Mid-sem practice · sectional views · same type as last year's Q10
Sectional views: five practice problems, drawn step by step
Each problem gives what the exam gives — a dimensioned top view with the section plane A–A and a pictorial sketch — and asks for the sectional front view. Draw it on paper first, then press Next ▶ to watch it built in pencil order.
How to use this page
Problems 1 → 4 climb to last year's Q10 level; 5 is a bonus that combines everything. Give each about 6 minutes on paper, the time you will have in the exam. Then step through and compare line by line — the step you got wrong is the one to remember.
The layout copies last year's Q10 sheet: the top view is given above the XY line and you draw the sectional front view below it, straight down along projectors. New to sections? Read the sections part of the crash course first; last year's question itself is here.
The routine — the same five moves every time
1. Projectors down from every point where A–A crosses an edge. 2. Outline of the half that is left (the material between you and the plane is removed; the arrows on A–A show which way you look). 3. Every edge now exposed by the cut — hole edges, bore steps, slot ends — drawn thick, never dashed. 4. Hatch only the solid material the plane cut: thin, 45°, evenly spaced, one direction for the whole part. 5. Centre lines through every hole, and the label SECTION A–A.
Problem 1 · A block with one through hole Warm-up
The question
A rectangular block 60 long, 30 wide and 20 high, with a Ø16 hole drilled straight down through its centre. Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A.
What this one tests: the one big rule: hatch what the plane cuts, leave the hole blank. Nothing else.
Pictorial sketch — the cut is along the long centre line (A–A in the top view).
The question. Height 20. Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A. Try it on paper first, then step through.Projectors down from the top view. One thin line from every place the plane A–A crosses an edge (outline, each hole, each step), straight down past XY. Mark the base line and the top height from the given data.Outline of what is left. The front half is gone; you are looking at the back half, 60 long and 20 high. Draw the full rectangle — the top and bottom lines run straight across the hole (they are the back halves of the hole's top and bottom circles).The hole's edges. Two vertical lines, 16 apart, full height: the hole goes right through. They are visible now, so draw them thick, not dashed.Hatch the two solid pieces. Thin lines at 45°, evenly spaced, the same direction on both sides of the hole (it is one part). The hole stays blank.Centre lines and the label. A thin chain line through the axis of every hole and bore, running a little past the outline. Write SECTION A–A under the view.Check before moving on. ☐ Hatching only on cut material, one direction, 45°, even spacing. ☐ No hatching in holes, bores or slots. ☐ No dashed lines anywhere in the sectional view. ☐ Every hole edge drawn thick, full depth. ☐ Centre lines. ☐ SECTION A–A label.
Where marks go
Hatching across the hole; drawing the hole edges dashed (a sectional view has no hidden lines); hatching the left and right pieces in opposite directions.
Problem 2 · A plate with a counterbored hole One step up
The question
A plate 70 × 40, 20 thick. At its centre: a Ø12 hole right through, opened out from the top to Ø24 for a depth of 8 (a counterbore — a seat for a bolt head). Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A.
What this one tests: a stepped hole: two widths of blank, and the visible step line behind the cut.
Pictorial sketch — the cut is along the long centre line (A–A in the top view).
The question. Thickness 20; counterbore 8 deep. Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A. Try it on paper first, then step through.Projectors down from the top view. One thin line from every place the plane A–A crosses an edge (outline, each hole, each step), straight down past XY. Mark the base line and the top height from the given data.Outline. The back half of the plate: a 70 × 20 rectangle. The top line runs across the counterbore and the bottom line across the hole — they are the back halves of the circular edges.The stepped hole. Counterbore edges: two verticals 24 apart, from the top down 8. Hole edges: two verticals 12 apart, from there to the bottom. And the step line across the full Ø24 at depth 8 — the floor of the counterbore, seen edge-on behind the cut. Students forget this line more than any other.Hatch. Each side is one L-shaped solid region (it wraps under the counterbore). One direction, 45°, even spacing. Both the counterbore and the hole stay blank.Centre lines and the label. A thin chain line through the axis of every hole and bore, running a little past the outline. Write SECTION A–A under the view.Check before moving on. ☐ Hatching only on cut material, one direction, 45°, even spacing. ☐ No hatching in holes, bores or slots. ☐ No dashed lines anywhere in the sectional view. ☐ Every hole edge drawn thick, full depth. ☐ Centre lines. ☐ SECTION A–A label.
Where marks go
Missing the step line at depth 8; hatching the counterbore; drawing the hole as one width all the way down.
Problem 3 · An L-bracket with a hole and a slot Q10 level
The question
An L-bracket: base 80 × 40, 10 thick; an upright at the left end, 12 thick, full width, 50 tall overall. A Ø14 hole runs horizontally through the upright (left to right) at height 32. A slot 12 wide (R6 ends, centres 44 and 62 from the left) goes through the base. Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A.
What this one tests: two hole directions at once — a horizontal hole shows as two horizontal lines — plus a slot, and a centre line in an unusual direction.
Pictorial sketch — the cut is along the long centre line (A–A in the top view).
