Deck 5: Scheduling the Project

Question 1

When it was originally developed, PERT used certain (deterministic) methods to estimate activity duration.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Standard Pert/CPM networks can be use to resolve probabilistic concerns.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The shortest time to complete a network is equal to the duration of the longest path through the network.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A project schedule is a project action plan converted into a timetable.

Question 5

If task duration estimates are carefully made, the project manager needs to only examine the critical path when conducting a risk analysis.

Question 6

The actual project duration will be known with certainty after the project is completed.

Question 7

The difference between LST and LFT is called slack.

Question 8

AON and AOA networks can both be used to depict any project network.

Question 9

A start-to-finish linkage is the most common way of linking to successive task.

Question 10

Technical dependencies are often harder to see on a Gantt chart than on a PERT/CPM network.

Question 11

To manage a project successfully, the project manager need only pay close attention to tasks on the critical path.

Question 12

The difference between the LST and EST is called slack.

Question 13

Critical path tasks always have zero slack.

Question 14

A Gantt chart cannot depict a critical path, only a PERT/CPM chart can.

Question 15

"Merger" is a term used to describe the situation in which two or more paths in a network join together.

Question 16

A disadvantage of Gantt charts is that they are hard to draw.

Question 17

It is easiest to see lead and lag time in a project task on a PERT/CPM networks.

Question 18

Milestones cannot be identified on a Gantt Chart.

Question 19

The formula for the expected time of an activity in a network assumes that the optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely time estimates have a Beta distribution.

Question 20

The difference between EST and LFT is called slack.

Question 21

A diagram of nodes connected by directional arcs that defines the project and illustrates the technical of all activities is referred to as a network.

Question 22

The tasks of project planning, project budgeting, and project scheduling are largely separable from one another.

Question 23

The simulation approach is generally preferred over the statistical method.

Question 24

A situation where two or more activities have the same starting and finishing nodes or where a single activity connects to two or more nodes is called a dummy task

Question 25

Technical dependencies are generally easier to see on a Gantt chart than on PERT/CPM networks.

Question 26

The movement from left to right through the network beginning with the start node that calculates the LS and LF for each activity is known as "FORWARD PASS"

Question 27

Float refers to the amount of time a noncritical task can be delayed without causing a delay in the entire project.

Question 28

Technical dependencies on a project plan are easiest to see on a:

A) Gantt chart
B) Cost chart
C) PERT/CPM chart
D) Work Breakdown Structure
E) RACI Matrix

Question 29

Milestones are not depended upon the predecessor activities in the project plan.

Question 30

Networks are usually drawn with a "Start" node to the right and a "Finish" node to the left.

Question 31

PERT was originally used for what type of project?

A) construction
B) R & D
C) military
D) computer software development
E) advertising

Question 32

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the start time of any successor activity is known as free slack.

Question 33

Which of the following terms is most closely associated with a task required by the project?

A) activity
B) event
C) milestone
D) network
E) path

Question 34

An event is a series of connected activities.

Question 35

Another name for total slack is free slack.

Question 36

A disadvantage of using beta distribution to approximate activity times is that it is generally less flexible than the normal distribution.

Question 37

Events in a project consume no resources or time.

Question 38

The difference between LFT and EFT is called slack.

Question 39

A big advantage of AON networks is that they are easier to draw.

Question 40

The start-to-finish linkage is used in situations where is it desirable for two or more activities to finish at the same time.

Question 41

Define the term critical path.

Question 42

Miros Inc., a recording studio, displays its recording process by using a network of nodes and arrows. The nodes are used to depict the activities involved in recording a song, such as setting up the instruments, and the arrows are used to depict the order of precedence of the activities. Which of the following project networks is Miros using in the given scenario?

A) A time-on-node network
B) An activity-on-arrow network
C) A time-on-arrow network
D) An activity-on-node network
E) An event-on-node network

Question 43

An identifiable state resulting from the completion of one or more activities is called?

A) an event
B) an activity
C) a milestone
D) a path
E) the critical path

Question 44

Paul, the marketing manager of a food company, created a diagram of nodes to represent the marketing process for a new product of the company. Each node represented an activity in the marketing process, and an arc joined each node. He used this diagram to demonstrate the objectives of the marketing process. In the context of the language of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and the Critical Path Method (CPM), the diagram used by Paul is known as a _____.

A) network
B) flowchart
C) Gantt chart
D) Smith chart
E) control chart

Question 45

Slack is calculated as?

