• 50 questions

NOCTI Architectural Practice Test

Unofficial practice for NOCTI Architectural Drafting: line types, scales, views, plans, site plans, structure and trade math.

In the flat sheet sizes that TM 5-704 lists for drawings, how large is a D-size sheet?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

Print covers the next 50 questions. Share this set copies a link to the same questions in the same order.

Exam mode: 50 questions, 59 minutes.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with NOCTI. Bank checked October 12, 2026.

Next step Another NOCTI test: CarpentryAnother NOCTI test: Industrial Maintenance

All 50 questions

Preparing to Draw 4

  • A scale block reads 1:4. What does that ratio mean? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-12, drawing formats. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Preparing to Draw
  • In the flat sheet sizes that TM 5-704 lists for drawings, how large is a D-size sheet? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-12, drawing formats. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Preparing to Draw
  • What does a center line look like? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), chapter 1, Meaning of Lines, center lines. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Preparing to Draw
  • Which line is drawn as short, evenly spaced dashes? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), chapter 1, Meaning of Lines, hidden lines. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Preparing to Draw
Show all 50 questions (46 more)

Geometric Construction 2

  • A bay window is laid out as part of a regular octagon. What is the size of each interior angle of a regular octagon? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Geometric Construction; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A drafter steps a 30-degree angle around a full circle to divide it into equal sectors. How many sectors result? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Geometric Construction; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice

Applied Mathematics 8

  • A drawing scale of 1/4 inch = 1 foot is the same as which ratio? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A footing is 2 feet wide, 1 foot deep and 54 feet long. How many cubic yards of concrete does it hold? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A house plan is a 30-foot by 40-foot rectangle with a 10-foot by 12-foot corner left out for a porch. What is the floor area? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A plan is drawn at 1/8 inch = 1 foot. How long is a 40-foot wall on the sheet? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A roof rises 6 inches for every 12 inches of run. What angle does it make with the horizontal, to the nearest tenth of a degree? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A roof with a slope of 8 in 12 has a run of 15 feet. What is its rise? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A room has 240 square feet of floor. A designer wants window area equal to 15 percent of the floor area. How much window area is that? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • Two wall segments measure 3 5/8 inches and 2 3/4 inches on a detail. What is their total length? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (4104), Applied Mathematics; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice

Drawing Techniques: Supplementary Views 5

  • How is a dimension line drawn? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), figure 1-2, line conventions. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Drawing Techniques: Supplementary Views
  • In a perspective drawing, what do the receding lines do? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-6, perspective drawing. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Drawing Techniques: Supplementary Views
  • What is true of the three principal axes in an isometric projection? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-6, pictorial drawings. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Drawing Techniques: Supplementary Views
  • Which three views does the most common three-view orthographic drawing show? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-6, orthographic projection. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Drawing Techniques: Supplementary Views
  • Why are almost all construction drawings made by orthographic projection? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-6, orthographic projection. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Drawing Techniques: Supplementary Views

Planning 4

  • A client asks for a ranch-style house. What is that style noted for? Wikipedia, Ranch-style house. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Planning
  • What does a duplex house plan contain? Wikipedia, Duplex (building). Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Planning
  • What marks a split-level home? Wikipedia, Split-level home. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Planning
  • Why does a sheet of plywood resist splitting and warping better than a solid board? Wikipedia, Plywood. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Planning

Architectural Drawing Types 9

  • A kitchen plan is checked against the work triangle between cooktop, sink and refrigerator. How long should each leg of the triangle be? Wikipedia, Kitchen work triangle. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • On a drawing, what marks where a section view is cut? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), chapter 1, Meaning of Lines, cutting plane lines. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • On a floor plan, a stair symbol is marked "17 DN" with an arrow. What does that mean? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 2-5. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • On a foundation plan, what is a footing? US Army FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), Glossary. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • On an elevation, how are the foundations below grade shown? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 2-4. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • What is a gable? US Army FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), Glossary. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • What is an elevation? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 2-4. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • What kind of view is a floor plan? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 2-5. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types
  • Which roof is symmetrical, with two different slopes on each side? US Army FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), Glossary. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Architectural Drawing Types

Site Plans 5

  • A site plan shows a 10-foot utility easement along the rear lot line. What is an easement? Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, Wex, easement. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Site Plans
  • A site plan shows the house sewer as a below-ground utility. Where does the house sewer run? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), chapter 3, Plumbing, house sewer. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Site Plans
  • On a site plan, what does a contour line connect? U.S. Geological Survey, What is a topographic map?. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Site Plans
  • On one part of a site plan the contour lines are drawn close together. What does that show? Wikipedia, Contour line. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Site Plans
  • What is a setback on a site plan? Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, Wex, setback. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Site Plans

