I85PREP
⌘ K
CompTIA Project+ study materials
CompTIA Project+ study resources

CompTIA Project+ practice questions

One question at a time. Build your CompTIA Project+ understanding.

First 50 of 197 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Project Management Concepts

Which characteristic distinguishes a project from ongoing operations?

  1. It repeats on a fixed cycle with no defined end
  2. It follows procedures that never change
  3. It is performed by a standing functional team
  4. It is temporary and produces a unique result Correct answer.

Explanation

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result, and it has a defined start and end. Operational work is ongoing and repetitive, sustaining the business after projects deliver the capability. The presence of a defined end date and a unique outcome is the defining distinction.

Question 2Project Management Concepts

A sponsor demands a shorter schedule without changing scope, budget, or team size. Which project dimension is most likely to suffer?

  1. Scope definition
  2. Quality Correct answer.
  3. Stakeholder register
  4. Communication channels

Explanation

Scope, schedule, cost, and quality are interdependent, so a change to one forces a trade-off somewhere else. Compressing the schedule while holding scope, budget, and staffing constant typically reduces quality or increases risk. The project manager should make this trade-off explicit with the sponsor.

Question 3Project Management Concepts

What is the primary purpose of a project charter?

  1. To archive the records of closed projects
  2. To authorize the project and its manager Correct answer.
  3. To list every task in the detailed schedule
  4. To record daily assignments for each team member

Explanation

The charter formally authorizes the existence of the project and gives the project manager authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. It captures high-level scope, objectives, and key stakeholders rather than detailed planning content. Detailed task lists and assignments come later in planning.

Question 4Project Management Concepts

A work breakdown structure decomposes project work into which of the following?

  1. Calendar dates in chronological order
  2. Accounting cost codes for each department
  3. Smaller, manageable work packages Correct answer.
  4. Individual performance goals for each team member

Explanation

The WBS hierarchically decomposes deliverables into progressively smaller components until the lowest level, the work package, can be estimated, scheduled, and assigned. It is deliverable-oriented rather than time-oriented. Cost accounts and schedules are built from the WBS afterward.

Question 5Project Management Concepts

Who typically provides project funding and approves major changes to a project?

  1. The quality auditor
  2. The Scrum Master
  3. The project sponsor Correct answer.
  4. The project coordinator

Explanation

The sponsor is the person or group that funds the project and champions it within the organization. The sponsor authorizes major scope and budget changes and helps resolve issues beyond the project manager's authority. Operational roles such as coordinator or Scrum Master support delivery but do not own funding decisions.

Question 6Project Management Concepts

When should lessons learned be captured during a project?

  1. Throughout the life cycle and at phase gates Correct answer.
  2. Only during the closing phase
  3. Only after the project has failed
  4. Only when the sponsor formally requests them

Explanation

Lessons learned are most valuable when captured continuously, because insights can be applied to the remainder of the same project. Phase gates and retrospectives are natural checkpoints for recording and sharing them. Collecting them only at the end limits their benefit to future work.

Question 7Project Management Concepts

Which project phase typically includes formal acceptance of deliverables and release of team resources?

  1. Initiating
  2. Closing Correct answer.
  3. Planning
  4. Executing

Explanation

Closing covers formal acceptance of the final deliverables, transition of the product to the customer, and release of project resources. It also includes final performance reporting and archiving of project information. Initiating and planning occur well before deliverables are accepted.

Question 8Project Management Concepts

What is the main role of a project management office (PMO)?

  1. To set project standards and governance Correct answer.
  2. To audit organizational financial statements
  3. To perform the technical work on each project
  4. To replace project managers on each project

Explanation

A PMO establishes and supports project management standards, methods, and governance across the organization. Depending on its type, from supportive to controlling, it may also provide templates, coaching, and portfolio oversight. It does not execute the technical work or substitute for assigned project managers.

Question 9Project Management Concepts

In a weak matrix organization, who typically holds the greatest authority over project resources?

  1. The functional manager Correct answer.
  2. The project coordinator
  3. The PMO analyst
  4. The project manager

Explanation

In a weak matrix, the project manager has limited authority and acts more as a coordinator or expediter. Resource decisions, priorities, and staff assignments remain with the functional manager who owns the people. Authority shifts toward the project manager as the organization moves toward a strong matrix or projectized structure.

Question 10Project Management Concepts

A task on the critical path is delayed by three days. What is the most likely effect on the project?

