🔍 Key Concepts

• Longitudinal framing system vs. transverse framing system – which members run fore‑and‑aft, and which run athwartships (side‑to‑side)? • The meaning of continuous versus intercostal structural members in ship construction. • The usual orientation of girders and stiffeners/frames in a longitudinally framed ship’s bottom and side shell.

💭 Think About

• First, picture a hull in profile from above: in a longitudinal framing system, which members do you expect to run the long way of the ship (bow to stern), and which run across the ship? • In each choice, identify which element is said to be continuous: the frames or the girders. In a longitudinal system, which should logically be continuous to best resist longitudinal bending? • Think about the words ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal’ as they’re used here. Are they describing orientation relative to the ship’s length (longitudinal vs. transverse) or relative to gravity (up and down)? How does that affect which option makes structural sense?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which answer choice correctly makes the longitudinals the primary, continuous strength members running fore‑and‑aft. • Check that the members described as intercostal are the shorter pieces fitted between the continuous members, not the other way around. • Eliminate any options where the orientation (vertical/horizontal) does not match how longitudinal frames and girders are typically arranged in a ship’s bottom and side shell.