Section 4: Time Management

QUESTION 71
You have a project with the following activities: Activity 1 can start immediately and has an estimated duration of 4. Activity 2 can start after activity 1 is completed and has an estimated duration of 8. Activity 3 can start after activity 2 is completed and has an estimated duration of 5. Activity 4 can start after activity 1 is completed and has an estimated duration of 8. Activity 5 has an estimated duration of 3 and must take place concurrently with activity 3. It can start after activities 4 and 2. What is the duration of the critical path of this project?
A. 15
B. 18
C. 17
D. 12
Answer: C

Explanation:
The three paths you have in this question are Start 1, 2, 3, End, Start, 1, 2, 5 and Start 1, 4, 5, End. Start, 1, 2, 3, End would take 4 + 8 + 5 days or 17 days to complete. Start, 1, 2, 5, End would take 4 + 8 + 3 days or 15 days to complete. Start, 1, 4, 5, End would take 4 + 8 + 3 days or 15 days to complete. Carefully draw the network diagram, list all the possible paths and then determine how much time each path would take.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 196-204

QUESTION 72
Which of the following is the MOST beneficial result of the project manager knowing the critical path?
A. She would know where extra resources should be placed.
B. She would know what activities she needs to focus on while managing the project.
C. She would know where stakeholders need to be assigned to the project.
D. She would know where there is float on the project.
Answer: B
Explanation:
All of these choices could be said to be correct. Which is the MOST correct? Activities on the critical path require more of the project manager’s attention, because delays in these activities will create a delay in the entire project. Since delay has the largest potential to hurt the project, choice B is the best answer.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 197

QUESTION 73
If the optimistic estimate for an activity is 12 days, and the pessimistic estimate is 18 days, what is the standard deviation of this activity?
A. 1
B. 1.3
C. 6
D. 3
Answer: A
Explanation:
The standard deviation is computed by (P – O)/6. Therefore, the answer is (18 – 12)/6 = 6/6 = 1.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 191

QUESTION 74
An activity has an early start (ES) of day 3, a late start (LS) of day 13, an early finish (EF) of day 9, and a late finish (LF) of day 19. What is the duration of this activity?
A. 3
B. 6
C. 7
D. 10
Answer: C
Explanation:
Using the early start and finish, the activity would begin at the start of day 3 and end at the end of day 9. It would take all of days 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; or seven days duration.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 183

QUESTION 75
If the optimistic estimate is one, the pessimistic estimate is nine, and the most likely estimate is eight, what is the PERT estimate?
A. 9
B. 7
C. 8
D. 3
Answer: B
Explanation:
The PERT calculation is (P + 4M + O)/6. So, this result would be be [9 + (4 x 8) + 1]/6 = (9 + 32 + 1)/6 = 42/6 = 7. You have to memorize the formula.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 191

QUESTION 76
A project manager is in the middle of the executing process of a very large construction project when he discovers that the time needed to complete the project is longer than the time available. What is the BEST thing to do?
A. Cut product scope.
B. Meet with management and tell them that the required date cannot be met.
C. Work overtime.
D. Determine options for schedule compression and present management with his recommended option.
Answer: D
Explanation:
This question tests whether you know how to solve problems, especially if you are one of those project managers who has not realized that an unrealistic schedule is something you should deal with before beginning work. Since cutting product scope affects the customer, choice A has a great negative effect and is therefore not best. A project manager’s job is to determine options for meeting any end date or time, therefore choice B cannot be correct. Working overtime (choice C) is expensive and unnecessary when there are many other choices that could be selected first. Choice D could have the least negative effect on the project.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 205

QUESTION 77
A project has three critical paths. Which of the following BEST describes how this affects the project?
A. It makes it easier to manage.
B. It increases the project risk.
C. It requires more people.
D. It makes it more expensive.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Though having three critical paths COULD require more people (choice C) or cost more (choice D) the answer that is definitely and always true is choice B. Because you need to manage three critical paths, there is more risk that something could happen to delay the project.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 205

QUESTION 78
Which of the following is needed to develop a project schedule?
A. Lessons learned
B. Network diagram
C. Completion of the Verify Scope process
D. Completion of the Control Schedule process
Answer: B
Explanation:
Though lessons learned (choice A) are extremely valuable, you can create a schedule without them. Verify Scope (choice C) and Control Schedule (choice D) occur later. Without the network diagram, you cannot build a schedule.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 195

QUESTION 79
Which of the following BEST describes the primary use of project management software?
A. Managing a project
B. Creating and controlling a schedule
C. Creating a complete project management plan
D. Creating a work breakdown structure
Answer: B
Explanation:
“Project management” software is not designed to do a good job of creating a WBS. It cannot create a complete project management plan, nor can it manage a complete project. It is designed to create and control schedules.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 179

QUESTION 80
A team member from research and development tells you that her work is too creative to provide you with a fixed single estimate for the activity. You both decide to use the average labor hours per installation from past projects to predict the future. This is an example of which of the following?
A. Parametric estimating
B. Three-point estimating
C. Analogous estimating
D. Monte Carlo analysis
Answer: A
Explanation:
Past history is being used to calculate an estimate. Monte Carlo (choice D) relates to what-if analysis. Choice B uses three time estimates per activity. One could use past projects to come up with the estimate (choice C) but the best answer is choice A because an estimate such as hours per installation is a chief characteristic of parametric estimates.
Source: PMP® Exam Prep Page: 190