PK0-005 Project Management Concepts Practice Question
This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of project management concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A project manager is reviewing the project's critical path. Two tasks on the critical path have float of zero, and a third task has a float of three days. The sponsor asks to compress the schedule by two days. Which action should the PM take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply crashing only to tasks on the critical path with zero float.
Option B is correct because schedule compression must focus on the critical path to reduce project duration. Tasks with zero float are on the critical path, so crashing them (adding resources or overtime) can directly shorten the schedule. The task with three days of float is not on the critical path, so compressing it would not reduce overall project duration.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Apply fast-tracking to the task with three days of float.
Why it's wrong here
Fast-tracking a non-critical task does not affect the project duration.
✓
Apply crashing only to tasks on the critical path with zero float.
Why this is correct
Crashing critical path tasks with zero float directly reduces project duration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reduce the scope of tasks with the largest float.
Why it's wrong here
Reducing scope may change project objectives, and it's not a schedule compression technique.
✗
Add resources to all tasks on the critical path.
Why it's wrong here
Adding resources to all tasks may be inefficient; focus on specific tasks that can be crashed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates mistakenly think any task with float can be compressed to reduce schedule, but only tasks on the critical path with zero float directly impact project duration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project schedule management, the critical path is the longest sequence of tasks that determines the project's minimum duration. Crashing involves adding resources to critical path tasks to reduce their duration, but it often increases cost and risk of rework. Fast-tracking involves performing tasks in parallel that were originally sequential, but it only works on the critical path and increases risk of rework; applying it to non-critical tasks does not shorten the project.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Project Management Concepts — This question tests Project Management Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply crashing only to tasks on the critical path with zero float. — Option B is correct because schedule compression must focus on the critical path to reduce project duration. Tasks with zero float are on the critical path, so crashing them (adding resources or overtime) can directly shorten the schedule. The task with three days of float is not on the critical path, so compressing it would not reduce overall project duration.
What should I do if I get this PK0-005 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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