PMBOK - Project Management Body of Knowledge Best PMBOK Guide 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How many Knowledge Areas are defined in the PMBOK Guide 6th Edition?
- 9
- 10 (Correct answer)
- 12
- 14
Correct answer: 10
The PMBOK Guide 6th Edition defines exactly 10 Knowledge Areas: Integration, Scope, Schedule, Cost, Quality, Resource, Communications, Risk, Procurement, and Stakeholder Management (the 7th edition shifted to principles, but the 6th edition framework with 10 KAs remains the exam standard).
Question 2: In Earned Value Management, a Cost Performance Index (CPI) of 0.85 means:
- The project is delivering $0.85 of value for every $1.00 spent (Correct answer)
- The project will finish 15% ahead of schedule
- The project has spent 15% less than planned
- The project is 85 days behind the baseline
Correct answer: The project is delivering $0.85 of value for every $1.00 spent
CPI = EV / AC. A CPI of 0.85 means the project is only generating $0.85 of earned value for every dollar actually spent — indicating the project is over budget and cost-inefficient.
Question 3: Which PMBOK process is solely responsible for reviewing, approving, and managing all change requests on a project?
- Monitor and Control Project Work
- Direct and Manage Project Work
- Perform Integrated Change Control (Correct answer)
- Validate Scope
Correct answer: Perform Integrated Change Control
Perform Integrated Change Control (in the Integration Management Knowledge Area) is the centralized process that evaluates impacts, approves or rejects change requests, and updates project documents — no change is implemented without going through this process.
Question 4: The Risk Register document is first created as an output of which risk management process?
- Plan Risk Management
- Identify Risks (Correct answer)
- Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
- Plan Risk Responses
Correct answer: Identify Risks
The Risk Register is initially created during the Identify Risks process. Subsequent processes such as Qualitative Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, and Plan Risk Responses update and expand the register, but they do not create it.
Question 5: Which of the following correctly names all five PMBOK Process Groups in order?
- Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, Closing
- Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing (Correct answer)
- Starting, Planning, Executing, Monitoring, Closing
- Defining, Planning, Executing, Controlling, Closing
Correct answer: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing
The five official PMBOK Process Groups are Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. 'Monitoring and Controlling' is the full, correct name — 'Controlling' alone or 'Monitoring' alone is not a valid process group.
Question 6: When using Estimate at Completion (EAC), which formula assumes remaining work will be completed at the original planned (budgeted) rate, treating past cost variances as atypical?
- EAC = BAC / CPI
- EAC = AC + ETC
- EAC = AC + (BAC − EV) (Correct answer)
- EAC = AC + [(BAC − EV) / (CPI × SPI)]
Correct answer: EAC = AC + (BAC − EV)
EAC = AC + (BAC − EV) adds actual cost to date to the remaining budget at the original planned rate. This formula is used when the project team believes past overruns were a one-time anomaly and future performance will return to plan.
PMBOK - Project Management Body of Knowledge Best PMBOK Guide 1
How many Knowledge Areas are defined in the PMBOK Guide 6th Edition?