Structural Drawings 4

  • A structural note lists dead load and live load. Which of these is part of the dead load? US Army FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), Glossary. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Structural Drawings
  • On a floor framing plan, what does a girder support? US Army FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), Glossary. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Structural Drawings
  • What is a truss? US Army FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), Glossary. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Structural Drawings
  • Which horizontal member spans an opening and supports the wall load above it? US Army FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), Glossary. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Structural Drawings

Mechanical and Electrical Systems 2

  • On a plumbing plan, what is the house drain? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), chapter 3, Plumbing, house drain. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Mechanical and Electrical Systems
  • On an electrical plan, what does the switch symbol S3 stand for? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), chapter 3, Electrical Wiring. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Mechanical and Electrical Systems

Supplemental Drafting Activities 5

  • A sheet carries general notes that explain construction methods or name materials not shown by symbols. What are such notations called? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-12, notes and specifications. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Supplemental Drafting Activities
  • What clear width must a door opening provide under the ADA Standards? 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (ada.gov). Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Supplemental Drafting Activities
  • What does a zoning ordinance do? Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, Wex, zoning. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Supplemental Drafting Activities
  • What is the steepest running slope the ADA Standards allow for a new ramp? 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (ada.gov). Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Supplemental Drafting Activities
  • Which of these is found in a drawing's title block? US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969), paragraph 1-12, title block. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Supplemental Drafting Activities

Sustainable Architecture and Design 2

  • A specification calls for plumbing fixtures that carry the EPA WaterSense label. What does the label certify? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, About WaterSense. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Sustainable Architecture and Design
  • What are the four levels of LEED certification, from lowest to highest? U.S. Green Building Council, LEED rating system. Written to NOCTI Architectural Drafting (4104), Sustainable Architecture and Design

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the competency list of the Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Architectural Drafting (code 4104, version 01, copyright 2019) that NOCTI publishes at https://www.nocti.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/JRArchDrftg4104.pdf , read 2026-10-12: a written assessment of 152 questions in 3 hours over eleven areas (Preparing to Draw 8%; Geometric Construction 4%; Applied Mathematics 16%; Drawing Techniques, Supplementary Views 9%; Planning 8%; Architectural Drawing Types 18%; Site Plans 11%; Structural Drawings 8%; Mechanical and Electrical Systems 4%; Supplemental Drafting Activities 10%; Sustainable Architecture and Design 4%), plus a performance assessment of three jobs. This bank holds 50 in those proportions. Every convention and definition was read on 2026-10-12 on the public page named under its question: US Army TM 5-704, Construction Print Reading in the Field (1969) and FM 5-426, Carpentry (1995), in the copies at archive.org; the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design at ada.gov; the U.S. Geological Survey; the U.S. Green Building Council; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the Wex legal dictionary of Cornell's Legal Information Institute; and Wikipedia. Every length, area and angle is made up for the drill, and each computed answer is arithmetic that was worked twice. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site. TM 5-704 and FM 5-426 are works of the United States Army, and no question, self-test item or example is copied from them.

How it works

Fifty questions of our own follow the eleven areas of NOCTI's Job Ready blueprint for Architectural Drafting, code 4104. The practice is free and unofficial: NOCTI has not reviewed it and does not sponsor or endorse this page.

Read the full guide

What the eleven areas weigh

Architectural Drawing Types is 18% of the written assessment and Applied Mathematics 16%. Site Plans is 11%, Supplemental Drafting Activities 10%, Supplementary Views 9%, and Preparing to Draw, Planning and Structural Drawings 8% each. Geometric Construction, Mechanical and Electrical Systems, and Sustainable Architecture and Design are 4% each.

A timed round at the real pace

The real written test gives 3 hours for 152 questions. Exam mode keeps that pace, 50 questions in 59 minutes, and ends with a score alone, since NOCTI names no pass mark.

Words, not drawings

There are no drawings here, so line types and symbols are asked in words. The performance part has three jobs: matching construction components to their terms, a kitchen and bath floor plan, and a front elevation.

  • Math is 16% of the test. Practice scale conversions both ways: feet to inches on the sheet, and sheet inches back to feet.
  • Know the line types by description: short even dashes are hidden edges, alternate long and short dashes mark centers.

Questions and answers

How long is the NOCTI Architectural Drafting test?

Three hours for the 152 written questions, in up to three sessions. The performance part adds three jobs and 4 hours and 15 minutes.

Is there a NOCTI Architectural Drafting test for teachers?

Yes. The Teacher assessment for Architectural Drafting, code 5980, has 146 written questions in 3 hours over the same eleven areas, with slightly different weights. This practice follows the Job Ready blueprint, code 4104.

Are there NOCTI Architectural Drafting sample questions?

Ten. NOCTI's blueprint, a free PDF on nocti.org/credentials/blueprints, prints ten sample questions beside the competencies and weights. None of them is used or reworded in this bank.

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