CompTIA Project+ (PK0-005)Project Management ConceptsMedium
A project manager is reviewing the project schedule and identifies Task A (duration 5 days) must complete before Task B (duration 3 days) can start. Task B must complete before Task C (duration 4 days) can start. Task A starts on Day 1. What is the earliest possible Finish (EF) date for Task C?
- ADay 9
- BDay 11
- CDay 8
- DDay 12
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Day 12
Task A finishes on Day 5 (Day 1 + 5 days - 1 day for start). Task B starts on Day 6 and finishes on Day 8 (Day 6 + 3 days - 1 day). Task C starts on Day 9 and finishes on Day 12 (Day 9 + 4 days - 1 day).
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect. This would be if C finished on Day 9 (e.g., started Day 6 and had 4 days duration).
- B. Incorrect. This would be if C finished on Day 11 (e.g., started Day 8 and had 4 days duration).
- C. Incorrect. This would be if C started on Day 5 and finished on Day 8.
Earliest Finish (EF)
The earliest date on which an activity can be completed, given its dependencies and durations.
- Calculated by adding the activity's duration to its Earliest Start (ES) date and subtracting one.
- A key component of the Critical Path Method (CPM).
- Used to determine the earliest possible project completion date.
Memory trick: ES + Duration - 1 = EF. Easy math for a schedule path.