QUICK GUIDE

TIL-I / ENGINEERING
Mathematics section
Topics - 16 questions in 36 minutes

The 16 Mathematics questions cover a wide range of topics, from compulsory school mathematics
to graphs of elementary functions and the solution of equations and inequalities.
Differential and integral calculus is NOT considered a pre-requisite for first-year courses of the
Bachelor’s degree programmes in Engineering. For this reason, differential and integral calculus are
totally excluded from the test.
As for the more advanced topics (in particular, the last topics in the following list), questions are
limited to consider situations in which the applicant should apply basic ideas, without requiring long
and complex calculations. Graphic interpretation must always be privileged over the mechanical
execution of algebraic calculations.

• Natural, relative, rational numbers; simple problems that can be solved with elementary
methods (direct analysis, first order equation, system of first order equations...)
• Real numbers, radicals and calculations with powers and radicals
• Basics of statistics and probability (elementary operations between events, elementary
counting, arithmetic mean and weighted average of statistical data, frequency tables)
• Euclidean geometry on a plane (basic results on congruence, similitude, Pythagoras and
Euclid theorems) and basic concepts of geometry in the 3D space; areas and volumes of
elementary figures
• Algebra of monomials and polynomials (operations with monomials and polynomials,
factorization of polynomials)
• Analytical geometry (Equation of a line and of a circumference; ellipse and hyperbola with
axes of symmetry parallel to the coordinate axes).
• Exponentials and logarithms and their properties (operations, change of base)
• Goniometry and trigonometry (sine, cosine and tangent functions and their fundamental
properties)
• Elementary graphs: polynomial functions of first and second order, absolute value,
exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions. Description and identification
of simple subsets of the plane described by inequalities in two variables. (basic graphs and
graphs obtained with translations and symmetries with respect to the coordinate axes and
with respect to the lines y = x and y = -x)
• Algebraic equations and inequalities (which can be reduced to first or second order),
irrational, with absolute value
• Exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric equations and inequalities.

Multimedia material

1. Bridging course in Mathematics: recorded lectures on basic topics; useful tools for
consolidating your knowledge before the test.

Reading comprehension and logical reasoning section

Topics – 10 questions in 20 minutes

This section begins with an excerpt from a written text (generally a scientific, informative, historical,
sociological text).
The excerpt is followed by 5 questions. Applicants must deduce the answer to each question
exclusively from the text and they must mark the only correct answer among the 5 options available.
The correct answer must be identified from the excerpt only, and it should not be based on the
applicant’s prior knowledge.

This section also includes 5 Logic questions , which do not require particular pre-requisites, but only
an aptitude for abstract logical-deductive reasoning. Possible topics will cover:
• orderings
• use of quantifiers
• logical deductions
• elementary logic problems
• negation of claims

