easyMultiple Choice
PK0-005 Practice Question: A project manager needs to determine the critical…
A project manager needs to determine the critical path of a project. Which statement about the critical path is true?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that the critical path is the shortest path or that there can only be one critical path, when in reality it is the longest path with zero float and multiple critical paths can exist simultaneously.
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
✓
It has the longest duration and zero float.
The critical path is the longest path through the project network diagram, determining the shortest possible project duration. It has zero float (or total slack), meaning any delay on a critical path activity directly delays the project. Option B correctly captures both the longest duration and zero float characteristics.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It has the shortest duration in the network.
Why it's wrong here
The critical path is the longest sequence through the network, so it determines the shortest possible project duration, not the shortest path. Confusing the two is tempting because the critical path does yield the minimum completion time, making "shortest" appear to describe the path itself rather than the schedule.
- ✓
It has the longest duration and zero float.
Why this is correct
The critical path is the longest sequence of dependent activities through the network, so its total duration equals the shortest possible project completion time. Every activity on it has zero float, meaning any delay directly extends the project.
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There is always exactly one critical path.
Why it's wrong here
A network can contain multiple critical paths when several sequences share the same longest total duration, and near-critical paths may become critical after slippage. Assuming a single path is tempting because introductory examples usually show one, but the definition constrains duration, not the count of paths meeting it.
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It cannot change during the project.
Why it's wrong here
The critical path can shift during execution when activities slip, scope changes or dependencies are re-sequenced, so it must be recalculated. Assuming immutability is tempting because the path is fixed once the network diagram and durations are baselined, which holds only until actual progress differs from plan.
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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.