IPA IP 2023 Question 55
A question IPA Japan published in 令和5年度 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問55, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.
Same question on ITPEC: Oct 2024 Q52
For software development work, a plan is created to complete it with 10 people in a period of 15 days. However, it became known that only eight (8) members of staff could be obtained for the first five (5) days. In order to complete the work in 15 days as planned, how many staff members are required from the 6-th day? Here, the productivity of each member of staff is the same.
Explanation
11 staff members — with equal productivity, the total effort in person-days stays fixed.
- •Planned work: 10 × 15 = 150 person-days
- •Done in days 1 to 5: 8 × 5 = 40 person-days
- •Remaining: 150 − 40 = 110 person-days over the 10 days from day 6 to day 15
- •Staff needed: 110 ÷ 10 = 11
Answer (b)
Why not others:
- •(a) 10 — keeps the original headcount, giving only 10 × 10 = 100 person-days and leaving the 10 person-days lost in the first five days undone
- •(c) 12 — adds back the 2 missing people for the rest of the project; the shortfall is only 2 × 5 = 10 person-days, which one extra person covers in 10 days
- •(d) 14 — gives 14 × 10 = 140 person-days, 30 more than the 110 that remain
Key rule: When productivity is equal, work is people times days: subtract the effort already done, then divide the remainder by the days left.
Project Management · AI-written, may contain errors
This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.