Free PMP Practice Test

✓ Correct Answer: Transition to an agile or hybrid approach to accommodate evolving requirements

When requirements are volatile and the client is repeatedly requesting changes after phases, a predictive (waterfall) approach creates friction and rework. The PMI-preferred response is to evaluate whether an agile or hybrid approach better fits the project context — agile embraces change through short iterations, sprint reviews, and continuous customer collaboration. This is a core PMP concept: selecting the right life cycle for the project environment.

✓ Correct Answer: 0.82

CPI = EV ÷ AC = $90,000 ÷ $110,000 = 0.818 ≈ 0.82. A CPI below 1.0 means the project is over budget — you are getting less than $1 of work for every $1 spent. The Schedule Performance Index (SPI) = EV ÷ PV = $90,000 ÷ $120,000 = 0.75, meaning the project is also behind schedule. Both metrics are unfavorable, signaling the need for corrective action.

✓ Correct Answer: The Product Owner, who represents the stakeholder interests

In Scrum (per the Scrum Guide), the Product Owner is solely accountable for maximizing the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog — which includes ordering items, ensuring the backlog is transparent and clear, and making trade-off decisions. The Scrum Master serves the team by removing impediments and coaching Scrum practices. The Development Team is self-organizing and selects backlog items for each sprint based on capacity.

✓ Correct Answer: -$20,000

EMV = Probability × Impact = 0.40 × (−$50,000) = −$20,000. Risk impacts are expressed as negative values (threats) or positive values (opportunities). EMV is used in decision tree analysis and contingency reserve calculations. A −$20,000 EMV means this risk contributes $20,000 to the project's contingency reserve calculation. The sign convention is critical on the PMP exam — threats are negative, opportunities are positive.

✓ Correct Answer: Meet with the stakeholder to understand their concerns and identify common ground

The PMI approach to stakeholder conflict is to engage proactively — understand their concerns first before escalating or making changes. Stakeholder engagement should begin early (stakeholder identification happens during project initiation) and continue throughout. Meeting to understand concerns aligns with the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and the principle of collaboration. Escalating immediately or issuing a change request without understanding the root concern would be premature.

✓ Correct Answer: Has the longest duration and determines the shortest possible project completion date

The critical path is the longest path through the project network diagram, and it determines the minimum project duration — any delay on a critical path activity directly delays the project end date. Activities on the critical path have zero total float (or zero slack). There may be multiple critical paths. The critical path method (CPM) is a core scheduling technique tested heavily on the PMP.

✓ Correct Answer: Ongoing stakeholder collaboration and clear acceptance criteria defined before sprint work begins

In agile, acceptance criteria are defined before a story enters the sprint (during backlog refinement). The Definition of Done (DoD) and story-level acceptance criteria ensure shared understanding between the team and stakeholders. The sprint review itself is a feedback mechanism — if stories are being rejected there, it signals a breakdown in collaboration or acceptance criteria clarity earlier in the process, not a problem with the review itself.

✓ Correct Answer: Collaborating (Confronting) — openly address the conflict and work toward a mutually acceptable solution

PMI's preferred conflict resolution technique is Collaborating (also called Confronting or Problem Solving) — it addresses the root cause of the conflict and seeks a win-win outcome. It produces the most durable resolution. Smoothing provides a temporary fix. Forcing may resolve it quickly but breeds resentment. Withdrawing avoids the issue entirely. The PMP exam consistently favors the collaborative approach as the 'best' first response to team conflict.

✓ Correct Answer: $625,000

EAC = BAC ÷ CPI = $500,000 ÷ 0.80 = $625,000. This formula assumes the current cost performance (CPI) will continue for the remainder of the project — the most common EAC formula on the PMP exam. A CPI of 0.80 means you are getting $0.80 of work for every $1 spent, so the project will cost 25% more than budgeted. The Estimate to Complete (ETC) = EAC − AC (actual cost to date).

✓ Correct Answer: Meet with the functional manager to discuss resource availability and negotiate a shared schedule

In a matrix organization, the project manager shares authority over resources with functional managers — this is a defining characteristic of the matrix structure. The correct response is to engage the functional manager directly to negotiate resource availability, understand their competing priorities, and reach a workable arrangement. Escalating immediately bypasses direct communication. Replacing with contractors is a disproportionate escalation. The PMI approach favors direct, proactive communication before escalation.