Critical Path Method Flashcards

A project has four paths with durations of 22, 25, 25, and 18 days. Which statement about the critical path is correct?

Answer: There are two critical paths, both 25 days long

When two or more paths share the longest duration, all of them are considered critical paths.

In CPM, what does a 'near-critical path' signify to a project scheduler?

Answer: A path with very little float that could become critical if delayed slightly

Near-critical paths have minimal float and require monitoring because small delays can make them critical.

Which scheduling technique extends CPM by incorporating resource constraints into the network analysis?

Answer: Critical Chain Method

Critical Chain Method (CCM) modifies the critical path to account for resource availability and dependencies.

Activity G has an Early Start of day 10, Early Finish of day 16, Late Start of day 14, and Late Finish of day 20. What is the Total Float?

Answer: 4 days

Total Float = Late Start − Early Start = 14 − 10 = 4 days (or Late Finish − Early Finish = 20 − 16 = 4 days).

When performing a forward pass in CPM, what value is carried forward when two predecessor activities converge on a single successor?

Answer: The maximum Early Finish of the predecessors

The successor's Early Start equals the maximum Early Finish of all its predecessors, ensuring all predecessors are complete.

A scheduler compresses the schedule by adding resources to critical path activities. This technique is called:

Answer: Schedule crashing

Crashing adds resources (cost) to shorten critical path activity durations and compress the overall schedule.

Which type of dependency between activities is inherent to the nature of the work and cannot be changed by the project team?

Answer: Mandatory dependency

Mandatory dependencies (hard logic) are required by the nature of the work, such as needing a foundation before building walls.