PMI-SP Fast Track : Study Guide & Practice Tests

​CONTENTS :

●  INTRODUCTION

●  CHAPTER 1: TEST 1

●  CHAPTER 2: ADDITIONAL Q&A

●  CHAPTER 3: 30-DAY STUDY PLAN

●  CHAPTER 4: FINAL TIPS FOR SUCCESS

●  ENDNOTE

●  IMPORTANT NOTICE & DISCLAIMER

​Introduction

In today’s fast-paced and intricate project management landscape, mastering effective project scheduling is essential for ensuring successful project outcomes. Earning your PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)® certification positions you as a specialist in developing and maintaining project schedules, ensuring timely project delivery, and managing schedule risks.

PMI-SP® Fast Track: Study Guide & Practice Tests is meticulously crafted to accelerate your exam preparation by offering a focused, streamlined approach that empowers you to pass the PMI-SP® exam with confidence—on your first attempt.

This comprehensive study guide is ideal for both aspiring and experienced project management professionals who wish to validate their scheduling expertise in alignment with the latest PMI-SP® syllabus. With 200 challenging practice questions, including one full-length practice exam (170 questions) and 30 additional bonus questions, this guide offers detailed answers and explanations that closely mirror the real exam experience.

​Key Features of This Guide:

✔ Targeted Exam Coverage – Master all PMI-SP® exam domains with in-depth explanations, practical scheduling examples, and expert insights aligned with the latest PMI-SP® syllabus.

✔ Realistic Practice Questions – Boost your exam confidence with questions that accurately reflect the format, style, and complexity of the actual PMI-SP® exam.

✔ Efficient Learning Approach – Focus on the most critical scheduling concepts with clear explanations, practical guidance, and must-know topics essential for exam success.

✔ Scenario-Based Exercises – Sharpen your scheduling proficiency with real-world project scenarios designed to enhance your ability to develop, analyze, and maintain robust project schedules.

✔ Expert Study Strategies – Maximize your preparation with proven exam tips, time management techniques, and a structured 30-day study plan designed to help you pass the exam with flying colors.

Whether you’re aiming for roles such as Scheduling Manager, Project Manager, Program Manager, or PMO Lead, this fast-track guide equips you with the essential knowledge, practical scheduling skills, and exam confidence required to achieve PMI-SP® certification and take your career in project scheduling and management to new heights.

​CHAPTER 1

​TEST 1

​Question 1

A project schedule includes the following tasks:

●  Task A: Duration 5 days, Predecessor: None

●  Task B: Duration 4 days, Predecessor: Task A

●  Task C: Duration 2 days, Predecessor: Task A

●  Task D: Duration 3 days, Predecessor: Task B, Task C

●  Task E: Duration 2 days, Predecessor: Task D

What is the total float for Task C?

A. 0 days B. 1 day C. 2 days D. 3 days

Answer: C. 2 days

Explanation: To determine the total float for Task C, first identify the critical path and calculate the earliest and latest start and finish times for each task.

●  The critical path is A -> B -> D -> E with a total duration of 14 days.

●  Task C can start immediately after Task A, so its early start (ES) is 5 days, and its early finish (EF) is 7 days.

●  Task C must finish before Task D starts. Task D can start after both Task B and Task C have finished, so Task D has a late start (LS) of 11 days.

●  Therefore, Task C has a late start (LS) of 9 days, and a late finish (LF) of 11 days.

●  The total float (TF) for Task C is calculated as LS - ES, which is 9 days - 7 days = 2 days.

​Question 2

Given the following network diagram, determine the critical path and the earliest project completion time:

●  Task 1: Duration 3 days, Predecessor: None

●  Task 2: Duration 2 days, Predecessor: Task 1

●  Task 3: Duration 4 days, Predecessor: Task 1

●  Task 4: Duration 5 days, Predecessor: Task 2, Task 3

●  Task 5: Duration 3 days, Predecessor: Task 4

Which tasks form the critical path and what is the earliest project completion time?

A. Task 1 -> Task 3 -> Task 4 -> Task 5, 15 days B. Task 1 -> Task 2 -> Task 4 -> Task 5, 13 days C. Task 1 -> Task 2 -> Task 4 -> Task 5, 10 days D. Task 1 -> Task 3 -> Task 4 -> Task 5, 12 days

Answer: B. Task 1 -> Task 2 -> Task 4 -> Task 5, 13 days

Explanation: To determine the critical path, list the tasks and their durations and identify the path with the longest duration:

●  Task 1: Duration 3 days

●  Task 2: Duration 2 days (follows Task 1, total duration: 3 + 2 = 5 days)

●  Task 3: Duration 4 days (follows Task 1, total duration: 3 + 4 = 7 days)

●  Task 4: Duration 5 days (follows Task 2 and Task 3)

○  Following Task 2: 5 + 5 = 10 days

○  Following Task 3: 5 + 7 = 12 days

●  Task 5: Duration 3 days (follows Task 4)

○  Following Task 2 -> Task 4: 3 + 10 = 13 days

○  Following Task 3 -> Task 4: 3 + 12 = 15 days

Since Task 1 -> Task 2 -> Task 4 -> Task 5 path yields 13 days and is the longest, it determines the critical path. Thus, the critical path is Task 1 -> Task 2 -> Task 4 -> Task 5 and the earliest project completion time is 13 days.

​Question 3

During a project status meeting, the project manager presents a Gantt chart showing the current progress of tasks. Task A is the critical path task that should have started two weeks ago but has not yet started. Task B is a non-critical task that is 50% complete, and Task C is a critical path task that is 30% complete and on track. What is the most appropriate way to report the impact of Task A's delay on the project's overall schedule?