  1. The project finishes three days early
  2. The project finish date is delayed Correct answer.
  3. Total float on the path grows by three days
  4. The task is removed from the critical path

Explanation

Critical path activities have zero total float, so any delay on that path pushes the project completion date out unless the delay is recovered elsewhere. Recovery options include crashing, fast tracking, or re-sequencing remaining critical work. Non-critical paths would absorb the delay within their float.

Question 11Project Management Concepts

In a RACI matrix, what does the accountable role represent?

  1. The person who performs the work
  2. A person kept informed of progress
  3. The one person ultimately answerable Correct answer.
  4. Anyone consulted for subject matter input

Explanation

Accountable means the single person who ultimately answers for the work being completed correctly, and only one person should hold it per activity. Responsible is the role that performs the work, while consulted and informed describe communication relationships. Keeping accountability singular prevents diffusion of ownership.

Question 12Project Management Concepts

Midway through a project, a stakeholder requests a new feature. What should the project manager do first?

  1. Escalate to the sponsor for a decision
  2. Add the feature to the schedule right away
  3. Submit it to the change control process Correct answer.
  4. Reject the request without further review

Explanation

All change requests should enter the established change control process, where impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality is assessed before a decision. Only after that analysis does the appropriate authority approve or reject the change. Immediate inclusion or outright rejection bypasses the governance the project depends on.

Question 13Project Management Concepts

Which situation best describes scope creep?

  1. The team delivers a feature ahead of schedule
  2. A formally approved change raises the cost baseline
  3. Unapproved small additions gradually expand the work Correct answer.
  4. The sponsor formally reduces the project scope

Explanation

Scope creep is the uncontrolled expansion of project scope through many small, unapproved additions that are never reflected in the baseline. The cumulative effect is missed deadlines and budget overruns without corresponding approvals. Legitimate change goes through integrated change control and updates the baselines.

Question 14Project Management Concepts

Purchasing insurance against a potential financial loss is an example of which risk response strategy?

  1. Avoidance
  2. Transference Correct answer.
  3. Acceptance
  4. Mitigation

Explanation

Transference shifts the financial impact of a threat to a third party, such as an insurer or a fixed-price vendor, without eliminating the risk itself. Avoidance removes the cause of the risk entirely, and mitigation reduces probability or impact. Acceptance simply acknowledges the risk and its consequences.

Question 15Project Management Concepts

In Scrum, who is responsible for maximizing the value of the product backlog?

  1. The product owner Correct answer.
  2. The development team lead
  3. The Scrum Master
  4. The project sponsor

Explanation

The product owner orders the backlog and makes prioritization decisions intended to maximize delivered value. The Scrum Master facilitates the process and removes impediments, while the development team self-organizes the delivery work. Sponsors fund the effort but do not manage backlog content.

Question 16Project Management Concepts

A Gantt chart primarily displays which of the following?

  1. Risk probability and impact scores
  2. Stakeholder influence mapped against interest
  3. Task durations and overlaps over time Correct answer.
  4. Cost baseline by accounting period

Explanation

A Gantt chart is a bar chart that plots scheduled activities against a time axis, making durations, sequencing, and overlaps visible. It helps stakeholders see when work occurs and where parallel activity exists. Cost, stakeholder, and risk information require different tools or charts.

Question 17Project Management Concepts

A project manager needs to determine who receives which project information and how often. Which document is most appropriate?

  1. Resource calendar
  2. Issue log
  3. Procurement statement of work
  4. Communications management plan Correct answer.

Explanation

The communications management plan defines stakeholders' information needs, the format and frequency of distribution, and who is responsible for each communication. It is the planning artifact that guides information flow across the project. Other documents listed serve scheduling, issue tracking, or procurement purposes.

Question 18Project Management Concepts

Which statement correctly distinguishes a risk from an issue?

  1. Risks are recorded only in the charter
  2. A risk has already happened; an issue may happen later
  3. A risk may happen later; an issue has already happened Correct answer.
  4. Both terms describe the same event

Explanation

A risk is an uncertain future event that could affect the project if it occurs, so it is managed proactively. An issue is a problem that has already occurred and requires resolution now. When a risk materializes, it is typically recorded as an issue and handled through issue management.

Question 19Project Management Concepts

A stakeholder has high influence over decisions and high interest in the project outcome. How should the project manager engage this stakeholder?

  1. Send them routine status reports only
  2. Engage them closely in key decisions Correct answer.
  3. Monitor them with minimal communication
  4. Route all contact through the team

Explanation

Stakeholders who are both influential and interested sit in the manage-closely quadrant of a power-interest grid. They need regular, substantive engagement and involvement in significant decisions that affect them. Minimal communication risks their disengagement or late objections.

