PMP Practice Test 28 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A project manager is developing the business case for a new product. Which of the following is the primary purpose of the business case?

Accepted Answer

To provide justification for undertaking the project based on expected business value.. The business case is a foundational document created during the pre-project phase to justify the investment. Its primary purpose is to provide the economic and strategic justification for undertaking the project, based on the expected business value, such as ROI, payback period, or alignment with organizational goals. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's definition of the business case as a tool to determine if the project is worth the required investment.

Answer

To define how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled.

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To outline how the project's benefits will be delivered and measured.

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To authorize the project manager to use organizational resources.

Question 2

During a project audit, you discover that the quality assurance (QA) team has not been conducting planned inspections, but the quality control (QC) logs show no major defects. What should you do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Investigate why QA inspections were skipped and reinforce the importance of preventive activities. QA inspections are preventive and process-oriented; skipping them increases risk even if QC passes now. Option B is reactive. Option C is premature. Option D ignores the root cause.

Answer

Accept the situation since QC shows no defects

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Update the risk register to document this as a low-priority risk

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Ask the team to double-check the QC logs for accuracy

Question 3

During a project, a key team member consistently misses deadlines, causing delays. The project manager has had informal conversations with the team member, but the situation has not improved. What should the project manager do next?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a private meeting to discuss the performance gap, identify underlying issues, and create an improvement plan. The project manager should first address performance issues through direct, private communication to understand root causes and collaboratively develop an improvement plan. This aligns with the PMI People domain, emphasizing servant leadership and coaching to resolve team member performance gaps before escalating or reassigning tasks. The informal conversations have not worked, so a structured approach with clear expectations and support is the next logical step.

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Ignore the issue and adjust the schedule to accommodate the delays

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Escalate the issue to the functional manager and request a replacement

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Reassign the task to another team member without discussion

Question 4

Your project is using a predictive approach, and you are at the midpoint. The earned value analysis shows: EV = $450,000, PV = $500,000, AC = $550,000. The CPI is 0.82 and SPI is 0.90. The sponsor asks for a forecast of the total cost at completion. What is the best estimate for EAC assuming the current cost performance is typical of future performance?

Accepted Answer

$1,219,512. The best estimate for EAC when current cost performance is typical of future performance is calculated using the formula EAC = BAC / CPI. First, derive BAC from the given SPI and PV: SPI = EV / PV → 0.90 = $450,000 / PV, so PV = $500,000 (already given). BAC is the total planned budget, which at the midpoint (50% planned) means BAC = PV / 0.5 = $500,000 / 0.5 = $1,000,000. Then EAC = $1,000,000 / 0.82 = $1,219,512. This assumes the cost inefficiency (CPI = 0.82) will continue for the remainder of the project.

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$1,250,000

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$1,100,000

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$1,050,000

Question 5

Your project team is distributed across four countries with significant time zone differences. Communication has been challenging, leading to misunderstandings and delays. Which THREE actions would most effectively improve collaboration?

Accepted Answer

Schedule a weekly synchronous meeting at a time that rotates to accommodate different time zones. Rotating the meeting time distributes the inconvenience of early or late hours across all team members, ensuring no single region is consistently disadvantaged. This approach maintains regular synchronous interaction, which is critical for building rapport and resolving complex issues, while respecting the team's global distribution.

Answer

Reduce the frequency of communication to minimize coordination overhead

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Require all team members to be available during a fixed 4-hour overlap window each day

Question 6

A team member reports that a task is 50% complete but has consumed 70% of the budget. Which metric indicates that the project is over budget?

Accepted Answer

Cost Performance Index (CPI). The Cost Performance Index (CPI) is the metric that directly compares the value of work performed (Earned Value) to the actual cost incurred. A CPI less than 1.0 indicates that the project is over budget, as it costs more than planned to achieve the work completed. In this scenario, with 50% of the work done but 70% of the budget spent, the CPI would be 0.5/0.7 ≈ 0.71, confirming a cost overrun.

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Budget at Completion (BAC)

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Estimate at Completion (EAC)

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Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

Question 7

A project is in the planning phase. The project manager wants to ensure that all stakeholders have a common understanding of the project scope. Which document should be used as the primary reference?

Accepted Answer

Project scope statement. The project scope statement is the primary reference for ensuring all stakeholders have a common understanding of the project scope because it formally documents the project's boundaries, deliverables, acceptance criteria, and constraints. Unlike the project charter, which authorizes the project at a high level, the scope statement provides the detailed scope description needed during planning to align stakeholder expectations.

Answer

Project charter

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Work breakdown structure

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Schedule management plan

Question 8

Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. The variance is due to higher-than-expected costs for raw materials. The sponsor is concerned and wants to know how you will bring the project back on budget. What is the BEST response?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a variance analysis to identify corrective actions and present options to the sponsor.. The PM should perform a variance analysis, determine the root cause, and then explore options such as cost reduction, schedule compression, or submitting a change request if additional funding is needed. The PM should then communicate the analysis and proposed actions to the sponsor.

