CAPM Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies Practice Test 1 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A project manager is creating the risk management plan. Which document should the project manager reference to identify the risk tolerance of stakeholders?

Accepted Answer

Project charter. The project charter contains high-level project risks and the risk appetite of the organization, which reflects stakeholders' risk tolerance. Therefore, it is the appropriate document to reference when creating the risk management plan.

Answer

Project scope statement

Answer

Stakeholder management plan

Answer

Risk register

Question 2

During project planning, the team identifies that a task has a duration of 10 days, a predecessor finish-to-start relationship, and a lag of 2 days. What is the earliest the successor task can start if the predecessor starts on day 1?

Accepted Answer

Day 12. The predecessor starts on day 1 and has a duration of 10 days, so its early finish is day 10 (assuming no gaps). With a finish-to-start relationship and a lag of 2 days, the successor's early start is the predecessor's early finish plus the lag: 10 + 2 = 12. Therefore, the earliest the successor can start is day 12.

Answer

Day 11

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Day 10

Answer

Day 13

Question 3

During the execution phase of a software development project, the team discovers a critical bug that requires an immediate fix. The project manager uses the contingency reserve to address this. Which plan-based process is being applied?

Accepted Answer

Perform Integrated Change Control. D is correct because using the contingency reserve to address a critical bug requires a formal change request to authorize the release of funds from the reserve. This aligns with the Perform Integrated Change Control process, which evaluates, approves, and manages changes to project baselines, including the cost baseline. The project manager must submit a change request, which is then reviewed by the Change Control Board (CCB) before the contingency reserve can be applied.

Answer

Direct and Manage Project Work

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Monitor and Control Project Work

Answer

Close Project or Phase

Question 4

Which TWO of the following are characteristics of a predictive life cycle?

Accepted Answer

Scope is defined at the beginning of the project. In a predictive life cycle, the project scope is defined and baselined at the start, before execution begins. This upfront planning ensures that all requirements are known and documented, allowing for a detailed project management plan to guide the entire project.

Answer

Changes are welcomed and incorporated at any time

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Requirements are gathered incrementally throughout the project

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Deliverables are developed through multiple iterations

Question 5

A project manager is using a predictive approach for a construction project. The team has completed 40% of the work, but the actual cost is $500,000 against a planned value of $450,000. The project manager calculates the cost performance index (CPI) and schedule performance index (SPI). Which conclusion is correct?

Accepted Answer

The project is over budget and behind schedule. The project has completed 40% of the work, so the earned value (EV) is 40% of the total budget. With actual cost (AC) of $500,000 and planned value (PV) of $450,000, the CPI = EV/AC = (0.4 * BAC)/500,000. Since AC > PV and EV < PV (because only 40% of work is done vs. 45% planned), both CPI and SPI are less than 1.0, indicating the project is over budget and behind schedule.

Answer

The project is over budget but ahead of schedule

Answer

The project is on budget and on schedule

Answer

The project is under budget and ahead of schedule

Question 6

Based on the exhibit, what is the critical path duration of the project?

Accepted Answer

12 days. The critical path is the longest path through the project network diagram, determining the shortest possible project duration. Based on the exhibit, Path A→B→E→G→H has a total duration of 2+3+4+2+1 = 12 days. Other paths, such as A→B→D→E (11 days) and A→C→F→H (10 days), are shorter. Therefore, 12 days is the correct critical path duration.

Answer

10 days

Answer

11 days

Answer

13 days

Question 7

Based on the exhibit, which activity has the highest risk of delaying the project if it is delayed by one day?

Accepted Answer

Activity B. Activity B is on the critical path, which is the longest sequence of dependent activities determining the project's minimum duration. Any delay to a critical path activity directly delays the project's finish date by the same amount. In the exhibit, the critical path is A-B-D-F, so a one-day delay to Activity B pushes the project end by one day.

Answer

Activity C

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Activity E

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Activity A

Question 8

Match each project management methodology to its characteristic.

Accepted Answer

Waterfall: Sequential phases with distinct stages such as requirements, design, implementation, testing, and deployment.. Waterfall uses sequential phases; Agile is iterative and flexible; Scrum is an Agile framework with sprints; Kanban visualizes workflow with WIP limits. Common confusions: swapping Kanban with Agile, or describing Waterfall as iterative.

Answer

Agile: Visual management of work in progress with limits on simultaneous tasks.

Answer

Waterfall: Iterative cycles with frequent reassessment and adaptation.