Question 20Project Management Concepts

Which activity belongs to quality control rather than quality assurance?

  1. Setting quality standards for the project
  2. Writing the quality management plan
  3. Auditing processes for compliance
  4. Inspecting deliverables to find defects Correct answer.

Explanation

Quality control is concerned with monitoring and verifying specific deliverables to identify defects and confirm conformance to requirements. Quality assurance focuses on the processes used to build the product, such as process audits and standards definition. Control looks at outputs; assurance looks at how the work is done.

Question 21Project Management Concepts

An activity has an early start of day 6, a late start of day 11, and a duration of 4 days. What is its total float and its status?

  1. 5 days; not on the critical path Correct answer.
  2. 11 days; on the critical path
  3. 4 days; not on the critical path
  4. 0 days; on the critical path

Explanation

Total float equals late start minus early start, so 11 minus 6 gives 5 days of float. Any activity with a float value greater than zero is not on the critical path, because it can slip without moving the project finish. Critical activities are those whose float equals zero.

Question 22Project Management Concepts

A project has a budget at completion of 500,000, earned value of 200,000, and actual cost of 250,000. Using EAC = BAC / CPI, what is the estimate at completion?

  1. 625,000 Correct answer.
  2. 800,000
  3. 750,000
  4. 450,000

Explanation

The cost performance index is EV divided by AC, or 200,000 / 250,000 = 0.8, indicating the project is earning 80 cents per dollar spent. Dividing BAC by CPI gives 500,000 / 0.8 = 625,000 as the forecast total cost if performance continues. A CPI below 1.0 signals an overrun relative to the budget.

Question 23Project Management Concepts

A buyer wants the seller to carry most of the cost risk on a well-defined scope. Which contract type fits best?

  1. Cost plus fixed fee
  2. Firm fixed price Correct answer.
  3. Cost plus incentive fee
  4. Time and materials

Explanation

A firm fixed price contract sets a total price up front, so the seller absorbs cost overruns and benefits from savings, placing most cost risk on the seller. It works best when requirements are clear and stable enough to price accurately. Cost-reimbursable and time-and-materials arrangements leave more risk with the buyer.

Question 24Project Management Concepts

Velocity has fallen for three sprints while release scope keeps growing. Which analysis best supports a completion forecast?

  1. Extend each sprint so more work fits in
  2. Add team members to raise velocity
  3. Cancel the release and notify the sponsor
  4. Trend completed points against remaining scope Correct answer.

Explanation

Comparing cumulative completed story points with the remaining release scope produces an empirically based projection of the completion date. It uses actual team throughput rather than assumptions and makes the effect of scope growth visible. Changing sprint length or adding people alters the system without providing a forecast.

Question 25Project Management Concepts

Using the PERT weighted average, what is the expected duration of an activity with an optimistic estimate of 4 days, a most likely estimate of 10 days, and a pessimistic estimate of 22 days?

  1. 10 days
  2. 12 days
  3. 11 days Correct answer.
  4. 13 days

Explanation

The PERT weighted average is (optimistic + 4 x most likely + pessimistic) / 6. Substituting gives (4 + 40 + 22) / 6 = 66 / 6 = 11 days. The weighting of four times the most likely value pulls the result toward the realistic estimate while still reflecting uncertainty.

Question 26Project Management Concepts

Which statement describes a milestone?

  1. A task that consumes most of the project budget
  2. A summary task that groups related work
  3. A resource assigned to multiple activities
  4. A zero-duration point marking a key event Correct answer.

Explanation

A milestone is a significant point or event in the project with zero duration. It marks progress or a decision point rather than work that consumes time or resources.

Question 27Project Management Concepts

Which document breaks project scope into manageable work packages?

  1. Work breakdown structure Correct answer.
  2. Communication plan
  3. Project charter
  4. Risk register

Explanation

The work breakdown structure decomposes the total project scope into progressively smaller, manageable components called work packages. It provides the basis for estimating, scheduling, and assigning work.

Question 28Project Management Concepts

Which statement best describes a project constraint?

  1. A documented belief accepted as true
  2. A limit that restricts the team's options Correct answer.
  3. A change requested by a stakeholder
  4. A known event that may affect the project

Explanation

A constraint is a limitation or boundary that restricts the project team's options, such as a fixed budget, deadline, or regulatory requirement. It differs from an assumption, which is accepted as true without proof.

Question 29Project Management Concepts

Who typically funds the project and provides high-level support for it?

