CAPM Practice Question: Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts
A project manager is developing the project management plan for a complex software development project. The project manager needs to ensure that the plan includes all necessary subsidiary plans and baselines. Which three of the following are components of the project management plan? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse project inputs like the business case and statement of work with components of the project management plan.
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
✓
Cost baseline
The project management plan integrates and consolidates all subsidiary plans and baselines. Key components include the scope management plan, which outlines how scope will be managed; the cost baseline, which is the approved time-phased budget; and the schedule baseline, which is the approved schedule used for performance measurement. The project statement of work and business case are inputs to project charter development, not components of the plan.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Cost baseline
Why this is correct
The cost baseline is a time-phased budget that is used to measure, monitor, and control overall cost performance on the project. It is a component of the project management plan and is developed as part of the Cost Management knowledge area.
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Schedule baseline
Why this is correct
The schedule baseline is the approved version of the schedule model that is used to compare actual performance to planned performance. It is a component of the project management plan and is critical for schedule control.
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Project statement of work
Why it's wrong here
The project statement of work (SOW) is a narrative description of products, services, or results to be delivered by the project. It is an input to the Develop Project Charter process, not a component of the project management plan. The SOW is provided by the customer or sponsor.
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Scope management plan
Why this is correct
The scope management plan is a subsidiary plan that describes how the project scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and validated. It is a component of the project management plan and is essential for managing scope throughout the project lifecycle.
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Business case
Why it's wrong here
The business case is a documented economic feasibility study used to establish the validity of the benefits of a selected component lacking sufficient definition. It is an input to the Develop Project Charter process, not a component of the project management plan. The business case justifies the project but is not part of the plan.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
This CAPM practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI 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 CAPM exam.