Question 9

Match each project constraint to its typical trade-off.

Accepted Answer

Time: If time is reduced, scope or cost must be adjusted. The triple constraint model (scope, time, cost) states that changing one constraint typically impacts the others. Scope increases lead to time and cost increases; reducing time requires scope or cost adjustments; reducing cost requires scope or time adjustments. Common confusions include reversing the direction of trade-offs.

Answer

Scope: If scope increases, time and cost typically decrease

Answer

Time: If time is increased, scope and cost must be reduced

Question 10

A project manager in a predictive manufacturing project needs to procure a specialized component. The procurement process requires a detailed statement of work (SOW) and firm fixed price (FFP) contract. What should the project manager create first?

Accepted Answer

Create the procurement management plan.. According to the PMBOK Guide, the procurement management plan is the first document created in the procurement process. It defines how procurement will be managed, including procedures for developing the statement of work (SOW), conducting make-or-buy analysis, selecting contract types (such as FFP), and managing seller relationships. Without this plan, subsequent procurement activities lack guidance. Option A (developing SOW) occurs after the plan is established. Option B (make-or-buy analysis) is part of planning but is typically conducted during the development of the procurement management plan. Option C (drafting the contract) happens after seller selection, which follows the plan and SOW creation. Therefore, the procurement management plan must be created first to set the framework for all procurement activities.

Answer

Develop the procurement statement of work (SOW).

Answer

Conduct a make-or-buy analysis.

Answer

Draft the contract with the selected seller.

Question 11

Which THREE of the following are key components of a work breakdown structure (WBS) dictionary?

Accepted Answer

Schedule milestones. In a WBS dictionary, each work package is documented with a detailed description of the work to be performed, so option C (Description of work package) is correct because it defines the scope, deliverables, and boundaries of that package. Option E (Responsible organization or person) is correct because the dictionary assigns ownership and accountability for each work package, often via the responsible account manager or performing organizational unit. Option A (Schedule milestones) is correct because the WBS dictionary records key milestones and due dates associated with the work package, linking scope to schedule. Option B (Project charter) is not a WBS dictionary component; it is a separate high-level document that authorizes the project. Option D (Network diagram of activities) is also not part of the WBS dictionary; it is a scheduling tool showing activity dependencies, typically developed after the WBS.

Answer

Project charter

Answer

Network diagram of activities

Question 12

Based on the exhibit, what is the critical path duration?

Accepted Answer

15 days. The critical path is the longest sequence of dependent tasks in a project network diagram, and its duration determines the shortest possible project completion time. Based on the exhibit (not shown), the correct critical path duration is 15 days, as it represents the longest path through the network.

Answer

16 days

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14 days

Answer

13 days

Question 13

Based on the exhibit, which risk should the project manager prioritize for proactive response?

Accepted Answer

R001. Risk R001 has the highest risk score (0.56), indicating the highest priority for proactive response. Options A, B, and D are incorrect: R002 and R003 have lower risk scores, and D is wrong because risks do not have equal priority; the one with the highest score should be addressed first.

Answer

R002

Answer

R003

Answer

All risks have equal priority.

Question 14

Based on the exhibit, what is the estimated cost for the network cabling work package?

Accepted Answer

$15,000. The network cabling work package is estimated at $15,000 because that figure represents the sum of the individual activity cost estimates within that work package as shown in the exhibit. In CAPM cost management, work package estimates are derived by aggregating the costs of all underlying activities, and the exhibit clearly identifies $15,000 as the total for this package. The other dollar amounts correspond to different work packages or activities, not the cabling package total.

Answer

$20,000

Answer

$12,000

Answer

$10,000

Question 15

A project has a critical path duration of 45 days. Activity X on the critical path can be crashed by 3 days at an additional cost of $500 per day. Activity Y, a non-critical activity with 10 days of float, can also be crashed by 3 days at $600 per day. The project manager wants to reduce the project duration by 3 days at minimum cost. What should the project manager do?

Accepted Answer

Crash Activity X by 3 days for $1,500. Crashing Activity X on the critical path directly reduces the project duration. Option B is wrong because crashing Activity Y does not reduce the overall project duration since it has float. Option C is wrong because crashing both is unnecessary and more expensive. Option D is wrong because crashing a non-critical activity does not affect the critical path.

Answer

Crash both activities by 3 days for $3,300

Answer

Crash Activity Y by 1 day for $600 and Activity X by 2 days for $1,000

Answer

Crash Activity Y by 3 days for $1,800