  1. Functional manager
  2. Project coordinator
  3. Scrum master
  4. Project sponsor Correct answer.

Explanation

The project sponsor provides funding, champions the project at the executive level, and supports the project manager. This role is distinct from day-to-day coordination, resource ownership, or agile facilitation.

Question 30Project Management Concepts

Which sequence represents a typical predictive project life cycle?

  1. Planning, initiating, closing, executing, monitoring and controlling
  2. Initiating, executing, planning, closing, monitoring and controlling
  3. Executing, planning, initiating, monitoring and controlling, closing
  4. Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing Correct answer.

Explanation

A predictive life cycle generally begins with initiation, proceeds through planning and execution, uses monitoring and control throughout, and ends with closure. The phases build on one another in a logical sequence.

Question 31Project Management Concepts

What distinguishes a project from ongoing operations?

  1. A project is temporary and produces a unique result Correct answer.
  2. A project repeats the same process indefinitely
  3. A project has permanent staff
  4. A project has no defined start or end

Explanation

A project is temporary and creates a unique product, service, or result. Operations are ongoing and repetitive, with the goal of sustaining the business.

Question 32Project Management Concepts

Which statement is an example of a project assumption?

  1. Regulatory approval is mandatory before launch
  2. The budget is capped at 200,000
  3. The vendor will deliver hardware in two weeks Correct answer.
  4. The project must finish by 31 December of this year

Explanation

An assumption is something accepted as true for planning purposes without full proof, such as expecting a vendor delivery within two weeks. Constraints, by contrast, are imposed limits such as fixed dates, budgets, or mandatory approvals.

Question 33Project Management Concepts

In a functional organization, who usually has primary authority over project staff?

  1. The project manager
  2. The project sponsor
  3. The PMO director
  4. The functional manager Correct answer.

Explanation

In a functional organization, staff report to their functional managers, who control resources and priorities. The project manager typically has limited authority and must coordinate through those managers.

Question 34Project Management Concepts

What does resource leveling typically do?

  1. Shortens the schedule by adding resources
  2. Resolves overallocation and may extend the schedule Correct answer.
  3. Increases cost by reducing team size
  4. Removes all noncritical activities from the plan

Explanation

Resource leveling adjusts activity start and finish dates to resolve resource overallocation or conflicting resource demands. Because it works within resource limits, it can extend the project schedule.

Question 35Project Management Concepts

Which statement correctly distinguishes fast tracking from crashing?

  1. Fast tracking adds resources; crashing overlaps activities
  2. Fast tracking is only for agile; crashing is only for waterfall
  3. Fast tracking reduces scope; crashing increases budget
  4. Fast tracking overlaps activities; crashing adds resources Correct answer.

Explanation

Fast tracking compresses the schedule by performing activities in parallel that would normally be sequential. Crashing compresses the schedule by adding resources, often at increased cost.

Question 36Project Management Concepts

A project has earned value of 100,000, planned value of 120,000, and actual cost of 80,000. Which statement best describes its performance?

  1. Under budget and ahead of schedule
  2. Over budget and ahead of schedule
  3. Over budget and behind schedule
  4. Under budget and behind schedule Correct answer.

Explanation

The cost performance index is earned value divided by actual cost, or 100,000 / 80,000 = 1.25, which indicates spending less than planned for the work completed. The schedule performance index is earned value divided by planned value, or 100,000 / 120,000 = 0.83, which indicates less work completed than planned.

Question 37Project Management Concepts

What is the main purpose of a project kickoff meeting?

  1. To perform acceptance testing of final deliverables
  2. To close the project and release all team resources
  3. To approve the final project budget and reserves
  4. To align stakeholders on goals, scope, and roles Correct answer.

Explanation

A kickoff meeting brings key participants together to build shared understanding of project objectives, scope, roles, and working arrangements. It is a starting alignment activity, not a budget approval, testing, or closure event.

Question 38Project Management Concepts

Prevention and appraisal costs are best described as which type of quality cost?

  1. Costs of rework and warranty
  2. Costs incurred to avoid defects Correct answer.
  3. Failure costs
  4. Costs that are always sunk

Explanation

Prevention and appraisal costs are cost-of-conformance activities intended to avoid defects before and during production. Failure costs, by contrast, arise from internal or external defects after they occur.

Question 39Project Management Concepts

What is the primary responsibility of a risk owner?

  1. Funding the risk response
  2. Documenting lessons learned at project closure
  3. Approving all change requests
  4. Monitoring the risk and executing the response Correct answer.

Explanation

A risk owner is assigned to monitor a specific risk and carry out the agreed response if it is triggered. This keeps accountability clear and improves the effectiveness of risk response actions.

