- A
The project is under budget and ahead of schedule
Why wrong: This would require CPI > 1 and SPI > 1.
- B
The project is over budget and behind schedule
CPI < 1 means cost overrun; SPI < 1 means schedule delay.
- C
The project is under budget but behind schedule
Why wrong: Under budget would require CPI > 1.
- D
The project is over budget but ahead of schedule
Why wrong: Ahead of schedule would require SPI > 1.
Question 629 of 892
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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.
Your project is halfway through execution, and the earned value analysis shows CPI = 0.85 and SPI = 0.90. You have used 60% of the budget. What is the most likely interpretation of these metrics?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
✓
The project is over budget and behind schedule
CPI = 0.85 means for every dollar spent, only $0.85 of earned value is received, indicating the project is over budget. SPI = 0.90 means the project is progressing at 90% of the planned rate, so it is behind schedule. Having used 60% of the budget while only being 50% complete (since CPI = EV/AC, EV = CPI × AC = 0.85 × 0.6 = 0.51, or 51% of total budget) confirms both over-budget and behind-schedule status.
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.
- ✗
The project is under budget and ahead of schedule
Why it's wrong here
This would require CPI > 1 and SPI > 1.
- ✓
The project is over budget and behind schedule
Why this is correct
CPI < 1 means cost overrun; SPI < 1 means schedule delay.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The project is under budget but behind schedule
Why it's wrong here
Under budget would require CPI > 1.
- ✗
The project is over budget but ahead of schedule
Why it's wrong here
Ahead of schedule would require SPI > 1.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates misinterpret '60% of the budget used' as progress, but EVM requires comparing actual cost (AC) to earned value (EV), not to planned value (PV), so the low CPI and SPI together confirm both over-budget and behind-schedule conditions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Earned Value Management (EVM) uses CPI = EV/AC and SPI = EV/PV. With 60% of budget spent (AC = 0.6 × BAC), and CPI = 0.85, EV = 0.85 × 0.6 × BAC = 0.51 × BAC, meaning only 51% of planned work is complete. SPI = 0.90 implies PV at this point should be EV/SPI = 0.51/0.90 ≈ 0.567 × BAC, so the project is both cost-inefficient and schedule-delayed. The '60% budget used' is a red herring—it directly supports over-budget status when compared to EV.
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 practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
- →
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The project is over budget and behind schedule — CPI = 0.85 means for every dollar spent, only $0.85 of earned value is received, indicating the project is over budget. SPI = 0.90 means the project is progressing at 90% of the planned rate, so it is behind schedule. Having used 60% of the budget while only being 50% complete (since CPI = EV/AC, EV = CPI × AC = 0.85 × 0.6 = 0.51, or 51% of total budget) confirms both over-budget and behind-schedule status.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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