Question 1

Figure 7-3 System Integration Project
-Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided,what is the expected duration of this project?
A) 15 days
B) 16 days
C) 17 days
D) 30 days

Accepted Answer

The critical path in this project is A-C-D-F, which has a duration of 17 days. Therefore, the expected duration of the project is 17 days. Choice C is the correct answer.

Question 2

Estimating the number of work periods that will be needed to complete individual schedule activities characterizes which of the following time management processes?
A) Define activities
B) Sequence activities
C) Estimate activity duration
D) Create WBS

Accepted Answer

Estimating the number of work periods that will be needed to complete individual schedule activities is part of the process of estimating activity duration.

Question 3

Figure 7-2 Research Project
-Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the late start date for activity A - "Plan Research"?
A) Day 0
B) Day 2
C) Day 4
D) Day 10

Accepted Answer

The late start date for activity A - "Plan Research" is Day 0 because it is the first activity in the project and typically starts at the beginning of the project timeline.

Question 4

Milestones are important points in a project schedule that can serve as check points for project managers and sponsors. All of the following reasons might justify the decision to establish a milestone EXCEPT:
A) completion of a major deliverable
B) a pending decision to commit a large amount of money
C) a merging point where multiple activities must be completed before progress can continue
D) updating status reports

Accepted Answer

Updating status reports is not a reason to establish a milestone. The other options (A, B, and C) all involve significant points in the project where progress or decisions need to be assessed.

Question 5

All of the following strategies can help a project team to develop realistic time estimates for project activities EXCEPT:
A) adding a significant buffer to each activity
B) be sure to consider learning curves, interruptions and competing priorities
C) adjust estimates from previous projects to account for differences
D) verify the time estimates with the people doing the work

Accepted Answer

Adding a significant buffer to each activity may not necessarily result in realistic time estimates. It may lead to overestimation of the project duration and unnecessary delay in project completion.

Question 6

The total amount of time a schedule activity may be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date is known as:
A) reserve
B) total float
C) contingency
D) lead

Accepted Answer

Total float is the amount of time a schedule activity can be delayed without impacting the project end date. This means that even if an activity is delayed for its full total float time, the project will still finish on the scheduled end date. Reserve is a time or resource allocated for unforeseen events, contingency is a provision made for possible future events or circumstances, and lead refers to the acceleration of a successor activity.

Question 7

Faced with significant schedule challenges,the project manager has several responsibilities. All of the following are among the project manager's responsibilities EXCEPT:
A) willingly accept end dates dictated by customers or sponsors
B) persuade all stakeholders that the schedule makes sense
C) deliver the project according to the agreed-upon schedule
D) determine a feasible schedule

Accepted Answer

The project manager should not simply accept end dates dictated by customers or sponsors without evaluating their feasibility and impact on the project. The project manager is responsible for determining a feasible schedule, persuading stakeholders of its validity, and delivering the project according to that schedule.

Question 8

Figure 7-2 Research Project
-Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the slack associated with activity C - "Review Reports"?
A) 0 days
B) 1 day
C) 2 days
D) 4 days

Accepted Answer

The answer of  Figure 7-2 Research Project
-Consider the Research...

Question 9

Figure 7-1 Assembly Project
-Consider the Assembly Project depicted in Figure 7-1. Based on the information provided,what is the early start date for activity D - "Attach Modules 1 & 2"?
A) Day 0
B) Day 3
C) Day 4
D) Day 5

Accepted Answer

The answer of  Figure 7-1 Assembly Project
-Consider the Assembly...

Question 10

The sequencing of activities is often based upon dependencies between the activities. The dependencies that should guide activity sequencing can be either:
A) mandatory or discretionary
B) arbitrary or capricious
C) logical or illogical
D) interior or exterior

Accepted Answer

The sequencing of activities should be based upon either mandatory dependencies (activities that must be completed in a certain order) or discretionary dependencies (activities that could be done in any order, but are more efficient or effective when done in a certain order). The other options listed in the question (B, C, D) do not accurately describe the types of dependencies that should guide activity sequencing.

Question 11

Which of the following remedies may reduce the likelihood of omissions when developing activity duration estimates?
A) staggered project start dates
B) resource buffers
C) checklists, templates, WBS
D) staggered project end dates

Accepted Answer

Checklists, templates, and WBS can help ensure that all necessary tasks and durations are identified and included in the project plan, reducing the likelihood of omissions. Staggered project start or end dates and resource buffers may help with other aspects of project scheduling but do not directly address the issue of estimating activity durations accurately.

Question 12

The total number of work periods (not including holidays or other non-work time)required to complete a schedule activity is known as:
A) effort
B) elapsed time
C) duration
D) resource days

Accepted Answer

The total number of work periods required to complete a schedule activity is known as duration. "Effort" refers to the actual amount of work hours required to complete a task, "elapsed time" refers to the total amount of time (including non-working time) taken to complete a task, and "resource days" refers to the amount of time a specific resource is required for a task.

