| PMP Certification Sample Questions |
1. Which performance measurement tells us how
much more of the budget is required to finish the project?
a) ETC
b) EV
c) AC
d) EAC |
| See Answer
Correct Option A. Explaination: Estimate to completion calculates how
much more of the budget is needed to complete the project if everything
continues at the current level of performance
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2.Which of the following compression
techniques increases risk?
a) Crashing
b) Resource Leveling
c) Fast tracking
d) Lead and Lag |
| See Answer
Correct Option C. Explaination: Fast tracking is a compression technique
that increases risk and potentially causes rework. Fast tracking is starting
two projects previously scheduled to start one after the other at the same time
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3.You are a project manager for Waterways
Houseboats, Inc. You've been asked to perform a benefit/cost analysis for two
proposed projects. Project A costs $2.4 million with potential benefits of $12
million and future operating cost of $3 million. Project B costs $2.8 million
with potential benefits of $14 million and future operating costs of $2
million. Which project should you recommend?
a) Project A because the cost of implement is cheaper than Project B
b) Project A because the potential benefits plus the future operating costs are
less in value than the same calculation for Project B
c) Project B because the potential benefits minus the implementation and future
operating costs are greater in value than the same calculation for Project A
d) Project B because the potential benefits minus the costs to implement are
greater in value than the same calculation for Project A |
| See Answer
Correct Option C. Explaination: Project B's benefit/cost analysis is a
$9.2 million benefit to the company compared to $6.6 million for Project A.
Benefit/cost analysis takes into consideration the initial costs to implement
and future operating costs.
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4.These diagrams rank order factors for
corrective action by frequency of occurrence. They are also a type of
histogram:
a) Control charts
b) Process flowcharts
c) Scatter diagrams
d) Pareto diagrams |
| See Answer
Correct Option D. Explaination: Pareto diagrams rank order important
factors for corrective action by frequency of occurrence.
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5.You've been assigned as a project manager on
a research and development project for a new dental procedure. You've published
the scope statement and are working on the scope management plan. What is the
purpose of the scope management plan?
a) It describes and documents a scope baseline to help make future project
decisions
b) It decomposes project deliverables.
c) It describes how project scope changes will be incorporated into the project
and how project scope will be managed
d) It describes how cost and time estimates can be composed for project scope
changes |
| See Answer
Correct Option C. Explaination: The scope management plan outlines how
project scope will be managed and how changes will be incorporated into the
project
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6. What is one of the most important skills a
project manager can have?
a) Negotiation skills
b) Influencing skills
c) Communication skills
d) Problem-solving skills |
| See Answer
Correct Option C. Explaination: Negotiation, influencing and
problem-solving skills are all important for a project manager to possess;
however, good communication skills are the most important skills a project
manager
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7. The project manager has the greatest
influence over quality during which process?
a) Quality Planning
b) Quality Assurance
c) Quality Control
d) Quality Change Control |
| See Answer
Correct Option B. Explaination: Quality Assurance is the process where
project managers have the greatest amount of influence over quality.
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8. Project managers have the highest level of
authority and the most power in which type of organizational structure?
a) Projectized
b) Strong Matrix
c) Functional
d) Balanced Matrix |
| See Answer
Correct Option A. Explaination: Project managers have the highest level
of power and authority in a projectized organization. They also have high
levels of power and authority in a strong matrix; however, a matrix
organization is a blend of functional and projectized organizations, and
therefore, the project manager does not have quite the same level of authority
as they would in a projectized organization.
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9. You are the project manager of Heartthrobs
by the Number Dating Services. You're working on an updated Internet site that
will display pictures as well as short bios of prospective heartbreakers. You
have your activity list and resource requirements in hand and are planning on
using qualitatively based durations and reserve time to determine activity
durations. Which of the following is true?
a) You are using inputs of the Activity Duration Estimating Process
b) You are using tolls and techniques of the Cost Estimating Process
c) You are using tools and techniques of the Activity Duration Estimating
Process
d) You are using inputs of the Cost Estimating Process |
| See Answer
Correct Option C. Explaination: Qualitatively based durations and
reserve time are two of the tools and techniques of the Activity Duration
Estimating process. The other tools are expert judgment and analogous
estimating.
