hardMultiple Choice
PK0-005 Practice Question: A project manager is tracking project performance…
A project manager is tracking project performance and notices that the SPI is 0.8 and the CPI is 1.2. What does this indicate about the project?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that a high CPI automatically means the project is ahead of schedule, but CPI and SPI are independent metrics that must be interpreted separately.
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
✓
Behind schedule and under budget
SPI (Schedule Performance Index) of 0.8 indicates that for every unit of planned work, only 0.8 units have been completed, meaning the project is behind schedule. CPI (Cost Performance Index) of 1.2 indicates that for every dollar spent, $1.20 worth of work has been earned, meaning the project is under budget. Therefore, the project is behind schedule and under budget, making option C 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.
- ✗
Ahead of schedule and under budget
Why it's wrong here
An SPI of 0.8 means less work was completed than planned, so the project is behind schedule, not ahead. The CPI of 1.2 does correctly indicate under budget, which makes this pairing tempting, but schedule status is inverted.
- ✗
Ahead of schedule and over budget
Why it's wrong here
Ahead of schedule and over budget reverses both indices: SPI 0.8 means less work was completed than planned for the time elapsed, and CPI 1.2 means costs are below budget. It is tempting because SPI and CPI are commonly paired as schedule and cost indicators, and a scenario where schedule slips while spending runs high would indeed produce this pairing.
- ✓
Behind schedule and under budget
Why this is correct
SPI below 1.0 means earned value lags planned value, so the project is behind schedule. CPI above 1.0 means earned value exceeds actual cost, so it is under budget. Both indices together confirm the project is behind schedule yet spending less than planned.
- ✗
Behind schedule and over budget
Why it's wrong here
SPI 0.8 means earned value trails planned value, so the project is behind schedule; CPI 1.2 means costs are under budget, not over. The option inverts the cost reading. Behind schedule and under budget would be the correct interpretation of these two indices.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.