Practice for the PMP exam with 23 multiple-choice questions. Answer each question before the reveal, then review the explanation to understand the reasoning.
This is Part 1/8 in the CertPunch PMP practice exam series.
Topics covered: scope, schedule, risk, stakeholders, agile delivery, change control, team leadership, and project governance.
More practice: certpunch.com
What you will practice
- What is the main difference between the product scope and the project scope?
- The project team has been brought together for the first time to work on a network upgrade project. They were…
- The project manager is currently analyzing the requirements for the project. He has been informed that the st…
- The project manager is currently assigning costs to each individual activity on the project. A team member ha…
- The project team has completed the scope baseline and has started to break down each of the work packages int…
- While working on a project, the project manager has been inspiring the team members to do the best they can…
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. What is the main difference between the product scope and the project scope?
Answer: C. The product scope describes the features and functionality of a product, whereas the project scope describes how to get the features and functionality from the product.
Product scope is the 'what' (features and functionality). Project scope is the 'how' (work to deliver them). This is a fundamental distinction.
Q2. The project team has been brought together for the first time to work on a network upgrade project. They were able to learn about the functions they will doing on the project and what their roles will be. What will the team do next, accord…
Answer: C. Storming
Tuckman's stages progress from forming to storming. Initial role orientation defines the forming stage.
Q3. The project manager is currently analyzing the requirements for the project. He has been informed that the stakeholders will be very disappointed if there are defects in the deliverables. He decides to ensure that the project team receives…
Answer: C. Cost of quality
Cost of quality covers expenses to meet requirements, like better equipment. This is a standard project management concept.
Q4. The project manager is currently assigning costs to each individual activity on the project. A team member has informed the project manager that he should include additional cost just in case the software needs more testing. What best desc…
Answer: C. Contingency reserve
The correct answer proves contingency reserves are for project-specific risks. Management reserve is for unknowns at the portfolio level, while project and testing reserve are not PMI terms.
Q5. The project team has completed the scope baseline and has started to break down each of the work packages into individual activities. What process should the team do next?
Answer: B. Sequence Activity
The correct answer proves the project sequence process. The trap is confusing the work breakdown structure step with the sequencing step.
Q6. While working on a project, the project manager has been inspiring the team members to do the best they can, while also regularly communicating the project's vision to the team. What skill does this best describe?
Answer: B. Leadership
The correct answer proves leadership as a core interpersonal skill. The trap is confusing it with facilitation or active listening.
Q7. A project manager wants to ensure that the new cell phone the project is creating will beat or match the performance of new cell projects by other companies. What tool would be the best for the project?
Answer: D. Benchmark
The correct answer proves benchmarking for quality standards. The trap is confusing process names with the specific tool.
Q8. While working on a large multinational project, you identify some of the positive and negative stakeholders. What process group are you currently engaged in?
Answer: B. Initiating
The correct answer proves identifying stakeholders is in the initiating group. The trap is misplacing it in planning or stakeholder management.
Q9. The project manager and team have decided to hire a contractor to complete building out the remaining section of the datacenter. They have the requirements listed in detail and would like to use a contract that would present the smallest a…
Answer: D. Cost plus fixed fee
The correct answer proves cost-plus-fixed-fee limits buyer risk. The trap is not recognizing time-and-materials as higher risk.
Q10. While developing complex software for an organization, the project team creates a computer-generated model of what it will look like when it is done. This model is given to the customers for their feedback. What best describes this model?
Answer: A. Prototypes
The correct answer proves prototypes for early user feedback. The trap is confusing it with a simple screenshot.
Q11. The project team has completed the server deployment project. They have tested the server to ensure that it works according to the requirements given to them, and it seems to be functioning correctly. What process group has the team just c…
Answer: C. Executing
The correct answer proves executing is about completing deliverables. The trap is confusing it with monitoring and closing phases.
Q12. While planning the risk responses for a construction project, the project manager and project team have decided they will have to choose a new electrical contractor due to the fact that the recommended contractor has legal issues with the…
Answer: C. Avoid
The correct answer proves avoidance by eliminating the risk source. The trap is confusing avoidance with acceptance or mitigation.
Q13. While managing a small construction project, the project manager informs the project team members that they are using more materials than necessary to complete the project work. What process describes this scenario?
Answer: A. Control resources
The correct answer proves controlling physical resource usage. The trap is confusing it with team management processes.
Q14. While working on a project, the project manager asks the team to incorporate more of the user feedback into the deliverables. In an agile project, where do the customers give the team feedback on the product?
Answer: D. Sprint review
The correct answer proves the sprint review for stakeholder feedback. The trap is confusing it with retrospective or planning meetings.
Q15. During the datacenter development project, the project manager has noticed that some of the work being done on the project is not in the baseline scope. The project manager has analyzed the work completed by the project team and then compa…
Answer: B. Control scope
The correct answer proves the Control Scope process, which compares actual work against the project plan. The elimination cue is that 'Monitor' and 'Manage' are not formal PMI process names.
Q16. A project has completed 60% of all the work. The team has spent 55% of the project budget. The budget is currently set at $180,000. The sponsor has requested the project's CPI. What CPI figure should the project manager provide?
Answer: C. 1.1
The correct answer proves the formula CPI = EV / AC. The elimination cue is that CPI is a ratio, not a monetary value, ruling out the distractors.
Q17. While working on a project, you realize that you will not be able to install the server and the workstations at the same time. In fact, the team has alerted you that after the server installation is done, you should wait an additional 4 da…
Answer: A. Lag
The correct answer proves Lag, a required delay between tasks. The trap is confusing this with float, which is schedule flexibility, not a mandatory delay.
Q18. While working with the project team and conducting a brainstorming session, the project manager noticed that a lot of the ideas the team was coming up with were not organized. What tool can be used by the team to best visually organize the…
Answer: D. Mind mapping
The correct answer proves Mind Mapping, a visual tool for structuring unstructured ideas. The other options are eliminated by their use for process flow or analysis, not brainstorming organization.
Q19. The project team has identified a number of risks that could affect the project. One risk in particular is that the permit to build the foundation has shown up late. They have ranked this risk as the most important in the project since it…
Answer: C. Qualitative risk analysis
The correct answer proves Qualitative Risk Analysis, which prioritizes risks by impact. The trap is confusing this with Quantitative Analysis, which assigns numerical values, not just ranking.
Q20. A large development company has just initiated a project to build a 60-story building. The project will take approximately 3 years to complete with a cost of $550 million. The development company has started to facilitate funding for the p…
Answer: B. Financing
The correct answer proves Financing, the process of securing external funds. The distractors are eliminated by their focus on cost estimating or fund limitations, not acquisition.
Q21. When selecting a project, the company looks at different factors that could impact their selection. What document best identifies the need for a project?
Answer: D. Business Case
The correct answer identifies the document that justifies a project's existence. Options A, B, and C are distractors that describe project authorization or planning documents.
Q22. While working on a large project, the project manager originally counted 12 stakeholders. A new requirement and six more stakeholders were added to the project. How many communication channels are on this project?
Answer: A. 153
The correct answer applies the communication channels formula. Options B, C, and D are distractors that result from miscalculating the formula or the number of stakeholders.
Q23. The project manager and the project team are currently assessing various ways of responding to a particular risk. The project involves reconstructing part of their current office building, and they're worried about a hurricane hitting and…
Answer: B. Transfer
Transferring risk involves shifting the financial impact to a third party. Purchasing insurance is the classic example, where the risk of loss is transferred to the insurance company.
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