Question 40Project Management Concepts

Which information is typically found in a stakeholder register?

  1. Stakeholder names, influence, and interest Correct answer.
  2. Contract payment terms and invoices
  3. Detailed task durations and dependencies
  4. Approved budget baseline and reserves

Explanation

A stakeholder register identifies stakeholders and records relevant information such as contact details, influence, interest, expectations, and engagement classification. It supports stakeholder analysis and engagement planning.

Question 41Project Management Concepts

What is the primary purpose of a change control board?

  1. Review and decide on change requests Correct answer.
  2. Write the project charter
  3. Assign daily tasks to team members
  4. Perform technical testing of requested changes

Explanation

A change control board reviews proposed changes, assesses their impact, and decides whether to approve, reject, or defer them. It governs changes rather than performing the technical work or managing daily tasks.

Question 42Project Management Concepts

A buyer has unclear requirements and wants sellers to propose solutions. Which document is most appropriate?

  1. Request for proposal Correct answer.
  2. Purchase order
  3. Non-disclosure agreement
  4. Work performance report

Explanation

A request for proposal solicits sellers' proposed solutions when requirements are not fully defined. It allows the buyer to compare approaches and select the best fit.

Question 43Project Management Concepts

What is the main purpose of a sprint retrospective?

  1. Inspect team process and identify improvements Correct answer.
  2. Estimate the next sprint's backlog items
  3. Prioritize the product backlog
  4. Demonstrate completed work to stakeholders

Explanation

The retrospective is an agile ceremony for the team to inspect how it worked and identify process improvements. It focuses on team effectiveness rather than demonstrating product increments or prioritizing work.

Question 44Project Management Concepts

A project has stable, well-understood requirements and requires extensive regulatory documentation. Which delivery approach is best suited?

  1. Kanban
  2. Extreme programming
  3. Scrum
  4. Predictive waterfall Correct answer.

Explanation

Stable requirements and heavy documentation needs favor a predictive approach with sequential phases and formal baselines. Agile approaches are better suited to evolving requirements and frequent incremental delivery.

Question 45Project Management Concepts

A finish-to-start dependency has a two-day lead. What does this mean?

  1. The predecessor can finish two days after the successor starts
  2. The successor must start exactly when the predecessor finishes
  3. The successor may start two days early Correct answer.
  4. The successor must wait two full days after the predecessor finishes

Explanation

A lead allows the successor activity to begin before the predecessor finishes, shortening the dependency relationship by the stated amount. A lag would instead impose a waiting period after the predecessor finishes.

Question 46Project Management Concepts

Team members are polite but unclear about roles, and conflict emerges over who does what. Which team development stage is this?

  1. Performing
  2. Storming Correct answer.
  3. Forming
  4. Norming

Explanation

Storming is characterized by conflict as team members clarify roles, expectations, and working relationships. Forming is initial orientation, norming is agreement on norms, and performing is high-functioning collaboration.

Question 47Project Management Concepts

Which practice ensures that only approved versions of project documents and deliverables are used?

  1. Cost baseline control
  2. Quality auditing
  3. Scope validation
  4. Configuration management Correct answer.

Explanation

Configuration management identifies configuration items, controls changes to them, and ensures that approved versions are used. It prevents confusion caused by outdated or unauthorized versions.

Question 48Project Management Concepts

A project has eight stakeholders, including the project manager. How many communication channels exist?

  1. 28 Correct answer.
  2. 8
  3. 32
  4. 16

Explanation

The number of communication channels is calculated as n(n - 1) / 2, where n is the number of stakeholders. With eight stakeholders, the calculation is 8 x 7 / 2 = 28 channels.

Question 49Project Management Concepts

Which statement describes a key feature of the critical chain method?

  1. It adds buffers to protect the completion date Correct answer.
  2. It removes all resource dependencies from the network
  3. It replaces milestones with daily stand-up meetings
  4. It schedules every task at its latest start date

Explanation

The critical chain method accounts for both task dependencies and resource availability, then adds buffers to protect the project completion date from variability. These buffers absorb delays rather than hiding safety time inside individual tasks.

Question 50Project Management Concepts

Which description best matches a portfolio?

  1. A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product
  2. A group of related projects managed together to obtain shared benefits
  3. A collection of projects and programs grouped to meet strategic business objectives Correct answer.
  4. A single project split into sequential phases with gate reviews

Explanation

A portfolio is the top level of the alignment hierarchy and groups projects, programs, and subsidiary portfolios so the organization can pursue strategic objectives and balance investment. Related projects managed jointly for shared benefits form a program, which is a narrower grouping.