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10. You are a project manager who has recently held a
project team kick-off meeting where all the team members were formally
introduced to each other. Some of the team members know each other from other
projects and have been working with you for the past 3 weeks during the
Planning process. Which of the following is true?
a) Team building begins once all the members of the team are identified and
introduced to each other. This team is in the storming state of Team
Development
b) Team building begins at the Planning process. This team is in the storming
stare of Team Development
c) Team Building begins once all the members of the team are identified and
introduced to each other. This team is in the forming stage of Team Development
d) Team building begins at the Planning process. This team is in the forming
stage of Team Development |
| See Answer
Corerct Option D. Explaination: Team building begins at the Planning
process of your project. In this question, the team members have just been
formally introduced to each other, so they are still in the forming stage of
Team Development.
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11. Project managers spend what percentage of their time
communicating?
a) 90
b) 85
c) 75
d) 50 |
| See Answer
Correct Option A. Explaination: Project managers spend about 90 percent
of their time communicating through status meetings, team meetings, e-mail,
verbal communications and so on.
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12. All of the following are true regarding configuration
management except:
a) Requires all acceptance decisions to be made through the CCB
b) Serves as a change control system
c) Describes the physical characteristics of the product of the project
d) Controls changes to the characteristics of an item |
| See Answer
Correct Option A. Explaination: Configuration management serves as a
change control system; it describes the physical characteristics of the
product; and it controls changes tot eh characteristics of the product or item.
It tracks the changes requested and made and their status.
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13. Which of the following project-schedule techniques
allows for conditional and probabilistic treatment?
a) GERT
b) CPM
c) PERT
d) CPM & PERT |
| See Answer
Correct Option A. Explaination: GERT is the only technique that allows
for conditional branching and looping and probabilistic treatment
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14. Which of the following contracts should you use for
projects that have a degree of uncertainty and require a large investment early
in the project life cycle?
a) Fixed Price
b) Cost reimbursable
c) Lump sum
d) Unit price |
| See Answer
Correct Option B. Explaination: Cost reimbursable contracts are used
when the degree of uncertainty is high and when the project requires a large
investment prior to completion of the project
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15. You are the project manager for Lucky Stars Candies.
You've identified the deliverables and requirements and documented them where?
a) In the scope statement, which will be used as in input to the Scope
Definition Process
b) In the scope definition document, which is used as an input to the Scope
Planning process
c) In the WBS, which is an output of the Scope Planning process
d) In the WBS, which is a tool and technique of the Scope Definition Process |
| See Answer
Correct Option A. Explaination: The scope statement contains an
exhaustive list of the project deliverables, their requirements and measurable
criteria used to determine project completion. The scope statement is an input
to the Scope Definition process and is used to create the WBS.
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16. All of the following are true regarding Ishikawa
diagrams in the Quality Planning process except:
a) They are also called cause-and-effect diagrams.
b) They are also called fishbone diagrams.
c) They are a tool and technique of this process.
d) They are an output of this process |
| See Answer
Correct Option D. Explaination:Cause-and-effect diagrams, also called
Ishikawa or fishbone diagrams, show the relationship between the effects of
quality problems and their causes. Cause-and-effect diagrams were developed by
Kaoru Ishikawa.
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17. The primary function of the Closing process is to:
a) Formalize lessons learned and distribute this information to project
participants
b) Perform audits to verify the project results against the project
requirements
c) Formalize project completion and disseminate this information to project
participants
d) Perform post-implementation audits to document project successes and
failures |
| See Answer
Correct Option C. Explaination: The primary function of the Closing
process is to formalize project completion and disseminate this information to
the project participants
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18. What is the purpose of the project charter?
a) To recognize and acknowledge the project sponsor
b) To recognize and acknowledge the existence of the project and commit
organizational resources to the project
c) To acknowledge the existence of the project team, project manager and
project sponsor
d) To describe the selection methods used to choose this project over its
competitors |
| See Answer
Correct Option B. Explaination: The purpose of a project charter is to
recognize and acknowledge the existence of a project and commit resources to
the project. The charter names the project manager and project sponsor, but
that's not its primary purpose.
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19. Which performance measurement tells us what the
projected total cost of the project will be at completion?
a) ETC
b) CPI
c) SPI
d) EAC |
| See Answer
Correct Option D. Explaination: Estimate at completion estimates the
total cost of the project at completion based on the performance of the project
to date.
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20. People are motivated by the need for achievement,
power or affiliation according to which theory?
a) Expectancy theory
b) Achievement theory
c) Contingency theory
d) Theory X |
| See
Answer
Correct Option B. Explaination: Achievement theory conjectures that
people are motivated by the need for achievement, power or affiliation.
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