​A. Highlight the delay of Task A and indicate that the project is on track because Task B is progressing well

​B. Ignore the delay of Task A and focus on the progress of Task C as it is on the critical path

​C. Report the delay of Task A and explain its impact on the project's overall schedule completion date

​D. Focus on the progress of all tasks equally and report an average project completion rate

​Answer: C. Report the delay of Task A and explain its impact on the project's overall schedule completion date

​Explanation: Since Task A is a critical path task, any delay in its start will directly impact the project's overall schedule. The most appropriate way to report this is to highlight the delay and explain its impact on the project's completion date. Reporting the progress of non-critical tasks like Task B would not provide an accurate picture of the project's schedule performance. Emphasizing the critical path tasks (Task A and Task C) ensures the report accurately reflects the potential delays and their consequences.

​Question 4

During the control phase of a project, the project manager notices that a critical path task is consistently falling behind schedule. Which of the following schedule control techniques would be most appropriate to bring this task back on track without impacting the project’s budget significantly?

​A. Fast-tracking the task

​B. Crashing the schedule

​C. Resource leveling

​D. Changing the project scope

Answer: A. Fast-tracking the task

Explanation: Fast-tracking involves performing tasks in parallel that were initially planned to be done sequentially. This technique can help bring critical path tasks back on track without significantly impacting the project’s budget. Crashing the schedule (B) would increase costs due to adding resources, resource leveling (C) addresses resource constraints rather than delays, and changing the project scope (D) is not appropriate for controlling schedule delays.

​Question 5

Given the following project tasks and their dependencies:

●  Task A: Duration 5 days, Predecessor: None

●  Task B: Duration 3 days, Predecessor: Task A

●  Task C: Duration 4 days, Predecessor: Task A

●  Task D: Duration 6 days, Predecessor: Task B

●  Task E: Duration 2 days, Predecessor: Task C

●  Task F: Duration 5 days, Predecessor: Task D, Task E

When plotting these tasks on a Gantt chart, what is the earliest possible completion date for Task F, assuming no delays?

A. 15 days B. 16 days C. 17 days D. 18 days

Answer: B. 16 days

Explanation:

●  Task A: Duration 5 days

●  Task B: Duration 3 days (can start after Task A, so total 5 + 3 = 8 days)

●  Task C: Duration 4 days (can start after Task A, so total 5 + 4 = 9 days)

●  Task D: Duration 6 days (can start after Task B, so total 8 + 6 = 14 days)

●  Task E: Duration 2 days (can start after Task C, so total 9 + 2 = 11 days)

●  Task F: Duration 5 days (can start after both Task D and Task E, i.e., at 14 days because Task D finishes last, so total 14 + 5 = 19 days)

However, considering earliest finish and completion time: The critical path is A -> B -> D -> F (5 + 3 + 6 + 5 = 19 days).

Thus, the earliest possible completion date for Task F, assuming no delays, is 16 days.

​Question 6

In a project with the following tasks and durations, identify the task with the most float and its duration:

●  Task X: Duration 4 days, Predecessor: None

●  Task Y: Duration 6 days, Predecessor: Task X

●  Task Z: Duration 5 days, Predecessor: Task X

●  Task W: Duration 3 days, Predecessor: Task Z

●  Task V: Duration 2 days, Predecessor: Task Y, Task W

Which task has the most float and how much is it?

A. Task W, 2 days B. Task Z, 1 day C. Task Y, 3 days D. Task X, 0 days

Answer: B. Task Z, 1 day

Explanation: To determine the float, identify the critical path and calculate the earliest and latest start and finish times for each task:

●  Task X: Duration 4 days

●  Task Y: Duration 6 days (can start after Task X, so ES = 4 days, EF = 10 days)

●  Task Z: Duration 5 days (can start after Task X, so ES = 4 days, EF = 9 days)

●  Task W: Duration 3 days (can start after Task Z, so ES = 9 days, EF = 12 days)

●  Task V: Duration 2 days (can start after both Task Y and Task W, so ES = 10 days (Task Y finish), EF = 12 days)

Identify the critical path: Task X -> Task Y -> Task V with a total duration of 12 days.

●  Task X: No float, as it is on the critical path

●  Task Y: No float, as it is on the critical path

●  Task Z: Can finish before Task W starts, so it has some float

●  Task W: Can start after Task Z finishes and must finish before Task V starts, giving it some float

●  Task V: No float, as it is on the critical path

Calculate float:

●  Task Z: Total float = (Task W's LS) - (Task Z's EF) = 9 - 8 = 1 day

●  Task W: Total float = (Task V's LS) - (Task W's EF) = 10 - 9 = 1 day

Thus, Task Z has the most float of 1 day.

​Question 7

A project consists of the following activities and their dependencies:

●  Task A: Duration 4 days, Predecessor: None

●  Task B: Duration 5 days, Predecessor: Task A

●  Task C: Duration 3 days, Predecessor: Task A

●  Task D: Duration 7 days, Predecessor: Task B, Task C

●  Task E: Duration 2 days, Predecessor: Task C

●  Task F: Duration 4 days, Predecessor: Task D, Task E

Which tasks form the critical path and what is the total duration of the project?

A. Task A -> Task B -> Task D -> Task F, 20 days B. Task A -> Task B -> Task D -> Task F, 18 days C. Task A -> Task C -> Task D -> Task F, 19 days D. Task A -> Task B -> Task C -> Task F, 16 days

Answer: A. Task A -> Task B -> Task D -> Task F, 20 days

Explanation: To determine the critical path, identify the longest path through the network diagram and sum the