Project Scheduling MCQs | PERT & GANTT Charts

Q1. What is a GANTT chart primarily used for?

A) Risk management B) Visualizing project tasks and timelines C) Cost estimation D) Code debugging

Correct Answer: B) Visualizing project tasks and timelines

Explanation:
GANTT charts are bar charts that visually represent project schedules, showing task durations, start/end dates, and progress against time. They help project managers and teams understand task timelines at a glance.

Q2. Which of the following is NOT a feature of a GANTT chart?

A) Task dependencies B) Critical path analysis C) Progress tracking D) Memory allocation in programming

Correct Answer: D) Memory allocation in programming

Explanation:
Memory allocation is a programming concept unrelated to project scheduling. Modern GANTT charts can show task dependencies, critical paths, and track progress through percentage completion indicators.

Q3. In a GANTT chart, horizontal bars represent:

A) Task durations B) Resource allocation C) Both A and B D) None of the above

Correct Answer: C) Both A and B

Explanation:
The length of horizontal bars in a GANTT chart primarily represents task durations along the timeline. Advanced GANTT charts can also use color-coding or patterns within bars to indicate resource allocation.

Q4. A GANTT chart is most useful for:

A) Short-term project scheduling B) Long-term project tracking C) Both A and B D) Only for Agile projects

Correct Answer: C) Both A and B

Explanation:
GANTT charts are versatile tools effective for both short-term scheduling (detailed task planning) and long-term tracking (high-level project overview). They're methodology-agnostic and used in various approaches including Agile (as Sprint planning boards).

Q5. PERT stands for:

A) Program Evaluation and Review Technique B) Project Estimation and Reporting Tool C) Process Efficiency and Review Technique D) None of the above

Correct Answer: A) Program Evaluation and Review Technique

Explanation:
PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) was developed by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s for the Polaris submarine missile program. It's a statistical tool for analyzing and representing tasks in a project.

Q6. PERT charts are based on:

A) Deterministic task durations B) Probabilistic (three-time) estimates C) Only best-case scenarios D) Only worst-case scenarios

Correct Answer: B) Probabilistic (three-time) estimates

Explanation:
PERT uses three time estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) to account for uncertainty in task durations, making it probabilistic rather than deterministic like traditional scheduling methods.

Q7. The three-time estimates used in PERT are:

A) Optimistic, Pessimistic, Most Likely B) Best, Worst, Average C) Fastest, Slowest, Expected D) None of the above

Correct Answer: A) Optimistic, Pessimistic, Most Likely

Explanation:
PERT uses:
1) Optimistic time (O) - shortest possible time if everything goes perfectly
2) Most Likely time (M) - realistic estimate under normal conditions
3) Pessimistic time (P) - longest duration if significant problems occur

Q8. The Critical Path in a PERT chart is:

A) The shortest path B) The longest path determining project duration C) The path with the most resources D) The path with the least uncertainty

Correct Answer: B) The longest path determining project duration

Explanation:
The Critical Path is the sequence of dependent tasks that has the longest total duration in the project. Any delay in these tasks will directly delay the entire project, making them "critical" to monitor.

Q9. Which of the following is an advantage of PERT over GANTT?

A) Better for showing task dependencies B) Easier to create C) More suitable for simple projects D) Does not require time estimates

Correct Answer: A) Better for showing task dependencies

Explanation:
PERT charts (network diagrams) excel at visualizing complex task dependencies through their node-and-arrow structure. GANTT charts can show dependencies but become cluttered with many interdependent tasks.

Q10. The formula for expected time (TE) in PERT is:

A) (O + P + M) / 3 B) (O + 4M + P) / 6 C) (O + P) / 2 D) (O + M + P) / 2

Correct Answer: B) (O + 4M + P) / 6

Explanation:
The PERT weighted average formula (O + 4M + P)/6 gives more weight to the Most Likely estimate (4x) while accounting for optimistic and pessimistic scenarios. This beta distribution approach helps mitigate estimation bias.

Project Scheduling MCQs (PERT & GANTT Charts)

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