The question. Base 10 thick; upright 50 tall overall; hole axis at height 32. Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A. Try it on paper first, then step through.Projectors down from the top view. One thin line from every place the plane A–A crosses an edge (outline, each hole, each step), straight down past XY. Mark the base line and the top height from the given data.Outline. The back half is still an L: base 80 × 10, upright 12 × 50. Height 50 and the hole height 32 come from the given data, not from the top view.Holes behind the cut. The Ø14 hole runs left–right, so cut in half it shows as two horizontal lines, 14 apart (heights 25 and 39), across the upright. The slot shows as two verticals at 38 and 68 (the ends of the R6 arcs), full base thickness.Hatch three regions. Below the hole (the L running into the base up to the slot), above the hole, and the base to the right of the slot. One direction everywhere — it is one part.Centre lines and the label. A thin chain line through the axis of every hole and bore, running a little past the outline. Write SECTION A–A under the view.Check before moving on. ☐ Hatching only on cut material, one direction, 45°, even spacing. ☐ No hatching in holes, bores or slots. ☐ No dashed lines anywhere in the sectional view. ☐ Every hole edge drawn thick, full depth. ☐ Centre lines. ☐ SECTION A–A label.
Where marks go
Drawing the horizontal hole as vertical lines (read which way it runs from the top view: its hidden lines run left–right); hatching the slot; forgetting the hole's centre line runs horizontally here.
Problem 4 · A flanged boss (last year's Q10, new numbers) Q10 level
The question
A base 110 long and 40 wide with R20 ends, 8 thick, with two Ø12 holes at the end centres (70 apart). In the middle, a boss Ø32 rising 30 above the base (top at 38), with a Ø16 bore right through boss and base. Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A.
What this one tests: exactly last year's Q10 pattern: four blank gaps, one tall bore, and no line where the boss meets the base.
Pictorial sketch — the cut is along the long centre line (A–A in the top view).
The question. Base 8 thick; boss top at 38 (30 above the base). Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A. Try it on paper first, then step through.Projectors down from the top view. One thin line from every place the plane A–A crosses an edge (outline, each hole, each step), straight down past XY. Mark the base line and the top height from the given data.Outline: an inverted T. Base 110 × 8 (the R20 ends reach the full 110), boss 32 wide up to 38. The boss and base are one piece: no line where they meet.Gaps behind the cut. Each Ø12 hole: two verticals 12 apart through the base thickness. The Ø16 bore: two verticals 16 apart from the bottom of the base to the top of the boss (0 to 38) — it goes through both.Hatch four regions. The two base ends, and two L-shapes each made of base + boss wall. One direction, 45°, even spacing. The holes and the bore stay blank.Centre lines and the label. A thin chain line through the axis of every hole and bore, running a little past the outline. Write SECTION A–A under the view.Check before moving on. ☐ Hatching only on cut material, one direction, 45°, even spacing. ☐ No hatching in holes, bores or slots. ☐ No dashed lines anywhere in the sectional view. ☐ Every hole edge drawn thick, full depth. ☐ Centre lines. ☐ SECTION A–A label.
Where marks go
Stopping the bore at the top of the base; a line between boss and base; hatching the bore; hatching the two halves in opposite directions.
Problem 5 · Bonus: a round hub with a stepped bore Bonus
The question
A cylinder Ø56, 30 high. A central bore Ø14 right through, opened to Ø28 for the top 12 (so the step is at height 18). Two Ø8 holes straight through, 42 apart, on the section line. Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A.
What this one tests: that a cylinder cut through its axis is a rectangle, plus everything from problems 1, 2 and 4 together.
Pictorial sketch — the cut is along the long centre line (A–A in the top view).
The question. Height 30; step at 18 (counterbore 12 deep). Draw the sectional front view on the section plane A–A. Try it on paper first, then step through.Projectors down from the top view. One thin line from every place the plane A–A crosses an edge (outline, each hole, each step), straight down past XY. Mark the base line and the top height from the given data.Outline. A cylinder cut through its axis leaves a rectangle: 56 wide (the diameter) and 30 high. Round in the top view, square-cornered in the section.Everything behind the cut. Each Ø8 hole: two full-height verticals. The bore: Ø28 from the top down to the step at 18, then Ø14 to the bottom, with the step line across the full Ø28.Hatch four regions. Two thin outer strips beside the Ø8 holes, and two L-shaped walls around the stepped bore. One direction throughout.Centre lines and the label. A thin chain line through the axis of every hole and bore, running a little past the outline. Write SECTION A–A under the view.Check before moving on. ☐ Hatching only on cut material, one direction, 45°, even spacing. ☐ No hatching in holes, bores or slots. ☐ No dashed lines anywhere in the sectional view. ☐ Every hole edge drawn thick, full depth. ☐ Centre lines. ☐ SECTION A–A label.
Where marks go
Drawing the section as a circle; missing the step line; hatching the thin strips in a different direction.
After the five
If you have ten more minutes
Redraw whichever problem you got most wrong, from the question alone, without stepping through. Then do last year's Q10 the same way. In the exam: projectors, outline, exposed edges, hatching, centre lines, label — in that order, and leave the projectors in.