PK0-005 Tools and Documentation Practice Question
A project manager is evaluating the project's performance using EVM. PV = $50,000, EV = $45,000, AC = $55,000. Which of the following is true?
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests EVM calculations, and candidates may misinterpret CPI and SPI thresholds, confusing over/under budget and ahead/behind schedule, especially when numbers are close to 1.
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) is EV/AC = 45,000/55,000 = 0.818, which is less than 1, indicating over budget. The Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is EV/PV = 45,000/50,000 = 0.9, which is less than 1, indicating behind schedule. Therefore, option D is correct.
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 ahead of schedule.
Why it's wrong here
EV ($45,000) is below PV ($50,000), so the project is behind schedule, and AC ($55,000) exceeds EV ($45,000), so it is over budget; both claims are inverted. It is tempting because a positive-sounding status is attractive, but SPI (0.9) and CPI (0.82) are both below 1.0.
- ✗
The project is over budget but ahead of schedule.
Why it's wrong here
AC ($55,000) above EV ($45,000) does mean over budget, but EV ($45,000) below PV ($50,000) means behind schedule, not ahead. It is tempting because the cost half is correct, yet SPI of 0.9 contradicts the schedule claim. The correct answer is over budget and behind schedule.
- ✗
The project is under budget but behind schedule.
Why it's wrong here
With AC ($55,000) exceeding EV ($45,000), the project is over budget, not under; CPI is 0.82. It is tempting because EV below PV correctly signals a schedule delay, so half the statement holds, but the cost half is inverted. The correct answer states over budget and behind schedule.
- ✓
The project is over budget and behind schedule.
Why this is correct
With EV $45,000 below PV $50,000, the schedule variance is negative, so the project trails the baseline. EV $45,000 below AC $55,000 yields a negative cost variance, meaning more was spent than earned. Both CPI and SPI sit under 1.0.
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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.