Problem 2

Develop a network diagram for the project specified below:

Immediate
Activity Predecessor
Activity
A -

B A

C, D B

E C

F D

G E, F

Solution

Activity A has no predecessor activity. i.e., It is the first activity. Let

us suppose that activity A takes the project from event 1 to event 2. Then
we have the following representation for A:

A
1 2

For activity B, the predecessor activity is A. Let us suppose that B

joins nodes 2 and 3. Thus we get

A B
1 2 3

Activities C and D have B as the predecessor activity. Therefore we

obtain the following:

247
 4
C
B
2 3

Activity E has D as the predecessor activity. So we get

C E
3 4 6

Activity F has D as the predecessor activity. So we get

D F
3 5 6l
”

Activity G has E and F as predecessor activities. This is possible

only if nodes 6 and 6l are one and the same. So, rename node 6l as node 6.
Then we get

D F
3 5 6!

and

4
E

6
G 7
F
5

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 G is the last activity.

Putting all the pieces together, we obtain the following diagram the
project network:

C 4
Start event E End event
A B
1 2 3 G
6 7

D 5 F

The diagram is validated by referring to the given data.

Note: An important point may be observed for the above diagram.

Consider the following parts in the diagram

C E
3 4 6

and

D F
3 5 6l
”

We took nodes 6 and 6l as one and the same. Instead, we can retain
them as different nodes. Then, in order to provide connectivity to the
network, we join nodes 6l and 6 by a dummy activity. Then we arrive at
the following diagram for the project network:

E
Start event C 4
6
G
1 2 3 dummy
A B
activity
7
D
F
5 6l
!
End event

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Questions

1. Explain the terms: event, predecessor event, successor event, activity,

dummy activity, network.
2. Construct the network diagram for the following project:

Immediate
Activity Predecessor
Activity
A -
B -
C A
D B

E A

F C, D

G E
H E
I F, G
J H, I

****

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Path In A Project

A continuous sequence, consisting of nodes and activities

alternatively, beginning with the start event and stopping at the end event
of a network is called a path in the network.

Critical Path And Crtical Activities

Consider all the paths in a project, beginning with the start

event and stopping at the end event. For each path, calculate the time of
execution, by adding the time for the individual activities in that path.

The path with the largest time is called the critical path and the
activities along this path are called the critical activities or bottleneck
activities. The activities are called critical because they cannot be delayed.
However, a non-critical activity may be delayed to a certain extent. Any
delay in a critical activity will delay the completion of the whole project.
However, a certain permissible delay in a non –critical activity will not
delay the completion of the whole project. It shall be noted that delay in a
non-critical activity beyond a limit would certainly delay the completion
the whole project. Sometimes, there may be several critical paths for a
project. A project manager shall pay special attention to critical activities.

Problem 1

The following details are available regarding a project:

Predecessor
Activity Duration (Weeks)
Activity
A - 3

B A 5

C A 7

D B 10

E C 5

F D,E 4

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 Determine the critical path, the critical activities and the project
completion time.

Solution

First let us construct the network diagram for the given project. We
mark the time estimates along the arrows representing the activities. We
obtain the following diagram:

Start event B 3 D End event

5 10
A
1 2
3 F
5 6
C 4
7 E
5
4

Consider the paths, beginning with the start node and stopping
with the end node. There are two such paths for the given project. They are
as follows:

Path I

A B D F
1 2 3 5 6
3 5 10 4

with a time of 3 + 5 + 10 + 4 = 22 weeks.

Path II

A C E F
1 2 4 5 6
3 7 5 4

with a time of 3 + 7 + 5 + 4 = 19 weeks.

Compare the times for the two paths. Maximum of {22,19} = 22.
We see that path I has the maximum time of 22 weeks. Therefore, path
I is the critical path. The critical activities are A, B, D and F. The project

253
completion time is 22 weeks.
We notice that C and E are non- critical activities.
Time for path I - Time for path II = 22- 19 = 3 weeks.

Therefore, together the non- critical activities can be delayed upto

a maximum of 3 weeks, without delaying the completion of the whole
project.

Problem 2

Find out the completion time and the critical activities for the
following project:
D
5
2 20 1

G 8
A
8 E H 11 K 6
B 6 8 10
1 3
10 16
14
1 1

I L
7 5
C
J 9
F 10 1

7
4 25

Solution

In all, we identify 4 paths, beginning with the start node of 1 and

terminating at the end node of 10. They are as follows:

Path I

A D G K
1 2 5 8 10
8 20 8 6

Time for the path = 8 + 20 + 8 + 6 = 42 units of time.

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Path II

B E H K
1 3 6 8 10
10 16 11 6

Time for the path = 10 + 16 + 11 + 6 = 43 units of time.

Path III

B E I L
1 3 6 9 10
10 16 14 5

Time for the path = 10 + 16 + 14 + 5 = 45 units of time.

Path IV

C F J L
1 4 7 9 10
7 25 10 5

Time for the path = 7 + 25 + 10 + 5 = 47 units of time.

