During a project review, you discover that Activity A (5 days) and Activity B (8 days) can be performed concurrently instead of sequentially as originally planned. What time savings will this create?
Correct Answer
D) 5 days
When activities are performed sequentially, total time is 5 + 8 = 13 days. When performed concurrently, total time is 8 days (the longer of the two activities). Time savings = 13 - 8 = 5 days.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
When activities change from sequential to concurrent execution, the time savings equals the original sequential duration minus the new concurrent duration. Sequential execution requires 5 + 8 = 13 days total. Concurrent execution only requires 8 days (the duration of the longest activity). The time savings is therefore 13 - 8 = 5 days.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 13 days
3 days represents only the difference between the two activity durations (8-5=3), but this doesn't account for the actual time savings achieved by running them concurrently instead of sequentially.
Option C: 3 days
8 days is the duration of the longer activity and represents the new project duration when activities run concurrently, but it's not the time savings amount.
Memory Technique
Think 'SAVE = Sequential - Actual concurrent duration' where the actual concurrent duration is always the longest single activity when tasks overlap completely.
Reference Hint
Project Management chapter covering Critical Path Method (CPM) and activity scheduling techniques
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