WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

TECHNICAL DRAWING

PREAMBLE
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination in Technical Drawing covers all
sections of the examination syllabus to ensure that the student is adequately equipped
with the basic knowledge required for engineering and allied subjects at the Post –
Secondary school level.

This syllabus is strictly an examination syllabus and does not imply any order in which
the topics should be taught. Candidates are expected to have good understanding and
thorough coverage of the topics through practical exposure to real life situations such as
visits to building sites, engineering workshops, use of models, charts and other resource
materials.

OBJECTIVES
Candidates shall be expected to demonstrate the ability to:

(a) visualize and understand graphical information;

(b) express ideas and describe objects with appropriate graphical methods and tools;
(c) arrange ideas and information systematically and accurately;
(d) identify and use conventions and symbols of Technical Drawing as required by
the appropriate Standard bodies (e.g. BS, ISO);
(e) use the knowledge of Technical Drawing to solve problems graphically;
(f) demonstrate good draughtsmanship.

GENERAL NOTES
The use of drawing board ISO A2 (420 x 594 mm), T-square, Sets-square, pair of
compasses and other drawing aids is required.
Candidates shall be expected to draw to the recommendations of the current “drawing
Office practice for Architects and Builders” BS 1192 (metric); and “Engineering
Drawing Practice” BS 308A (metric)

Candidates may be required to answer questions in either 1st or 3rd Angle Projection.

STRUCTURE OF THE EXAMINATION

The examination shall consist of two (2) papers both of which are compulsory.

PAPER 1: (Objective/Geometrical Drawing)

This shall be of 2½ hours duration, consisting of two sections:

A and B.

Section A: Shall consist of 40 compulsory multiple choice for

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40 marks and will last for 1 hour. The section will be in

two parts, I and II.

Part I: Shall consist of 30 questions numbered 1 – 30 and

will be on general principles, techniques, uses of plane and
solid geometry.

Part II: Shall consist of two alternatives: IIA (Building

Drawing) and IIB (Mechanical Drawing). Each shall
consist of 10 questions numbered 31 – 40 respectively.
Candidates are expected to answer the questions in either
part IIA or IIB.

Section B: Shall consist of 4 questions on plane and solid geometry. It

will carry 60 marks and will last 1½ hours. Candidates
shall be expected to answer 3 questions.

PAPER 2: (Short Structured Questions and Practical Drawing)

This shall be of 2½ hours duration consisting of two Sections: A and B:

Section A: Shall consist of two parts, I and II, Candidates are expected
to answer either of the two parts for 30 marks.

Part I: (not available to candidates in Ghana)

Shall consist of 10 structured questions covering the entire
syllabus for 30 marks in 45 minutes.

Part II: (not available to candidates in Nigeria) shall consist

of 3 questions requiring sketches of objects, components
and tools used in the building and mechanical workshops.
Candidates shall be required to answer two questions:
Questions I and any other one for 30 marks in 45 minutes.

Section B: Shall consist of two questions: one each on Building

Drawing and Mechanical Drawing. Candidates shall be
required to answer either of the two questions in 1¾ hours
for 70 marks.

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DETAILED SYLLABUS

PRELIMINARIES

CONTENT NOTES

1. Types of drawing and application. Pictorial and orthographic.

Uses and care of equipment.

2. Lines, Lettering and Dimensioning

Types of lines and their uses. Should conform to appropriate

Types and styles of lettering. Standards and specifications.
Title blocks, Border lines, e.g. (BS, ISO).

Dimensioning: Principles and

techniques.

PLANE GEOMETRY

3. Division of lines into a given number of Simple exercises involving mathematical

equal parts or proportion and its problems.
applications.

4. Plain and Diagonal scales and their uses

including scale of chords.

5. Measurement and construction of Exercises involving the use of protractor

angles. and a pair of compasses.

6. Triangles, quadrilaterals and polygons Regular and irregular figures.

7. Circle and its properties.

8. Tangency involving circles, arcs and Blending of lines and curves. Mutually
lines. tangential circles – both internal and
external. Application of principles of
tangency to spanners, anchors and other
tools and parts.
9. Inscribed, circumscribed and escribed
figures.

