goes over what all the lines and shapes mean. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/my-wicked-sick-pat-tutorial.528643/

The general strategy I use is to find something unique about the two sides presented (such as a hole that goes all the way through the shape), then determine what the unique feature would look like in the missing view. If an answer choice doesn't match up with what you think it should be, eliminate it. Then again find another unique feature, compare it against the answer choices, and eliminate the ones that don't match. Repeat until you only have one answer left, because that is the correct answer.

Also, the thread I linked to talks about a strategy called line counting. I recommend you do not rely on or use this method since the ADA has caught onto that trick a while back and now makes their TFE questions immune to line counting.

 

[Shadowwalker]

This thread helped me understand TFE back when I was studying. It goes over what all the lines and shapes mean. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/my-wicked-sick-pat-tutorial.528643/

The general strategy I use is to find something unique about the two sides presented (such as a hole that goes all the way through the shape), then determine what the unique feature would look like in the missing view. If an answer choice doesn't match up with what you think it should be, eliminate it. Then again find another unique feature, compare it against the answer choices, and eliminate the ones that don't match. Repeat until you only have one answer left, because that is the correct answer.

Also, the thread I linked to talks about a strategy called line counting. I recommend you do not rely on or use this method since the ADA has caught onto that trick a while back and now makes their TFE questions immune to line counting.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it

 

[harleen317]

This sort of helped. Thanks Ari! It's still my section tho grr

 

[pilotdentist]

Go over practice test solutions and slowly analyze each solution until you "see" what makes them different.

You will start seeing patterns. TFE "clicked" for me after about 6-7 practice tests. It went from my worst section by far to being similar to pattern folding in terms of difficulty.

 

[BobcatDMD]

I try to use the different views depending on which side it's asking for. Like if it's asking for the top view, I try to tilt down the front view to see what the top would look like, and try matching it with the end view. Idk I guess it's harder to explain than I thought lol.

 

[harleen317]

I try to use the different views depending on which side it's asking for. Like if it's asking for the top view, I try to tilt down the front view to see what the top would look like, and try matching it with the end view. Idk I guess it's harder to explain than I thought lol.

No that makes sense. I have been using that for top and front views and it actually works for me. The only trouble I was having was determining end views but combining process of elimination and the techniques that Ari listed above are finally helping my score.

I do have one question though..Is is okay for me to skip the TFE section completely so I can finish up the rest of the sections first and then go back to this one? I get caught up in TFE and by the time I get to the pattern folding my brain wants to give up (On the practice tests I usually have 12-13 minutes left for the last section). Please let me know what you guys think!

 

[pilotdentist]

Yes, you can do that. You will have to manually click "next" for each question but it shouldn't take long. My toughest section was keyhole, so I clicked through to #16 and started with tfe. I think saving your worst/slowest section for last is a solid strategy. Just make sure you don't accidentally click "submit" after question 90!

 

[harleen317]

Yes, you can do that. You will have to manually click "next" for each question but it shouldn't take long. My toughest section was keyhole, so I clicked through to #16 and started with tfe. I think saving your worst/slowest section for last is a solid strategy. Just make sure you don't accidentally click "submit" after question 90!

Ah so I just took a practice test using the skipping the hardest section strategy and guess what??! It helped my score improve by 2 points on the PAT!! I am getting excited now to the take the actual test