PK0-005 Project Life Cycle Practice Question
Which cost estimation technique uses historical data from similar projects to estimate the current project?
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests the distinction between analogous and parametric estimating, and candidates confuse 'similar projects' (analogous) with 'statistical relationship/unit rates' (parametric).
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
✓
Analogous
Analogous estimating uses historical data from similar past projects as the basis for estimating the current project's cost or duration. It is a top-down, expert-judgment technique that is fast and inexpensive but less accurate. The question's phrase 'historical data from similar projects' is the defining characteristic of analogous estimating.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Three-point
Why it's wrong here
Three-point estimation derives an expected value from optimistic, pessimistic and most-likely figures supplied by estimators, not from comparable historical project data. It is chosen when uncertainty is high and you want a probability-weighted estimate for a single activity.
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Bottom-up
Why it's wrong here
Bottom-up aggregates individual work-package estimates from the current project's own task breakdown, so it never references prior projects' actual costs. It is the right choice when detailed scope exists and analogous historical data is unavailable or unreliable.
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Parametric
Why it's wrong here
Parametric applies statistical relationships between project variables (such as cost per line of code) rather than directly reusing a similar past project's recorded costs. It suits projects with measurable, quantifiable parameters and reliable historical cost drivers.
- ✓
Analogous
Why this is correct
Analogous estimating derives duration or cost from historical data of comparable past projects, scaled for known differences. This matches the stem's requirement precisely, distinguishing it from parametric modelling, which uses statistical relationships between variables, and bottom-up estimating, which aggregates component-level detail.
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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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