10. Similar figures (enlargement and Equivalent and proportional figures

reduction). determined either by area or sides.

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CONTENT NOTES
11. Areas of figures. Determination of areas by construction

12. Loci Construction of straight lines, circles,

ellipses, parabolas, hyperbolas, helices,
trochoids, (inferior and superior) spirals,
cycloids, hypocycloids, epicycloids,
involutes and link mechanisms.

SOLID GEOMETRY

CONTENT NOTES
13. Pictorial drawing – isometric, Approximate methods for drawing oblique
oblique, perspective. and isometric curves. Isometric scale,
dimensioning cabinet, cavalier etc. One
and two points perspective. Isometric
circles.

14. Freehand sketches of simple objects Pictorial and orthographic forms.

15. Orthographic projection. Both 1st and 3rd angle projections.

16. Auxiliary projection of geometrical Prisms, cones, cylinders, pyramids (right or

figures oblique) or combinations of them.
(including second auxiliary projection).

17. Traces of a line, true length of straight

lines, points and line relationship
Location of points and lines in space. Including application to plane figures and
True lengths and true angles of a line, intersecting planes.
Intersecting lines.
Plane relationships,
Types of planes and edges
Views of a plane
True shape of lamina.

18. Sectional views and true shapes. Including true shapes of sections of prisms,
cylinders, pyramids and cones (ellipse,
parabola, hyperbola, circle, triangle).

19. Development Surfaces of right and oblique pyramids,

prisms, cylinders and cones and their
frustums. Transition pieces.

20. Interpenetration Intersection of surfaces.

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BUILDING DRAWING
The recommendations of the current BS 1192 (metric) should be followed.

CONTENT NOTES

1. Freehand drawing. Including both pictorial and orthographic

sketches of building details and tools used
in the building industries.

2. Intersection of straight and curved Including the determination of the true

Moulding in the same plane. shape of mitres.

3. Construction of arches Semi-elliptical, segmental, semi-circular,

tudor, equilateral parabolic etc.

4. Roofs – flat, pitched, gabbled, butterfly, Including development of roof-surfaces and

lin-to, etc. determination of bevels.

5. Simple working drawings and Examples should include simple houses,

details. garages, sheds, etc. Dimensioning and
lettering may be tested. Conventional
representation of materials and fittings.

6. Constructional details of parts of e.g. foundations, walls and openings,

buildings. jambs, sills, lintels, roofs, doors, windows,
staircases (half-turn, dog-leg, straight-
flight) frames, linings and architraves,
floors. Simple reinforcement for columns,
beams, piers, slabs etc.

7. Orthographic projection of buildings. Including sectional views and the use of

different scales. Up to 2 floors only.

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MECHANICAL DRAWING
The recommendations of the current BS 308A (metric) should be followed.

CONTENT NOTES

1. Freehand drawing. Including both pictorial and orthographic

sketches of engineering components, tools,
electrical circuits and plant layouts.
Plumbing and
Welding symbols should be known.

2. Dimensioning Emphasis on correct techniques.

3. Fasteners and locking devices-conven- Permanent and temporary joints e.g

tional representations. welded and riveted joints, bolts and nuts,
screws, studs, splined shafts, cotters,
collars, keys etc.

4. Helices and their applications. Including screw threads and springs (both
left and right handed).

5. Working and assembling drawing and Dimensioning, reference balloon, parts list,
details in both first and third angles title blocks, lettering and good
projections. draughtmanship will be examined,

6. Sectioning Full, half, part, offset, broken, removed,

aligned, revolved sections etc.

LIST OF MATERIAL/TOOLS REQUIRED FOR

TECHNICAL DRAWING

1. Standard Drawing Board 6. Eraser

2. T-Square 7. 30”/60” and 45” set squares
3. Clips or Drawing Pins 8. Drawing Set
4. French Curve 9. Pencils (HB, 2H)
5. Flexible Curve

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