Project Float

Correct Answer: The project can be completed four days earlier than planned.

In a critical path, the total float represents the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the project's completion date. If a task on the critical path is accelerated, it will directly impact the project's overall timeline. Let's analyze the given scenario: Given: The critical path has a total float of 3 days. A task on the critical path is accelerated by 4 days. If a task on the critical path is accelerated by 4 days, the following will occur: The duration of the accelerated task will be reduced by 4 days. Since the task is on the critical path, the project's overall duration will also be reduced by 4 days. The total float of the critical path will increase by 4 days. New total float of the critical path = Original total float + Acceleration of the task New total float = 3 days + 4 days = 7 days Therefore, if a task on the critical path with a total float of 3 days is accelerated by 4 days, the project's overall duration will be reduced by 4 days, and the new total float of the critical path will become 7 days.

Correct Answer: The project deadline will be delayed by 1 day.

In project management, the total float time or 'slack' is the amount of time that you can delay a task without delaying the project. More slack means more flexibility. Here, the shortest critical path has a total float of 4 days. This means you could hypothetically delay a task on this path by up to 4 days without impacting the deadline. However, if a task on this path gets delayed by 5 days, it exceeds the total float by 1 day. Hence, the project deadline will be delayed by 1 day. The reason the other answers are incorrect is as follows: The advancement of a deadline is not possible given the delay of a task. In addition, the project deadline could only remain the same if the delay was equal to or less than the total float. And the project deadline wouldn't be delayed by 5 days as the total float absorbs the first 4 days of that delay, and only then does the remaining delay of 1 day push back the deadline.

Correct Answer: There will be no impact on Task B nor on the overall project schedule.

Task B is labelled as critical, which implies it has zero flexibility in its schedule, indicated by a free float of 0 days. Free float refers to the amount of time that you can delay a task without delaying the next task. So, if Task B has a free float of 0, it means we cannot delay it without affecting subsequent tasks However, Task C is non-critical with a free float of 3 days. This means Task C can be delayed up to 3 days without affecting the immediate succeeding tasks or the overall project schedule. Given the scenario where Task C is delayed by 2 days, it is still within its free float of 3 days, so the delay should not impact the start of Task B or the overall project schedule. Therefore, the correct answer is 'There will be no impact on Task B nor on the overall project schedule.' The other responses are incorrect because they involve delays to Task B and/or the overall project, which is contrary to the free float concept. Task B is a critical task with no margin for delay (0 days of free float). However, since Task C's delay is within its own 3-day free float, it doesn't influence Task B.