3.3.4 Critical path analysis Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Business, Unit 3

The 20 questions

1. What is the main purpose of critical path analysis?

   • Maximum profit calculation
   • Product market share
   • Total labour costs
   • Minimum project duration

2. What is the critical path in a project network diagram?

   • Shortest duration path
   • Longest sequence path
   • Cheapest activity path
   • Path with float

3. How much total float do activities on the critical path have?

   • Negative float
   • Maximum float
   • Zero
   • One day

4. Which calculation pass through a network diagram determines earliest start times?

   • Forward pass
   • Backward pass
   • Critical pass
   • Float pass

5. Which calculation pass through a network diagram determines latest finish times?

   • Float pass
   • Backward pass
   • Parallel pass
   • Forward pass

6. What does total float measure in critical path analysis?

   • Minimum activity time
   • Spare time available
   • Total project time
   • Critical delay duration

7. What major assumption in Critical Path Analysis is often unrealistic in practice?

   • Infinite total float
   • Fixed activity durations
   • Equal path lengths
   • Zero resource costs

8. In an example network, activity A takes 3 days and is followed by activity C (4 days) and then activity D (1 day). Activity B (2 days) follows A and also leads to D. What is the duration of the critical path?

   • 5 days
   • 10 days
   • 8 days
   • 6 days

9. In the same network, what is the earliest start time of activity C?

   • 7 days
   • 0 days
   • 3 days
   • 5 days

10. In the same network, what is the total float of activity B?

    • 0 days
    • 2 days
    • 1 day
    • 4 days

11. In the same network, which activities form the critical path?

    • B and C only
    • A, C and D
    • A, B and D
    • C and D only

12. An activity on the critical path is delayed by 2 days. What happens to project completion?

    • 2 days earlier
    • 1 day delay
    • No delay
    • 2 days delay

13. An activity with 2 days of float is delayed by 1 day. What is the impact on project completion?

    • 1 day earlier
    • 2 days delay
    • 1 day delay
    • No delay

14. A project has two paths: one of 4, 5 and 2 days (total 11 days) and one of 6 and 3 days (total 9 days). What is the project's minimum duration?

    • 2 days
    • 9 days
    • 11 days
    • 20 days

15. What is a key benefit of Critical Path Analysis for project managers?

    • Guarantees profit margins
    • Eliminates operational risk
    • Identifies critical activities
    • Prevents staff turnover

16. Why should a project manager focus resources primarily on critical path activities?

    • Eliminates task dependencies
    • Reduces labour costs
    • Prevents overall delay
    • Increases total float

17. What is the main risk of using up float on a non-critical activity?

    • Reduces project flexibility
    • Guarantees early finish
    • Shortens project duration
    • Increases total profit

18. Which limitation occurs when Critical Path Analysis assumes workers can perform multiple tasks simultaneously?

    • Ignores task sequence
    • Ignores resource constraints
    • Overestimates total float
    • Calculates negative float

19. A project has one path of 5, 3 and 4 days (total 12 days) and another path of 10 and 4 days (total 14 days), both ending in the same final activity. What is the minimum project duration?

    • 9 days
    • 14 days
    • 26 days
    • 12 days

20. What is the main trade-off when shortening a critical path using overtime?

    • Profit versus revenue
    • Time versus cost
    • Quality versus safety
    • Risk versus output

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