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RMC Project Management, Inc.

Extra Exercises on Network Diagrams

Copyright 2013 RMC Project Management, Inc. All rights reserved.


10953 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcproject.com www.rmcproject.com (952) 846-4484
The copyright owner hereby grants permission to make copies of this handout for personal, noncommercial use only.

Exercise 1
Using the table below, draw the network diagram and answer the questions. When you have completed answering the questions, do a forward/backward pass.

Activity Predecessor Estimate
in weeks
Start
0
C
B
P
A
U
T
R
N
End

Start
Start
Start
C, B, P
P
A
A
U
T, R, N

6
4
3
7
4
2
3
6
0

1. How many paths are in the network, and what are they?

2. What is the critical path and its duration?

3. What is the float on activity U?

4. What is the impact to the project if activity B takes three weeks longer than planned?

Do a forward and backward pass using the original estimates.

Copyright 2013 RMC Project Management, Inc. All rights reserved.


10953 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcproject.com www.rmcproject.com (952) 846-4484
The copyright owner hereby grants permission to make copies of this handout for personal, noncommercial use only.

Answer to Exercise 1
Using the table below, draw the network diagram and answer the questions. When you have completed answering the
questions, do a forward/backward pass.

Activity

Predecessor

Start

Estimate
in weeks
0

C
B
P
A
U
T
R
N
End

Start
Start
Start
C, B, P
P
A
A
U
T, R, N

6
4
3
7
4
2
3
6
0

Start

1. How many paths are in the network, and what are they?

There are seven paths. See the details on the next page.

2. What is the critical path and its duration?


Start, C, A, R, End

16 weeks

3. What is the float on activity U?


3 weeks

4. What is the impact to the project if activity B takes three weeks longer than planned?

The critical path will shift to Start, B, A, R, End. It will delay the project end by one week.

Do a forward and backward pass using the original estimates.

Copyright 2013 RMC Project Management, Inc. All rights reserved.


10953 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcproject.com www.rmcproject.com (952) 846-4484
The copyright owner hereby grants permission to make copies of this handout for personal, noncommercial use only.

End

Answer to Exercise 1
Note: Answers are based on using the zero method. See the article, Two Methods to Calculate the Forward and Backward
Passes in a Network Diagram, at www.rmcproject.com/free/tips.htm for an explanation of the two methods.

C
0

0 13

14 1 16
13 3 16

B
2

R
6

3 3

13

P
3 3 6

Legend

13 2 15

Start

ES

7 13

EF

ID
LS F LF

Paths
Start, C, A, T, End
Start, C, A, R, End
Start, B, A, T, End
Start, B, A, R, End
Start, P, A, T, End
Start, P, A, R, End
Start, P, U, N, End

U
6

3 10

End
16

6 13

N
10 3 16

ID = Activity name
D = Duration
F = Float
ES = Early start
EF = Early finish
LS = Late start
LF = Late finish

15
16
13
14
12
13
13

Copyright 2013 RMC Project Management, Inc. All rights reserved.


10953 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcproject.com www.rmcproject.com (952) 846-4484
The copyright owner hereby grants permission to make copies of this handout for personal, noncommercial use only.

Exercise 2
Using the table below, draw the network diagram and answer the questions. When you have completed answering the
questions, do a forward/backward pass.

Activity Predecessor Estimate


in weeks
A
5
E
A
7
C
A
3
D
E
1
B
E, C
3
F
D, B
2

1. How many paths are in the network, and what are they?

2. What is the critical path and its duration?

3. What is the float on activity B?

4. What is the impact to the project if activity C takes three weeks longer than planned?

Do a forward and backward pass using the original estimates.

Copyright 2013 RMC Project Management, Inc. All rights reserved.


10953 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcproject.com www.rmcproject.com (952) 846-4484
The copyright owner hereby grants permission to make copies of this handout for personal, noncommercial use only.

Answer to Exercise 2
Using the table below, draw the network diagram and answer the questions. When you have completed answering the
questions, do a forward/backward pass.

Activity Predecessor Estimate


in weeks
A
5
E
A
7
C
A
3
D
E
1
B
E, C
3
F
D, B
2


1. How many paths are in the network, and what are they?

There are three paths. See the details on the next page.

2. What is the critical path and its duration?


A, E, B, F

17 weeks

3. What is the float on activity B?


Zero. It is on the critical path.

4. What is the impact to the project if activity C takes three weeks longer than planned?

There will be no impact to the critical path or its duration.

Do a forward and backward pass using the original estimates.

Copyright 2013 RMC Project Management, Inc. All rights reserved.


10953 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcproject.com www.rmcproject.com (952) 846-4484
The copyright owner hereby grants permission to make copies of this handout for personal, noncommercial use only.

Answer to Exercise 2
5

12

12

E
5

13

D
12

14

15

15

A
0

15

12

C
9

Legend

EF

ID
LS F LF

15

B
12

12

0 15

ID = Activity name
D = Duration
F = Float
ES = Early start
EF = Early finish
LS = Late start
LF = Late finish

Paths
A, E, D, F
A, E, B, F
A, C, B, F

15
17
13

Copyright 2013 RMC Project Management, Inc. All rights reserved.


10953 Bren Road East Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcproject.com www.rmcproject.com (952) 846-4484
The copyright owner hereby grants permission to make copies of this handout for personal, noncommercial use only.

17

ES

17

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