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Assure the sponsor that the team will work overtime to recover the cost overrun.

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Reduce the scope of the project to align with the budget.

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Submit a change request for additional budget to cover the variance.

Question 9

During a daily standup, a developer mentions that they have started working on an additional feature requested by the product owner, which was not in the sprint backlog. What should the scrum master do?

Accepted Answer

Remind the team that work should only be added to the sprint through the product owner and should be deferred to the backlog for prioritization. In Scrum, the sprint backlog is frozen during the sprint to protect the team's focus and commitment. The scrum master's role is to enforce this boundary by reminding the team that any new work must first be vetted by the product owner and added to the product backlog for future prioritization. Allowing unplanned work undermines the sprint goal and velocity tracking.

Answer

Escalate the issue to the project manager after the standup

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Allow the work to continue since it adds value to the product

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Praise the developer for being proactive and customer-focused

Question 10

During a project, two senior developers have a conflict regarding the technical approach. As project manager, which TWO actions should you take?

Accepted Answer

Encourage both developers to collaborate and find a mutually acceptable solution. The project manager should facilitate collaboration between the two senior developers to resolve the technical conflict, which aligns with the PMP's emphasis on conflict resolution through collaboration and problem-solving. This approach leverages the team's expertise to find a mutually acceptable solution, which is more effective than imposing a decision or escalating prematurely. Documenting the conflict and resolution in the issue log (Option E) is also correct as it ensures transparency and provides a record for future reference, which is a key practice in project management.

Answer

Decide on the technical approach yourself

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Escalate to the project sponsor for a decision

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Reassign one developer to another project to avoid further conflict

Question 11

During a project's execution phase, the project manager notices that two senior team members are in frequent conflict over technical approaches, causing delays. What is the BEST course of action for the project manager?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting between the two team members to discuss and resolve the conflict.. The project manager's role includes facilitating conflict resolution among team members to maintain team cohesion and project progress. By mediating a meeting, the PM addresses the root cause of the delays—technical disagreement—while empowering the team to find a mutually acceptable solution, which aligns with the PMP's emphasis on servant leadership and collaborative problem-solving.

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Escalate the issue to the sponsor without involving the team members.

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Immediately reassign one of the team members to another project.

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Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own.

Question 12

A project manager is leading a cross-functional team where two key members have conflicting priorities. One member insists on following a strict process, while the other wants to expedite delivery. The project manager needs to resolve the conflict to keep the project on track. Which approach is most effective?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a meeting to discuss both perspectives and find a solution that meets core needs.. Facilitating a meeting to discuss both perspectives aligns with the PMP's 'Manage Conflict' process under the 'People' domain. This collaborative approach, known as 'collaborating' or 'problem-solving,' seeks a win-win solution that addresses the core needs of both team members—ensuring quality while meeting delivery timelines—without forcing a compromise that dilutes value or ignoring the issue.

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Enforce the strict process to ensure quality.

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Suggest a compromise where both give up some requirements.

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Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves itself.

Question 13

A project manager notices that during virtual team meetings, only a few members participate actively while others remain silent. The team is diverse and geographically distributed. What technique should the PM use to encourage participation?

Accepted Answer

Create a team charter that includes meeting etiquette and expectations for participation. A team charter establishes agreed-upon norms for meeting behavior, including expectations for participation, which proactively addresses the root cause of silence in a diverse, distributed team. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on creating a team charter to define ground rules and foster a collaborative environment, especially when virtual communication challenges exist.

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Reduce the frequency of meetings to avoid overwhelming the team

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Send meeting recordings to those who don't speak

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Call on silent members individually during meetings

Question 14

A project manager is leading a hybrid project. The team has members in three countries, and communication has been challenging. The project manager wants to improve collaboration and build trust among remote team members. Which TWO actions should the project manager take?

Accepted Answer

Rotate meeting times so that no single region always has an inconvenient time. Rotating meeting times distributes the inconvenience of early or late meetings across all time zones, which demonstrates fairness and respect for team members' work-life balance. This action directly addresses the challenge of remote collaboration in a hybrid project by fostering trust and inclusivity, which are critical for team cohesion. Option E is correct because a virtual team charter establishes clear communication norms, availability windows, and expectations, reducing ambiguity and enabling more effective asynchronous and synchronous collaboration.

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Implement a reward system for individual performance metrics

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Assign a single point of contact in each country to relay information

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Require all team members to relocate to a central office for the project duration

Question 15

Your project team is newly formed, and you notice that members are hesitant to share ideas during meetings. To build a high-performing team, what should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Encourage the team to develop a team charter that defines norms and expectations. A is correct because a team charter is a foundational tool in project management that establishes shared norms, expectations, and ground rules. By collaboratively developing the charter, the team builds psychological safety and clarity, which directly addresses the hesitation to share ideas. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's emphasis on forming a high-performing team through agreed-upon behaviors and communication protocols.

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Assign a note-taker to record all ideas

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Tell the team that all ideas are welcome and no one will be judged

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Start each meeting with an icebreaker