Compare the times for the four paths. Maximum of {42,

43, 45, 47} = 47. We see that the following path has the maximum
time and so it is the critical path:

C F J L
1 4 7 9 10
7 25 10 5

The critical activities are C, F, J and L. The non-critical activities

are A, B, D, E, G, H, I and K. The project completion time is 47
units of time.
Problem 3

255
 Draw the network diagram and determine the critical path for the
following project:

Activity Time estimate (Weeks)

1- 2 5
1- 3 6

1- 4 3

2 -5 5
3 -6 7

3 -7 10

4 -7 4

5 -8 2

6 -8 5
7 -9 6
8 -9 4

Solution

We have the following network diagram for the project:

D 5
2
5 1
H
2
A
5
1 B E 6
I 8
K
3
6 7 1
3 1
4 9
1

10 J
3 C F
6
G 7
4
4

256
Solution

We assert that there are 4 paths, beginning with the start node of 1
and terminating at the end node of 9. They are as follows:

Path I

A D H K 9
1 2 5 8
5 5 2 4

Time for the path = 5 + 5 + 2 + 4 = 16 weeks.

Path II

B E I K 9
1 3 6 8
6 7 5 4

Time for the path = 6 + 7 + 5 + 4 = 22 weeks.

Path III

B F J
1 3 7 9
6 10 6

Time for the path = 6 + 10 + 6 = 16 weeks.

Path IV

C 4 5
1 4 7 9
3 4 6

Time for the path = 3 + 4 + 6 = 13 weeks.

Compare the times for the four paths. Maximum of {16, 22, 16, 13}
= 22. We see that the following path has the maximum time and so it is the
critical path:

257
 D E I K
1 3 6 8 9
6 7 5 4

The critical activities are B, E, I and K. The non-critical activities are A, C,

D, F, G, H and J. The project completion time is 22 weeks.

Questions

1. Explain the terms: critical path, critical activities.

2. The following are the time estimates and the precedence relationships
of the activities in a project network:

IMMEDIATE
time estimate
Activity Predecessor
(weeks)
Activity
A - 4

B - 7

C - 3

D A 6

E B 4

F B 7

G C 6

H E 10

I D 3

J F, G 4

K H, I 2

Draw the project network diagram. Determine the critical path and the
project completion time.

****

258
 2
8−4 4
In the case of expert A, the variance =   =
 6  9
2
 10 − 4 
As regards expert B, the variance =   =1
 6 

So, the variance is less in the case of A. Hence, it is concluded that

the expert A is more certain about his estimates of time.

Determination of Project Completion Time in PERT

Problem 2

Find out the time required to complete the following project and
the critical activities:
Optimistic Most likely Pessimistic
Predecessor
Activity time estimate time estimate time estimate
Activity
(to days) (tm days) (tp days)

A - 2 4 6

B A 3 6 9

C A 8 10 12

D B 9 12 15

E C 8 9 10

F D, E 16 21 26

G D, E 19 22 25

H F 2 5 8

I G 1 3 5

Solution

From the three time estimates t p , tm and to , calculate te for each

activity. We obtain the following table:

262
 Optimistic 4 x Most Pessimistic Time estimate
to+ 4tm
Activity time likely time time
+ tp to + 4 t m + t p
estimate (to) estimate estimate (tp) te =
6

A 2 16 6 24 4

B 3 24 9 36 6

C 8 40 12 60 10

D 9 48 15 72 12

E 8 36 10 54 9

F 16 84 26 126 21

G 19 88 25 132 22

H 2 20 8 30 5

I 1 12 5 18 3

Using the single time estimates of the activities, we get the

following network diagram for the project.

3 F 6
B
12 21
A 6 5
1 2 5 I
4 8
10 E
22 3
9
4 7

Consider the paths, beginning with the start node and stopping
with the end node. There are four such paths for the given project. They
are as follows:

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 Path I

A B D F H
1 2 3 5 6 8
4 6 12 21 5

Time for the path: 4+6+12+21+5 = 48 days.

Path II

A B D G I
1 2 3 5 7 8
4 6 12 6 6 3

Time for the path: 4+6+12+ 6+3 = 31 days.

Path III
A C E F H
1 2 4 5 6 8
4 10 3 9 21 5
7

Time for the path: 4+10+9+ 21+5 = 49 days.

Path IV
A C E G I
1 2 4 5 7 8
4 10 9 6 6 3

Time for the path: 4+10+9+ 6+3 = 32 days.

Compare the times for the four paths.
Maximum of {48, 31, 49, 32} = 49.
We see that Path III has the maximum time.
Therefore the critical path is Path III. i.e., 1 2 4 5 6 8.
The critical activities are A, C, E, F and H.
The non-critical activities are B, D, G and I.
Project time (Also called project length) = 49 days.

Problem 3

Find out the time, variance and standard deviation of the project
with the following time estimates in weeks:

264