PastPaper.question 1 · structured
13 PastPaper.marksA project is modelled by the following activity network. The network has 9 nodes, numbered 0 to 8. The activities, their durations (in days), and their start and end nodes are given in the table below:
| Activity | Start Node | End Node | Duration (days) |
| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| A | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| B | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Dummy 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Dummy 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| C | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| D | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Dummy 3 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| E | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| F | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| G | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| H | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| I | 7 | 8 | 3 |
(a) State the minimum completion time of the project and list the critical activities. (3)
(b) Calculate the total float for each of the following activities:
* Activity C
* Activity D
* Activity G
Show your working for each calculation. (4)
(c) Each of the activities (excluding dummy activities) requires exactly one worker.
(i) Describe a schedule showing that the project can be completed in 21 days using only 2 workers. You must state the start time, finish time, and assigned worker (Worker 1 or Worker 2) for every non-dummy activity. (4)
(ii) Explain why it is not possible to complete the project in fewer than 21 days, even if more workers are available. (2)
| Activity | Start Node | End Node | Duration (days) |
| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| A | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| B | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Dummy 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Dummy 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| C | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| D | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Dummy 3 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| E | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| F | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| G | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| H | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| I | 7 | 8 | 3 |
(a) State the minimum completion time of the project and list the critical activities. (3)
(b) Calculate the total float for each of the following activities:
* Activity C
* Activity D
* Activity G
Show your working for each calculation. (4)
(c) Each of the activities (excluding dummy activities) requires exactly one worker.
(i) Describe a schedule showing that the project can be completed in 21 days using only 2 workers. You must state the start time, finish time, and assigned worker (Worker 1 or Worker 2) for every non-dummy activity. (4)
(ii) Explain why it is not possible to complete the project in fewer than 21 days, even if more workers are available. (2)
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PastPaper.workedSolution
### Part (a)
We perform a forward pass to find the early event times, \(E(i)\), for each node \(i\):
* \(E(0) = 0\)
* \(E(1) = 0 + 4 = 4\)
* \(E(2) = 0 + 6 = 6\)
* \(E(3) = \max(E(1) + 0, E(2) + 0) = \max(4, 6) = 6\)
* \(E(4) = E(3) + 3 = 6 + 3 = 9\)
* \(E(5) = \max(E(1) + 5, E(4) + 0) = \max(9, 9) = 9\)
* \(E(6) = E(2) + 7 = 6 + 7 = 13\)
* \(E(7) = \max(E(5) + 2, E(4) + 4, E(6) + 5) = \max(11, 13, 18) = 18\)
* \(E(8) = E(7) + 3 = 18 + 3 = 21\)
Thus, the minimum completion time of the project is 21 days.
We perform a backward pass to find the late event times, \(L(i)\), for each node \(i\):
* \(L(8) = 21\)
* \(L(7) = 21 - 3 = 18\)
* \(L(6) = 18 - 5 = 13\)
* \(L(5) = 18 - 2 = 16\)
* \(L(4) = \min(L(5) - 0, L(7) - 4) = \min(16, 14) = 14\)
* \(L(3) = L(4) - 3 = 14 - 3 = 11\)
* \(L(2) = \min(L(3) - 0, L(6) - 7) = \min(11, 6) = 6\)
* \(L(1) = \min(L(3) - 0, L(5) - 5) = \min(11, 11) = 11\)
* \(L(0) = \min(L(1) - 4, L(2) - 6) = \min(7, 0) = 0\)
An activity \(X\) from node \(i\) to node \(j\) is critical if \(E(i) = L(i)\), \(E(j) = L(j)\), and \(E(j) - E(i) = \text{duration}(X)\).
Applying this, the critical path is: \(0 \xrightarrow{B} 2 \xrightarrow{E} 6 \xrightarrow{H} 7 \xrightarrow{I} 8\).
So, the critical activities are B, E, H, I.
### Part (b)
The total float for an activity \(X\) starting at node \(i\) and ending at node \(j\) with duration \(d\) is given by:
\(\text{Float}(X) = L(j) - E(i) - d\)
* Activity C (Node 1 to Node 5, duration 5):
\(\text{Float}(C) = L(5) - E(1) - 5 = 16 - 4 - 5 = 7\) days.
* Activity D (Node 3 to Node 4, duration 3):
\(\text{Float}(D) = L(4) - E(3) - 3 = 14 - 6 - 3 = 5\) days.
* Activity G (Node 4 to Node 7, duration 4):
\(\text{Float}(G) = L(7) - E(4) - 4 = 18 - 9 - 4 = 5\) days.
### Part (c)
(i) A valid 2-worker schedule to complete the project in 21 days is:
* Worker 1: B [0, 6], E [6, 13], H [13, 18], I [18, 21].
* Worker 2: A [0, 4], C [4, 9], D [9, 12], F [12, 14], G [14, 18].
(ii) The sequence of critical activities B, E, H, and I has a total duration of 21 days (6 + 7 + 5 + 3 = 21). Because E depends on B, H depends on E, and I depends on H, these activities must be performed in series. Therefore, even with more workers, the project cannot be completed in less than 21 days.
