fbpx
Do you need customer support or technical assistance? Click here to submit a support ticket...

TOPIC: Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY?

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11548

  • Monique Maxmillion
  • Monique Maxmillion's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Fresh Boarder
  • Fresh Boarder
  • Posts: 4
  • Thank you received: 0
Your boss comes into your office and wants the schedule estimate for your
project in which you have 99% confidence. If your worst case estimate is 10
months, your best case estimate 6 months and your most likely case estimate is 7 months what do you provide him?

A. 6.00 to 8.67 months
B. 6 to 10 months
C. 5.33 to 9.33 months
D. approximately 10 months

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11555

  • Aung Sint
  • Aung Sint's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Junior Boarder
  • Junior Boarder
  • Posts: 37
  • Karma: 1
  • Thank you received: 8
Dear Monique,

P = 10, M = 7, O = 6
beta estimate [(P+4*M+O)/6] = 7.333
sigma [(P-O)/6] = 0.667

Since the confidence level is 99%, it's 3 sigma (remember, 1 sigma = 68.26%, 2 sigma = 95.46%, 3 sigma = 99.73%, 6 sigma = 99.999%), so your range is beta+3*sigma and beta-3*sigma, which is 5.333 and 9.333 months.

Answer choice C is the correct answer.

If 95% confidence level, answer A would have been the correct answer.

Could you state where the question comes from?
Best regards,
Aung K. Sint, PMP

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11580

  • Charl Young
  • Charl Young's Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
O=6; M=4*7; P=10
(6+28+10)/6
=7,33

((O-P)/6)to the power of 2
((6-10)/6)^2
(-4/6)^2
1,33^2
=0,444*3 sigma(99%)
=1,333 3 std deviations

7,33-1,33
=6
7,33+1,33
=8,66

Answer is A 6 to 8,33

[email protected] 7 years 2 months ago #11582

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous's Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
answer is c

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11586

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous's Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
Here, I will consider the formula for standard deviation. Not the formula for variance. So the correct answer would be "C".

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11590

  • Aung Sint
  • Aung Sint's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Junior Boarder
  • Junior Boarder
  • Posts: 37
  • Karma: 1
  • Thank you received: 8
Dear Charl,

Would like to point out that the sigma (standard deviation) formula that you are using is not correct: it should have been (P-O)/6. Secondly, by squaring the sigma (standard deviation), you are actually getting variance.

Other than that, I'd agree with your thought process. :)

Would like to know what other "experts" think of this one. Any suggestions are welcome!
Best regards,
Aung K. Sint, PMP

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11591

  • Andrew
  • Andrew's Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
Where did the power of 2 come from?
I've only ever seen the SD formula as
P-O/6 www(dot)pmpmath(dot)com/sd(dot)php

Also the square of 1.33 is 1.7689 not 0.444.

Can you help me understand where your numbers came from?

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11592

  • Monique Maxmillion
  • Monique Maxmillion's Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
Aung, you are right!! This PMP question was taken from Career Academy PMP question bank..

But, do you think this type of question will ever be on the PMP... I finally see now why answer C!!

7.33+3(.667)=9.331 months
7.33-3(.667)= 5.329 months

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 2 months ago #11595

  • Aung Sint
  • Aung Sint's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Junior Boarder
  • Junior Boarder
  • Posts: 37
  • Karma: 1
  • Thank you received: 8
Dear Monique,

Thanks for your reply. :)

When I took the exam, all formula questions are very straight forward - as long as you remember which formulas to apply.

As part of my test-taking strategy, I put all long, wordy questions and calculation questions to be the last to answer. Just see which strategy works for you.

Good luck with your preparation!
Best regards,
Aung K. Sint, PMP

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 1 month ago #11747

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous's Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor

Aung Sint wrote: Dear Monique,

Thanks for your reply. :)

When I took the exam, all formula questions are very straight forward - as long as you remember which formulas to apply.

As part of my test-taking strategy, I put all long, wordy questions and calculation questions to be the last to answer. Just see which strategy works for you.

Good luck with your preparation!


Hi Aung Sint/Everyone,

Could you please advise why you chose the formula for PERT/Weighted average over simple average? The question didn't mention the use of the PERT method and hence I am a bit concerned to understand if we should by default use the PERT formula over the simple average (triangular) formula on the exam if the method is not specifically mentioned?

Can you help me figure out what the correct answer is and WHY? 7 years 1 month ago #11771

  • Aung Sint
  • Aung Sint's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Junior Boarder
  • Junior Boarder
  • Posts: 37
  • Karma: 1
  • Thank you received: 8
Questions are quite clear (unambiguous) which formula to use.

For me, during my preparation, the EAC questions are a bit confusing because you got 4 formulas to decide which one to use, and look for the key word or clue for the correct formula to apply.
Best regards,
Aung K. Sint, PMP
Moderators: Yolanda MabutasMary Kathrine PaduaJohn Paul BugarinHarry ElstonJean KwandaDaniel SoerensenAlexander AnikinElena ZelenevskaiaBrent Lee

OSP INTERNATIONAL LLC
OSP INTERNATIONAL LLC
Training for Project Management Professional (PMP)®, PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®

Login