RMC Project Management, Inc.

Extra Exercises on Network Diagrams

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10953 Bren Road East • Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343
info@rmcls.com • www.rmcls.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 ques-
tions, do a forward/backward pass.

Activity Predecessor Estimate
in weeks
Start - 0
C Start 6
B Start 4
P Start 3
A C, B, P 7
U P 4
T A 2
R A 3
N U 6
End T, R, N 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 © 2018 RMC Publications, Inc.TM All rights reserved.

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

1
 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.

6 7 2
Activity Predecessor Estimate
in weeks C A T
Start - 0
C Start 6
B Start 4 4 3
P Start 3
Start B R End
A C, B, P 7
U P 4
T A 2
3 4 6
R A 3
N U 6 P U N

End T, R, N 0

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 © 2018 RMC Publications, Inc.TM All rights reserved.

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

2
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 rmcls.com for an explanation of the two methods.

0 6 6 6 7 13 13 2 15
C A T
0 6 6
0 0 13 14 1 16

0 4 4 13 3 16

Start B R End
2 6 13 16
2 0

0 3 3 3 4 7 7 6 13

P U N
3 3 6 6 3 10 10 3 16

Legend ID = Activity name

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

Paths
Start, C, A, T, End 15
Start, C, A, R, End 16
Start, B, A, T, End 13
Start, B, A, R, End 14
Start, P, A, T, End 12
Start, P, A, R, End 13
Start, P, U, N, End 13

Copyright © 2018 RMC Publications, Inc.TM All rights reserved.

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

3
 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 © 2018 RMC Publications, Inc.TM All rights reserved.

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

4
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.

7 1
Activity Predecessor Estimate
in weeks E D

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

F D, B 2

3 3

C B

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 © 2018 RMC Publications, Inc.TM All rights reserved.

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

5
 Answer to Exercise 2

5 7 12 12 1 13

E D

5 0 12 14 2 15

0 5 5 15 2 17

A F

0 0 5 15 0 17

5 3 8 12 3 15

C B

9 4 12 12 0 15

Legend ID = Activity name

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

Paths
A, E, D, F 15
A, E, B, F 17
A, C, B, F 13

Copyright © 2018 RMC Publications, Inc.TM All rights reserved.

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