The GATE Grind

GATE 2025 CE (CE1) – Question 42

Construction Management · Project planning and scheduling: AOA and AON, PERT and CPM · 2 marks · Multiple select

In the context of construction project management, which of the following statements is/are true:

  1. A dummy activity will consume time and resources
  2. The programme evaluation and review technique (PERT) is best suited for projects with large uncertainties in the duration of activities
  3. A Gantt chart is commonly used for identifying the 'critical path' of activities in a project
  4. Free float is the amount of time by which the start of an activity can be delayed without causing a delay in the start of a following activity

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Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: (B) The programme evaluation and review technique (PERT) is best suited for projects with large uncertainties in the duration of activities; (D) Free float is the amount of time by which the start of an activity can be delayed without causing a delay in the start of a following activity

Explanation

A dummy activity only shows a dependency, so it takes no time and no resources, and A is false. PERT uses three time estimates for each activity, so it suits projects where durations are very uncertain, and B is true. The critical path is found by CPM or PERT network analysis, not from a Gantt bar chart, so C is false. Free float is the delay an activity can take without delaying the early start of the activities that follow it, so D is true.