hardMultiple Choice
PK0-005 A project has a CPI of 0.8 and an SPI of 1.1 Practice Question
A project has a CPI of 0.8 and an SPI of 1.1. Which statement describes the project's performance?
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests whether candidates invert the CPI and SPI interpretations, confusing 'over budget' with 'under budget' or 'ahead' with 'behind' when the index is below or above 1.0.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Over budget and ahead of schedule
A CPI of 0.8 means the project is over budget (cost performance index below 1.0 indicates costs are higher than planned). An SPI of 1.1 means the project is ahead of schedule (schedule performance index above 1.0 indicates more work completed than planned). Therefore the project is over budget and ahead of schedule.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Under budget and behind schedule
Why it's wrong here
A CPI of 0.8 means each unit of spend delivers only 0.8 of earned value, so the project is over budget, not under. The option is tempting because SPI of 1.1 does correctly indicate ahead of schedule, but the cost half of the statement is inverted.
- ✗
Over budget and behind schedule
Why it's wrong here
CPI of 0.8 does confirm the project is over budget, but SPI of 1.1 means earned value exceeds planned value, so the project is ahead of schedule. The option is tempting because it correctly reads the cost index while misreading the schedule index.
- ✓
Over budget and ahead of schedule
Why this is correct
CPI below 1.0 means costs exceed the budgeted value, so the project is over budget. SPI above 1.0 means earned value exceeds planned value, so it is ahead of schedule. Both indices together confirm this combined performance.
- ✗
Under budget and ahead of schedule
Why it's wrong here
A CPI of 0.8 means costs exceed the value of work completed, so the project is over budget, not under. An SPI of 1.1 does indicate ahead of schedule. This option tempts those who invert the CPI interpretation, reading a below-one index as favourable rather than as cost overrun.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This PK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PK0-005 exam.