Answer:
1. The need to specify "not necessarily" delay the project implies that the presence of positive slack or float enables a project to be completed without regard to the noncritical path activity.
2. A project necessarily possesses some form of deadline because deadlines help a project team to collaborate toward achieving the shared goal. Another reason for a deadline is to keep complex projects on track. Deadlines also help to set project delivery expectations. Deadlines eliminate confusion in the execution of projects. A project without a deadline looks meaningless and unimportant.
3. Task C's early finish time = 7 days.
4. The slack in task E = 2 days.
Explanation:
a) Task C's immediate predecessors = Tasks A and B
Task A's early finish time = 3 days
Task B's early finish time = 5 days
Task C's duration = 2 days
Therefore, task C's early finish time = 5 + 2 = 7 days
b) Task E's early start time = 3 days
Task E's early finish time = 5 days
Task E's late start time = 10 days
Task E's late finish time = 12 days
Slack in task E = 5 - 3 = 2 days
c) Task E can be finished in 3 days (e.g. from day 10 to day 12), but it was allocated an early completion time of 5 days. This implies that there is a slack of 2 days.