We perform a forward pass to find the early event times, \(E(i)\), for each node \(i\):
* \(E(0) = 0\)
* \(E(1) = 0 + 4 = 4\)
* \(E(2) = 0 + 6 = 6\)
* \(E(3) = \max(E(1) + 0, E(2) + 0) = \max(4, 6) = 6\)
* \(E(4) = E(3) + 3 = 6 + 3 = 9\)
* \(E(5) = \max(E(1) + 5, E(4) + 0) = \max(9, 9) = 9\)
* \(E(6) = E(2) + 7 = 6 + 7 = 13\)
* \(E(7) = \max(E(5) + 2, E(4) + 4, E(6) + 5) = \max(11, 13, 18) = 18\)
* \(E(8) = E(7) + 3 = 18 + 3 = 21\)
Thus, the minimum completion time of the project is 21 days.
We perform a backward pass to find the late event times, \(L(i)\), for each node \(i\):
* \(L(8) = 21\)
* \(L(7) = 21 - 3 = 18\)
* \(L(6) = 18 - 5 = 13\)
* \(L(5) = 18 - 2 = 16\)
* \(L(4) = \min(L(5) - 0, L(7) - 4) = \min(16, 14) = 14\)
* \(L(3) = L(4) - 3 = 14 - 3 = 11\)
* \(L(2) = \min(L(3) - 0, L(6) - 7) = \min(11, 6) = 6\)
* \(L(1) = \min(L(3) - 0, L(5) - 5) = \min(11, 11) = 11\)
* \(L(0) = \min(L(1) - 4, L(2) - 6) = \min(7, 0) = 0\)
An activity \(X\) from node \(i\) to node \(j\) is critical if \(E(i) = L(i)\), \(E(j) = L(j)\), and \(E(j) - E(i) = \text{duration}(X)\).
Applying this, the critical path is: \(0 \xrightarrow{B} 2 \xrightarrow{E} 6 \xrightarrow{H} 7 \xrightarrow{I} 8\).
So, the critical activities are B, E, H, I.
### Part (b)
The total float for an activity \(X\) starting at node \(i\) and ending at node \(j\) with duration \(d\) is given by:
\(\text{Float}(X) = L(j) - E(i) - d\)
* Activity C (Node 1 to Node 5, duration 5):
\(\text{Float}(C) = L(5) - E(1) - 5 = 16 - 4 - 5 = 7\) days.
* Activity D (Node 3 to Node 4, duration 3):
\(\text{Float}(D) = L(4) - E(3) - 3 = 14 - 6 - 3 = 5\) days.
* Activity G (Node 4 to Node 7, duration 4):
\(\text{Float}(G) = L(7) - E(4) - 4 = 18 - 9 - 4 = 5\) days.
### Part (c)
(i) A valid 2-worker schedule to complete the project in 21 days is:
* Worker 1: B [0, 6], E [6, 13], H [13, 18], I [18, 21].
* Worker 2: A [0, 4], C [4, 9], D [9, 12], F [12, 14], G [14, 18].
(ii) The sequence of critical activities B, E, H, and I has a total duration of 21 days (6 + 7 + 5 + 3 = 21). Because E depends on B, H depends on E, and I depends on H, these activities must be performed in series. Therefore, even with more workers, the project cannot be completed in less than 21 days.
PastPaper.markingScheme
Part (a)
* M1: Clear evidence of finding early times at key nodes (e.g. Node 3 = 6, Node 5 = 9, Node 7 = 18).
* A1: Correct minimum completion time of 21 days.
* A1: Correct critical activities: B, E, H, I.
Part (b)
* M1: Uses the correct total float formula: \(\text{Float}(X) = L(\text{end}) - E(\text{start}) - \text{duration}\).
* A1: Correct float for C = 7 days.
* A1: Correct float for D = 5 days.
* A1: Correct float for G = 5 days.
Part (c)(i)
* M1: Attempting a 2-worker schedule with some activities assigned correctly according to predecessors.
* A1: Critical path activities scheduled sequentially with no gaps or overlaps on one worker: B [0, 6], E [6, 13], H [13, 18], I [18, 21].
* A1: Remaining activities scheduled on the second worker without any time overlaps: A [0, 4], C [4, 9], D [9, 12], F [12, 14], G [14, 18].
* A1: Complete, fully correct schedule satisfying all precedence constraints.
Part (c)(ii)
* M1: Identification of the sequential/dependent nature of the critical activities (B, E, H, I).
* A1: Clear explanation that because these critical activities are in series, their total sum of 21 days cannot be reduced by introducing more workers.
* M1: Clear evidence of finding early times at key nodes (e.g. Node 3 = 6, Node 5 = 9, Node 7 = 18).
* A1: Correct minimum completion time of 21 days.
* A1: Correct critical activities: B, E, H, I.
Part (b)
* M1: Uses the correct total float formula: \(\text{Float}(X) = L(\text{end}) - E(\text{start}) - \text{duration}\).
* A1: Correct float for C = 7 days.
* A1: Correct float for D = 5 days.
* A1: Correct float for G = 5 days.
Part (c)(i)
* M1: Attempting a 2-worker schedule with some activities assigned correctly according to predecessors.
* A1: Critical path activities scheduled sequentially with no gaps or overlaps on one worker: B [0, 6], E [6, 13], H [13, 18], I [18, 21].
* A1: Remaining activities scheduled on the second worker without any time overlaps: A [0, 4], C [4, 9], D [9, 12], F [12, 14], G [14, 18].
* A1: Complete, fully correct schedule satisfying all precedence constraints.
Part (c)(ii)
* M1: Identification of the sequential/dependent nature of the critical activities (B, E, H, I).
* A1: Clear explanation that because these critical activities are in series, their total sum of 21 days cannot be reduced by introducing more workers.