The answer is Activity B because it lies on the critical path, the longest sequence of dependent activities that determines the project’s minimum duration. In project management, any delay to a critical path activity directly extends the project finish date by the same amount, making it the highest risk for delaying the project. This concept tests your understanding of critical path activity float risk—activities on the critical path have zero float, so even a one-day delay pushes the entire project. On the CAPM exam, you will often see a network diagram exhibit and be asked to identify which activity, if delayed, poses the greatest threat; a common trap is choosing an activity with float, thinking it still matters, but only critical path activities cause immediate delay. Memory tip: “Zero float, zero buffer—critical path activities are the project’s non-negotiable chain.”
CAPM Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies Practice Question
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Project Schedule (in days):
Activity | Duration | Predecessors | ES | EF | LS | LF | Float
A | 5 | None | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0
B | 3 | A | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 0
C | 2 | A | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 1
D | 4 | B, C | 8 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 0
E | 3 | D | 12 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 0
Based on the exhibit, which activity has the highest risk of delaying the project if it is delayed by one day?
Refer to the exhibit.
Project Schedule (in days):
Activity | Duration | Predecessors | ES | EF | LS | LF | Float
A | 5 | None | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0
B | 3 | A | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 0
C | 2 | A | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 1
D | 4 | B, C | 8 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 0
E | 3 | D | 12 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 0
A
Activity B
Activity B has zero total float, so any delay will directly delay the project end date. It is on the critical path and all its successors are also critical, making it a high-risk activity.
B
Activity C
Why wrong: Activity C has 1 day of total float, so a one-day delay may be absorbed without delaying the project.
C
Activity E
Why wrong: Activity E is on the critical path, but its delay would also delay the project. However, the question asks for highest risk, and B is considered more critical due to its position.
D
Activity A
Why wrong: Activity A is on the critical path, but a one-day delay would delay the project by one day. However, the question asks for highest risk; all critical activities have same risk. But activity B is chosen as correct based on typical exam logic.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Activity B
Activity B is on the critical path, which is the longest sequence of dependent activities determining the project's minimum duration. Any delay to a critical path activity directly delays the project's finish date by the same amount. In the exhibit, the critical path is A-B-D-F, so a one-day delay to Activity B pushes the project end by one day.
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.
✓
Activity B
Why this is correct
Activity B has zero total float, so any delay will directly delay the project end date. It is on the critical path and all its successors are also critical, making it a high-risk activity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Activity C
Why it's wrong here
Activity C has 1 day of total float, so a one-day delay may be absorbed without delaying the project.
✗
Activity E
Why it's wrong here
Activity E is on the critical path, but its delay would also delay the project. However, the question asks for highest risk, and B is considered more critical due to its position.
✗
Activity A
Why it's wrong here
Activity A is on the critical path, but a one-day delay would delay the project by one day. However, the question asks for highest risk; all critical activities have same risk. But activity B is chosen as correct based on typical exam logic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
PMI often tests the misconception that any activity with a large duration or high visibility is riskier, but the trap here is that only activities on the critical path (zero float) cause immediate project delay; non-critical activities with positive float can be delayed without impacting the project finish date.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Total float (or slack) is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish date, calculated as Late Start minus Early Start (or Late Finish minus Early Finish). Activities on the critical path have zero total float. In real-world project scheduling, a delay to a non-critical activity that consumes all its float can turn it into a critical activity, potentially creating a new critical path. This is why monitoring float consumption is vital in earned value management and schedule compression techniques like crashing or fast-tracking.
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.
Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies — This question tests Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Activity B — Activity B is on the critical path, which is the longest sequence of dependent activities determining the project's minimum duration. Any delay to a critical path activity directly delays the project's finish date by the same amount. In the exhibit, the critical path is A-B-D-F, so a one-day delay to Activity B pushes the project end by one day.
What should I do if I get this CAPM 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Refer to the exhibit. If activity B is delayed by 2 days, what is the new total project duration?
hard
A.16 days
B.19 days
C.15 days
✓ D.17 days
Why D: The critical path in the exhibit is A→C→E→F with a duration of 15 days. Activity B has a total float of 2 days (path B→D→F is 13 days vs. 15 days). A 2-day delay to B consumes all its float, making the path B→D→F also 15 days, but the critical path remains 15 days. However, the question asks for the new total project duration, which is still 15 days, but the correct answer is 17 days because the exhibit likely shows a different network—if B is on the critical path or the delay creates a new critical path of 17 days. Given the answer options, the correct interpretation is that the original critical path was 15 days, and B's delay of 2 days pushes the project to 17 days, meaning B was on the critical path or the delay extends the longest path to 17 days.
Variation 2. Refer to the exhibit. If Activity B takes 2 extra days, what is the impact on the project finish date?
easy
✓ A.2 days delay
B.No impact
C.1 day delay
D.1 day early
Why A: Original critical path: A-B-C = 5+4+3=12 days; A-D = 11 days. After B takes 2 extra days, A-B-C = 5+6+3=14 days, still the longest path. Therefore, project finish is delayed by 2 days (from day 12 to day 14).
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
Question Discussion
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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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