# PMP Certification: What is the correct critical path on this diagram?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pmp-certification-what-is-the-correct-critical-path-on-this-diagram/795476>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 4, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pmp-certification-what-is-the-correct-critical-path-on-this-diagram/795476 "2017-09-04T14:51:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PFisher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc79bd/32.png) [@PFisher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PFisher)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pmp-certification-what-is-the-correct-critical-path-on-this-diagram/795476/1 "2017-09-04T14:51:08Z")

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Please take a look at this [image](https://postimg.org/image/47hg5d6np/)and help me understand what the correct sequence is for the critical path. I assume that the numbers in this image correspond to duration.

[https://postimg.org/image/47hg5d6np/](https://postimg.org/image/47hg5d6np/)

My understanding is that the critical path consists of the path that adds up to the longest duration, but the program says that is not correct.

Thanks in advance!

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**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pmp-certification-what-is-the-correct-critical-path-on-this-diagram/795476/2 "2017-09-04T15:23:17Z")

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Start(0) -\> B(3) + C(2) + D(6) + F(5) + I(3) + J(3) -\> Finish(22)

What did you get?

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**Author:** ![PFisher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc79bd/32.png) [@PFisher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PFisher)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pmp-certification-what-is-the-correct-critical-path-on-this-diagram/795476/3 "2017-09-04T17:01:30Z")

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> [@QuickSilver](#):
>
> Start(0) -\> B(3) + C(2) + D(6) + F(5) + I(3) + J(3) -\> Finish(22)
> 
> What did you get?

That worked, thanks! I think I had come up with this solution, except I didn’t click the Start and End boxes and so it came back as being wrong. Appreciate your help on this.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pmp-certification-what-is-the-correct-critical-path-on-this-diagram/795476/4 "2017-09-04T18:41:49Z")

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> [@PFisher](#):
>
> My understanding is that the critical path consists of the path that adds up to the longest duration…

So as a project manager, your job is to figure out the maximum number of man-hours you can bill to your client? 😛