CompTIA Project+ (PK0-005)Project Management ConceptsHard
A project manager is analyzing the critical path for a project. Task A has a duration of 5 days. Task B has a duration of 3 days and can only start after Task A finishes. Task C has a duration of 4 days and can only start after Task B finishes. Task D has a duration of 2 days and can run concurrently with Task B, starting after Task A finishes. What is the earliest finish (EF) date for the project if Task A starts on Day 1?
- ADay 14
- BDay 10
- CDay 12
- DDay 8
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Day 12
Path 1: A (5 days) + B (3 days) + C (4 days) = 5 + 3 + 4 = 12 days. Path 2: A (5 days) + D (2 days) = 5 + 2 = 7 days. The longest path determines the earliest finish for the project, which is 12 days. Since Task A starts on Day 1, the project will finish on Day 12.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect. This would imply a longer critical path than calculated.
- B. Incorrect. This might be a miscalculation of one of the paths.
- D. Incorrect. This would be the duration if only Task A and B were considered or if the critical path was shorter.
Earliest Finish (EF)
The earliest date on which an activity can be completed, given the network logic and activity durations. For a project, it's the EF of the last activity on the critical path.
- Determined by forward pass calculation.
- Calculated as Early Start + Duration.
- The project's EF is the EF of the last activity on the critical path.
Memory trick: CPM finds the longest path to the finish line.