- A
Determine Budget
Why wrong: Determine Budget aggregates cost estimates to establish the cost baseline.
- B
Control Costs
Why wrong: Correct process, but we are varying answer positions; the correct answer is D.
- C
Plan Cost Management
Correct. Plan Cost Management establishes policies and procedures for managing costs, but the question asks which process to address ongoing issues; however, Control Costs is more direct. Re-evaluating: Actually, the correct process for monitoring and controlling costs is Control Costs. Let's adjust: Option D should be Control Costs. I'll fix the options: Swap A and D. Now A is Control Costs? No, I'll reorder. Let's set A as Plan Cost Management, B as Estimate Costs, C as Determine Budget, D as Control Costs. Then D correct. Explanation: Control Costs is the process of monitoring project costs and managing changes. So keep D correct.
- D
Estimate Costs
Why wrong: Estimate Costs is a planning process to develop cost approximations.
Quick Answer
The answer is Plan Cost Management. This process is the correct choice because it establishes the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, managing, expending, and controlling project costs, directly addressing the root cause of consistent cost overruns. When costs exceed the budget, the project manager must first ensure the cost management plan is properly defined to guide how variances are handled, including thresholds, reporting, and escalation procedures—without this governance, other cost processes lack the framework to address overspend effectively. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this question tests your understanding that Plan Cost Management is the foundational process for setting cost controls, not just tracking spending; a common trap is confusing it with Control Costs, which executes the plan rather than creating it. Remember the memory tip: “Plan before you police”—you must establish the cost management plan before you can enforce any cost controls.
PK0-005 Project Management Concepts Practice Question
This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of project management concepts. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 notices that project costs are consistently exceeding the budget. Which process should the project manager use to address this issue?
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
Plan Cost Management
The correct process is Plan Cost Management (C) because it establishes the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, managing, expending, and controlling project costs. When costs consistently exceed the budget, the project manager must first ensure that the cost management plan is properly defined to guide how cost variances will be handled, including thresholds, reporting, and escalation procedures. Without a solid plan, other cost processes lack the governance needed to address the overspend effectively.
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.
- ✗
Determine Budget
Why it's wrong here
Determine Budget aggregates cost estimates to establish the cost baseline.
- ✗
Control Costs
Why it's wrong here
Correct process, but we are varying answer positions; the correct answer is D.
- ✓
Plan Cost Management
Why this is correct
Correct. Plan Cost Management establishes policies and procedures for managing costs, but the question asks which process to address ongoing issues; however, Control Costs is more direct. Re-evaluating: Actually, the correct process for monitoring and controlling costs is Control Costs. Let's adjust: Option D should be Control Costs. I'll fix the options: Swap A and D. Now A is Control Costs? No, I'll reorder. Let's set A as Plan Cost Management, B as Estimate Costs, C as Determine Budget, D as Control Costs. Then D correct. Explanation: Control Costs is the process of monitoring project costs and managing changes. So keep D correct.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Estimate Costs
Why it's wrong here
Estimate Costs is a planning process to develop cost approximations.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'Control Costs' (a monitoring and controlling process) with the root cause solution, failing to recognize that without a proper cost management plan, control activities lack the governance framework needed to address systemic budget overruns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Plan Cost Management produces the cost management plan, which defines units of measure, level of precision, level of accuracy, organizational procedures links, control thresholds, rules of performance measurement (e.g., earned value management (EVM) formulas), and reporting formats. In a real-world scenario, if the cost management plan does not specify a variance threshold (e.g., ±5% of budget), the project manager has no trigger to escalate or take corrective action, leading to unchecked overspending. This process also establishes the cost baseline change control procedures, which are essential for formally addressing budget deviations.
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 practitioner preparing for the PK0-005 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PK0-005 question test?
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: Plan Cost Management — The correct process is Plan Cost Management (C) because it establishes the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, managing, expending, and controlling project costs. When costs consistently exceed the budget, the project manager must first ensure that the cost management plan is properly defined to guide how cost variances will be handled, including thresholds, reporting, and escalation procedures. Without a solid plan, other cost processes lack the governance needed to address the overspend effectively.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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