Physics section
Topics - 10 questions in 22 minutes

This section includes 10 questions on the following topics (the topics have not been changed, more
details have been added to the list in order to provide a clearer description of the required
knowledge):
1. Vectors ‐ definition and properties of the operations of summing and subtracting vectors;
vector decomposition; magnitude and components of the sum / difference of two vectors;
unit vectors; definition and properties of the scalar product between vectors and/or unit
vectors (among the required skills: Pythagoras' theorem, law of cosines, trigonometric
functions, knowledge of the values of the sine and cosine of some typical angles).
2. Measurement units ‐ scalar and vector quantities; dimensional analysis and measurement
units of physical quantities (examples taken from mechanics, fluid mechanics, gravitation,
thermodynamics, electrostatics); the International System of Units: fundamental and derived
units, conversion between units, multiples and submultiples of measurement units (use of the
prefixes milli, micro, nano, pico, kilo, mega, giga, tera).
3. Kinematics in one and two dimensions ‐ concepts of motion, velocity, speed, acceleration;
uniform and uniformly accelerated linear motion (for instance, vertical motion in a
gravitational field), general accelerated motion; circular motion (angular velocity, tangential
velocity, accelerations), parabolic motion, relative motions and composition of motions.
4. Forces and dynamics of point particles ‐ concept of resultant force; types of forces and their
properties: gravitational force (Newton’s law of universal gravitation and Kepler’s third law),
elastic force (Hooke’s law), static and kinetic friction, normal force, centripetal forces, tension
of a rope. Newtons’ first, second and third law: calculation of the forces starting from the
acceleration of a point particle, calculation of the acceleration and of the equation of motion
starting from the forces. Applications to the motion on a plane, either horizontal or inclined, to
the motion in gravitational field, to the simple pendulum, to the mass-spring system, etc.
5. Work and energy – conservative and non-conservative systems; work, power and their units;
kinetic energy, potential energy. Work-energy theorem, conservation of mechanical energy in
conservative systems.
6. Fluid mechanics– Archimedes’ thrust and buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, pressure as a
function of depth in a liquid (Stevin’s law), volume flow rate in fluids in steady flow and
continuity equation; Bernoulli’s law and Torricelli’s law on the speed of efflux of a liquid from a
small orifice.
7. Calorimetry – concept of thermal equilibrium, heat exchange between objects, specific heat,
heat capacity, phase transitions, latent heat, thermal power.
8. Thermodynamics – ideal gases: equation of state and relevant thermodynamic processes
(isobaric, isochoric, isothermal and adiabatic). First Law of thermodynamics, internal energy;
reversible and irreversible processes; thermodynamic work; thermal engines, efficiency of a
thermodynamic cycle, Carnot cycle. Formulation of the Second Law of thermodynamics.
9. Electrostatics – Interaction between point-like charges (Coulomb’s law) and between
spherical charge distributions; principle of conservation of the electric charge; volume charge
density and surface charge density; electrostatic field and electrostatic potential generated
by one or more point charges, by a spherical charge distribution, by one or more infinite
charged planes. Electric field lines; motion of a point charge in an electrostatic field; work
 done by the electrostatic force to displace one or more point charges; electrostatic potential
energy and kinetic energy of an electric charge. Conductors in equilibrium. Electrostatic
induction. Capacitance of a capacitor and proportionality between charge and potential
difference. Equivalent capacitance of capacitors connected in series or in parallel;
electrostatic energy of a charged capacitor. Dielectrics: absolute and relative dielectric
constant; capacitors with dielectrics.
10. Electric circuits – electromotive force, electric current, electric current density, drift velocity of
the charge carriers. Value of the elementary charge e. Resistivity of a material and its
dependence on temperature; resistance of a conductor. Ohm’s law, Joule effect (energy and
power dissipated in a conductor/resistor), resistors in series and in parallel. DC circuits:
Kirchhoff’s laws.

Basic technical knowledge section

Topics - 6 questions in 12 minutes

In this section there are 3 questions on Representation and 3 Computer Science questions.

REPRESENTATION
The TIL test assesses the aptitude of the applicant to draw a relationship between special objects
and their representation (two-dimensional and three-dimensional). The test also verifies if the
applicant has a basic knowledge of the codes of graphic-technical languages.

COMPUTER SCIENCE:
Questions have the purpose of verifying if the applicant has the necessary background and
aptitude for understanding and using Computer Science technologies. The questions may cover
following topics (only a basic knowledge is required):

- snap!
- notion of program
- notion of variable
- assignments
- test vs assignment
- arithmetical operations
- example of programming language (C, Python)
- size of a program in terms of number of lines of code
- general model of a compiled/interpreted program
- multithread
- loops
- operators
- logical operators
- if then else
- for, while, repeat until
- arbitrary-precision arithmetic computation
- bit/byte/transistor
- De Morgan’s laws (hints)
- multiple desktops
- virtual machines, Virtual Box example
- operating systems
- browser
- IP addresses (introduction)
- ssh
- firewall
- background processes
- web server
- software licences
- using debugger
- introduction to recursion
- introduction to acquisition and management of analogic and digital data

Multimedia Material

Some videos (in Italian) are available for applicants who do not have a basic background in
Computer Science or for anyone who wishes to review some topics before the test . The videos
include support materials and exercises and cover all the topics that will be tested during the test.
The videos have been designed to help students during the Computer Science course that they
will take in year 1.
The full programme with links to the highlights of the videos or to the full videos is available at
https://exercise.polito.it/course/view.php?id=937

The programme is divided into 5 parts and includes 10 videos (total duration: 12 hours). There is also
a video for installing Python and PyCharm, used for the first-year course.
For preparing the TIL test students are strongly encouraged to study carefully the videos no. I, II, IIIa,
IIIb, IIIc, IVa e IVb, (7 videos for about seven hours of classes).
The video no. IVc will be useful for the Computer Science course, but it is not required to pass the TIL
test.
The videos no. Va and Vb present Computer Science applications and topics that will be studied in
more advanced courses. Students who are fond of music or mechanics will find interesting
experiments in these videos. The video no. Vb explores advanced topics that will be studied by
Computer Science students in year 2 or 3. Va and Vb are not required for this syllabus.
The videos are available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951C5CnrmeY&list=PLB4VqtTRoRFqBAMb2FqRPH9qi35fjH6EF