This CAPM practice question tests your understanding of predictive plan-based methodologies. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. ``` Activity | Predecessor | Duration (days) A | None | 5 B | A | 3 C | A | 4 D | B, C | 2 E | D | 1 ```
Based on the exhibit, what is the critical path duration of the project?
Refer to the exhibit. ``` Activity | Predecessor | Duration (days) A | None | 5 B | A | 3 C | A | 4 D | B, C | 2 E | D | 1 ```
10 days
Why wrong: No path has 10 days duration.
11 days
Why wrong: This is the duration of path A-B-D-E, which is not the longest.
12 days
Path A-C-D-E is 12 days, the longest path.
13 days
Why wrong: No path has 13 days duration.
Answer choices
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 shortest possible project duration. By summing the durations along each path, Path A→B→E→G→H has a total duration of 2+3+4+2+1 = 12 days, which is longer than all other paths, making 12 days the correct critical path duration.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
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
No path has 10 days duration.
11 days
Why it's wrong here
This is the duration of path A-B-D-E, which is not the longest.
12 days
Why this is correct
Path A-C-D-E is 12 days, the longest path.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
13 days
Why it's wrong here
No path has 13 days duration.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often mistakenly sum the durations of all tasks or pick a path that appears longest visually but contains a dependency error, such as ignoring that tasks must be on a continuous sequence without gaps.
Detailed technical explanation
The critical path method (CPM) calculates the longest path through a network diagram using forward and backward passes to determine early start, early finish, late start, and late finish dates. Any delay on the critical path directly extends the project duration, while non-critical paths have float (slack) that can absorb delays. In real-world projects, identifying the critical path is essential for resource leveling and schedule compression techniques like crashing or fast-tracking.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies — This question tests Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: 12 days — The critical path is the longest path through the project network diagram, determining the shortest possible project duration. By summing the durations along each path, Path A→B→E→G→H has a total duration of 2+3+4+2+1 = 12 days, which is longer than all other paths, making 12 days the correct critical path duration.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
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