PK0-005 Project Life Cycle Practice Question
A project manager is analyzing project performance and calculates a cost performance index (CPI) of 0.85 and a schedule performance index (SPI) of 1.10. Which conclusion should the project manager draw from these metrics?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is misinterpreting the indices, such as thinking a low CPI means under budget or a high SPI means behind schedule.
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 ahead of schedule.
A CPI below 1.0 means the project is over budget, and an SPI above 1.0 means it is ahead of schedule. Therefore, the project is over budget and ahead of schedule. These indices help the project manager understand cost and schedule efficiency and take appropriate corrective actions.
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 under budget and behind schedule.
Why it's wrong here
A CPI less than 1.0 indicates over budget, not under budget. An SPI greater than 1.0 indicates ahead of schedule, not behind. This option reverses both interpretations, which would lead to incorrect corrective actions. The project is actually over budget and ahead of schedule.
- ✗
The project is over budget and behind schedule.
Why it's wrong here
The CPI of 0.85 correctly indicates over budget, but the SPI of 1.10 indicates ahead of schedule, not behind. An SPI below 1.0 would indicate behind schedule. This option incorrectly interprets the schedule performance, leading to a wrong overall assessment.
- ✗
The project is under budget and ahead of schedule.
Why it's wrong here
While the SPI of 1.10 does indicate ahead of schedule, the CPI of 0.85 indicates over budget, not under budget. A CPI below 1.0 means costs are higher than planned for the work completed. Therefore, this conclusion is only half correct and misstates the cost performance.
- ✓
The project is over budget and ahead of schedule.
Why this is correct
A CPI of 0.85 indicates that for every dollar spent, only 85 cents of value is earned, meaning the project is over budget. An SPI of 1.10 means the project is ahead of schedule, as more work is being accomplished than planned. Together, these metrics show cost inefficiency but schedule efficiency.
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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.