PK0-005 Project Life Cycle Practice Question
A project is in the monitoring and controlling phase. The project manager is reviewing the earned value metrics: EV = $50,000, PV = $60,000, AC = $55,000. Which of the following statements is correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests the confusion between cost and schedule performance indicators, where candidates mistakenly associate EV vs. AC with schedule and EV vs. PV with cost, leading to incorrect conclusions about budget and schedule status.
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
✓
The project is over budget and behind schedule.
The project is over budget and behind schedule because the Cost Performance Index (CPI = EV/AC = $50,000/$55,000 ≈ 0.91) is less than 1, indicating cost overrun, and the Schedule Performance Index (SPI = EV/PV = $50,000/$60,000 ≈ 0.83) is less than 1, indicating schedule slippage. Since EV is lower than both AC and PV, the project has earned less value than planned and spent more than earned.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The project is over budget and behind schedule.
Why this is correct
With EV ($50,000) below PV ($60,000), the project is behind schedule, and AC ($55,000) exceeding EV means it is over budget. Both variances are negative, so this statement correctly reflects the earned value metrics given.
- ✗
The project is over budget and ahead of schedule.
Why it's wrong here
EV ($50,000) is below PV ($60,000), so the project is behind schedule, not ahead; the SPI is 0.83. The over-budget half is correct (EV below AC), which tempts candidates who check cost only, but the schedule claim is wrong.
- ✗
The project is under budget and ahead of schedule.
Why it's wrong here
With EV $50,000 below AC $55,000, CPI is 0.91, so the project is over budget, not under. EV also trails PV $60,000, meaning it is behind schedule. The option is tempting because EV exceeds neither AC nor PV, but both variances are negative.
- ✗
The project is under budget and behind schedule.
Why it's wrong here
With EV ($50,000) below AC ($55,000), the project is over budget, not under; the CPI is 0.91. The behind-schedule half is right (EV below PV), which makes the option tempting, but pairing it with the wrong cost position fails the scenario.
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Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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