A) LFT - EST
B) LFT - LST
C) LST - LFT
D) LFT - EFT
E) EFT - EST

Question 46

Ben is part of a new project in his company. He is asked to complete a task within two days, but he is only able to finish it in three days. Since the task assigned to him is noncritical in nature, the extra day taken by Ben does not cause a delay in the project. In this scenario, the additional day taken by Ben is known as _____.

A) flow time
B) throughput
C) slack
D) critical time
E) flowgrind

Question 47

Nessage Mique, a niche fashion boutique, displays its production process by using a network of nodes and arrows. The nodes are used to depict the state of completion of various activities and the arrows are used to depict their order of precedence. Which of the following project networks is Nessage Mique using in the given scenario?

A) An event-on-arrow network
B) A time-on-arrow network
C) An activity-on-node network
D) A time-on-node network
E) An activity-on-arrow network

Question 48

Organ Bennett Inc., a public relations firm, is working on a project to improve the brand image of Sizil, a client firm, over a period of a year. The project requires Organ Bennett to organize a press conference to announce the launch of Sizil's new product. The project members need to invite reporters for the same. In the context of the language of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and the Critical Path Method (CPM), inviting reporters is most likely a(n) _____.

A) event
B) activity
C) network
D) milestone
E) float

Question 49

Minkset Blu, a textile company, wants to improve its sales over a span of four years. In the first year, the company installs new looming machines that improve the production cost. However, it takes two years for the company to establish a liaison with online retailers to improve the accessibility of its products. This delays the company's goal of improving sales by a year. In the context of the language of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and the Critical Path Method (CPM), the set of activities that cause the delay are part of _____.

A) the Smith chart
B) the Portolan chart
C) the critical path
D) the throughput process
E) the control chart

Question 50

What is activity slack?

Question 51

What is the standard deviation of a task with optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic times of 3, 4, and 7 days respectively assuming the estimates were made at the 99% plus level?

A) )444
B) )667
C) 1.212
D) 1.469
E) 1.540

Question 52

Consider a project network that begins with activity A and is followed by activity B. Activity A takes 6 days to finish. If the earliest start time for activity B is 6 days and the latest start time for it is 10 days, activity B has a slack of _____.

A) 16 days
B) 4 days
C) 10 days
D) 2 days
E) 12 days

Question 53

What is a Gantt chart?

Question 54

The amount of time a noncritical task can be delayed without delaying the project is called?

A) surplus
B) flop
C) slack
D) critical time
E) safety

Question 55

What is the expected time to complete a task with an optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic times of 3, 4, and 7 days respectively?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 4.3
D) 4.7
E) 7

Question 56

Rico Gen, a sports apparel manufacturing company, maintains a target of increasing its sales by 20 percent per month to achieve its goal of expanding its business in the international market. In the context of the language of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and the Critical Path Method (CPM), the monthly targets achieved by Rico Gen are known as _____.

A) activities
B) floats
C) activity slacks
D) milestones
E) paths

Question 57

Consider a project network that begins with activity X and is followed by activity Y. The earliest start time for activity X is 5 days and it will take 3 days to be completed. The earliest start time for activity Y is 12 days. Given this information, activity X has _____ of free slack.

A) 20 days
B) 4 days
C) 12 days
D) 9 days
E) 15 days

Question 58

What are the four methods of linking steps in a project using precedence diagramming?

Question 59

Verita Nist, an automobile company, sought to improve the production time and quality of its products within a year. In the first month, the company installed five new assembling machines. This reduced the production time by 15 percent. In the context of the language of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and the Critical Path Method (CPM), this decrease in the production time of Verita Nist's products is an example of a(n) _____.

A) task
B) activity
C) critical path
D) event
E) throughput

Question 60

A Term not used in the discussion of PERT/CPM analysis is

A) Activity
B) Events
C) Critical Path
D) Sensitivity path
E) network s

Question 61

Why is it necessary for the project manager (PM) to be aware and to manage the slack in the project?

Question 62

What assumptions are made about the probabilities of the optimistic and pessimistic times in the standard formula for calculating the variance of a particular activity? Explain how the formula can be modified to accommodate different assumptions.

Question 63

Explain why the term critical path has less meaning in cases where the activity times are not known with certainty.

Question 64

Contrast the traditional statistical approach to calculating the probability of completing a project by a specified time with the simulation approach.

Question 65

Why should we only draw the Gantt chart after we have drawn the network for the project?

Question 66

What is a merger and what problems do mergers create?

Question 67

Contrast total slack and free slack.