Question 13

All of the following problems contribute to difficulty in estimating activity durations accurately EXCEPT:
A) merging - the case of multiple predecessors
B) omissions - leaving out key activities
C) general uncertainty in the estimate
D) fixed price estimates for work packages to be outsourced

Accepted Answer

While merging, omissions, and general uncertainty are all common problems that make accurate estimation of activity durations difficult, fixed price estimates for outsourced work packages are not directly related to the accuracy of estimates. This option is therefore not a problem that contributes to difficulty in estimating activity durations accurately.

Question 14

A scheduled activity that determines when a logical successor activity can begin and end is known as:
A) a catalyst activity
B) a predecessor activity
C) a leader activity
D) a lag activity

Accepted Answer

A predecessor activity is an activity that needs to be completed before another activity (logical successor) can begin. The scheduling of the predecessor activity determines when the logical successor can begin and end. The other options are not related to this concept. A catalyst activity is one that speeds up a process, a leader activity is not a recognized term in project management, and a lag activity is a delay or waiting period inserted between activities.

Question 15

Which of the following responses identifies a common type of logical dependency used to sequence project activities?
A) first-in; first-out
B) last-in; last-out
C) finish-to-start
D) last-in; first-out

Accepted Answer

Finish-to-start is a common type of logical dependency used to sequence project activities where the successor activity cannot start until the predecessor activity has finished.

Question 16

Creating a realistic schedule is often an iterative process because several factors can limit how fast a project can be completed. All of the following factors can limit how fast a project can be scheduled and completed EXCEPT:
A) logical order
B) imposed dates
C) resource availability
D) quality control

Accepted Answer

In this list, the only factor that does not limit how fast a project can be scheduled and completed is quality control. The other factors – logical order, imposed dates, and resource availability – can place constraints on the timeline of a project.

Question 17

All of the following items can provide useful assistance to a project team to define the activities of a project EXCEPT:
A) the work packages from the Work Breakdown Structure
B) quality management plan
C) checklists for projects of the same type
D) schedules from similar projects that are already completed

Accepted Answer

While all of the other options can provide useful assistance in defining project activities, the quality management plan is focused on ensuring that project deliverables meet the required quality standards and may not provide specific guidance on defining project activities.

Question 18

Figure 7-2 Research Project
-Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the late start date for activity C - "Review Reports"?
A) Day 0
B) Day 2
C) Day 4
D) Day 10

Accepted Answer

The late start date for an activity is the latest possible date that an activity can start without delaying the project. To calculate the late start date for activity C, we start from the project deadline (day 14) and subtract the activity duration (6 days) to get the latest possible start date for activity C, which is day 8. However, in this case, the predecessor activity (B) has a total float of 2 days, which means activity C can start 2 days later without delaying the project. Therefore, the late start date for activity C is day 10.

Question 19

Figure 7-2 Research Project
-Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,which activity can you delay by one day without impacting the expected completion date for the project?
A) Activity A
B) Activity B
C) Activity C
D) Activity D

Accepted Answer

The answer of  Figure 7-2 Research Project
-Consider the Research...

Question 20

Which of the following statements correctly describes the critical path?
A) It is the shortest sequence of activities through the project network.
B) It determines the latest possible end date of the project.
C) It consists only of activities with zero float (slack).
D) It consists only of activities with lag times

Accepted Answer

The critical path is the sequence of project activities that add up to the longest overall duration, determining the shortest time possible to complete the project. Activities on the critical path have zero float, meaning any delay in these activities will delay the entire project.

Quiz 7: Scheduling Activities

Figure 7-3 System Integration Project -Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided,what is the expected duration of this project?

Estimating the number of work periods that will be needed to complete individual schedule activities characterizes which of the following time management processes?

Figure 7-2 Research Project -Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the late start date for activity A - "Plan Research"?

Milestones are important points in a project schedule that can serve as check points for project managers and sponsors. All of the following reasons might justify the decision to establish a milestone EXCEPT:

All of the following strategies can help a project team to develop realistic time estimates for project activities EXCEPT:

The total amount of time a schedule activity may be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date is known as:

Faced with significant schedule challenges,the project manager has several responsibilities. All of the following are among the project manager's responsibilities EXCEPT:

Figure 7-2 Research Project -Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the slack associated with activity C - "Review Reports"?

Figure 7-1 Assembly Project -Consider the Assembly Project depicted in Figure 7-1. Based on the information provided,what is the early start date for activity D - "Attach Modules 1 & 2"?

The sequencing of activities is often based upon dependencies between the activities. The dependencies that should guide activity sequencing can be either:

Which of the following remedies may reduce the likelihood of omissions when developing activity duration estimates?

The total number of work periods (not including holidays or other non-work time) required to complete a schedule activity is known as:

All of the following problems contribute to difficulty in estimating activity durations accurately EXCEPT:

A scheduled activity that determines when a logical successor activity can begin and end is known as:

Which of the following responses identifies a common type of logical dependency used to sequence project activities?

Creating a realistic schedule is often an iterative process because several factors can limit how fast a project can be completed. All of the following factors can limit how fast a project can be scheduled and completed EXCEPT:

All of the following items can provide useful assistance to a project team to define the activities of a project EXCEPT:

Figure 7-2 Research Project -Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the late start date for activity C - "Review Reports"?

Figure 7-2 Research Project -Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,which activity can you delay by one day without impacting the expected completion date for the project?

Which of the following statements correctly describes the critical path?