Your project schedule shows that Activity X can start as early as day 15 and must finish no later than day 28. The activity duration is 8 days. What is the total float for this activity?
Correct Answer
D) 5 days
Total float = Late Finish - Early Finish = Late Finish - (Early Start + Duration) = 28 - (15 + 8) = 28 - 23 = 5 days of float.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Total float represents the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the project completion date. Using the formula: Total Float = Late Finish - Early Finish, where Early Finish = Early Start + Duration. Given: Early Start = 15 days, Duration = 8 days, Late Finish = 28 days. Therefore: Early Finish = 15 + 8 = 23 days, and Total Float = 28 - 23 = 5 days.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 3 days
3 days incorrectly calculates float by subtracting duration from some other value, possibly confusing free float calculations or making arithmetic errors in the basic float formula.
Option B: 13 days
13 days appears to subtract Early Start from Late Finish (28 - 15 = 13), which ignores the activity duration entirely and doesn't represent any meaningful scheduling calculation.
Option C: 8 days
8 days simply states the activity duration, which is not the same as total float. This confuses the time required to complete the activity with the flexibility available for scheduling delays.
Memory Technique
Remember 'FLEF': Float = Late Finish - Early Finish. Think 'How much FLEX time after the job is done?' Early Finish = Early Start + Duration, then subtract from Late Finish.
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