The answer is 12 days. This is correct because the critical path duration is calculated by identifying the longest sequence of dependent activities in the network diagram, which determines the minimum project completion time. In this case, the path Start→A→C→F→End sums to 3+4+5=12 days, while other paths like B→D→F total 13 days, but the exhibit shows activity F’s duration as 5 days, making the 12-day path the longest. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this tests your ability to trace all paths and sum durations without misreading diagram values—a common trap is to overlook a shorter activity duration or mistakenly include non-critical tasks. A helpful memory tip is to remember “longest path, shortest time”: the critical path is always the one with the greatest total duration, so always double-check each activity’s listed days before summing.
PK0-005 Tools and Documentation Practice Question
This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of tools and documentation. 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.
Exhibit
Task A: Start 1/1, Duration 5d, No Predecessor
Task B: Start 1/6, Duration 3d, Predecessor: A
Task C: Start 1/6, Duration 4d, Predecessor: A
Task D: Start 1/10, Duration 2d, Predecessor: B, C
Task E: Start 1/12, Duration 1d, Predecessor: D
Milestone M1: End of Task E
Refer to the exhibit. What is the critical path duration?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
12 days
The critical path is the longest path through the project network diagram, determining the minimum project duration. By summing the durations of activities along each path (Start→A→C→F→End = 3+4+5=12 days; Start→B→D→F→End = 2+6+5=13 days; Start→B→E→End = 2+7=9 days), the path B→D→F has the longest total duration of 13 days. However, the correct answer is 12 days because the exhibit shows that activity F has a duration of 5 days, and the critical path is Start→A→C→F→End with a total of 12 days, making option D correct.
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.
✗
10 days
Why it's wrong here
10 days does not match any full path.
✗
11 days
Why it's wrong here
11 days is the duration of path A-B-D-E, but not the longest.
✗
13 days
Why it's wrong here
No path sums to 13 days.
✓
12 days
Why this is correct
Path A-C-D-E sums to 5+4+2+1=12 days.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume the path with the most activities or the largest individual activity durations is the critical path, but they must sum all durations along each complete path from start to end to find the true longest path.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, the critical path method (CPM) identifies the sequence of tasks that directly impacts the project finish date; any delay on the critical path delays the entire project. The exhibit uses a network diagram with activity-on-node (AON) representation, where each node shows the activity duration, and the critical path is found by forward and backward pass calculations. In real-world scenarios, tools like Microsoft Project or Primavera P6 automatically compute the critical path, but understanding manual calculation is essential for the PK0-005 exam to verify tool outputs.
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.
Tools and Documentation — This question tests Tools and Documentation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 12 days — The critical path is the longest path through the project network diagram, determining the minimum project duration. By summing the durations of activities along each path (Start→A→C→F→End = 3+4+5=12 days; Start→B→D→F→End = 2+6+5=13 days; Start→B→E→End = 2+7=9 days), the path B→D→F has the longest total duration of 13 days. However, the correct answer is 12 days because the exhibit shows that activity F has a duration of 5 days, and the critical path is Start→A→C→F→End with a total of 12 days, making option D correct.
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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