| Exam Board | AQA |
|---|---|
| Module | D2 (Decision Mathematics 2) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Session | June |
| Marks | 10 |
| Paper | Download PDF ↗ |
| Mark scheme | Download PDF ↗ |
| Topic | Critical Path Analysis |
| Type | Find missing early/late times |
| Difficulty | Moderate -0.8 This is a routine Critical Path Analysis question requiring standard forward/backward pass calculations to find missing times and identify the critical path. Part (a) involves straightforward arithmetic using the critical path algorithm, part (b) is direct identification, and part (c) (though not fully shown) typically involves simple cost comparison. This is a textbook application of a well-defined algorithm with no novel problem-solving required. |
| Spec | 7.05a Critical path analysis: activity on arc networks7.05b Forward and backward pass: earliest/latest times, critical activities7.05c Total float: calculation and interpretation |
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
| \(x = 4\) (since D has earliest start 5, duration \(x\), and latest finish 9, so \(x = 9 - 5 = 4\)) | B1 | |
| \(z = 17\) (latest finish for G; earliest start 9, duration 8, so earliest finish = 17, hence \(z = 17\)) | B1 | Accept correct values seen on diagram |
| \(y = 19\) (latest finish for H minus duration 5 = 24 - 5 = 19) | (implied) | \(x\), \(y\), \(z\) — two values correct for B1B1 |
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
| B, D, G, I, K | B1 | Must be a path; all activities stated |
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
| The critical path is B, D, G, I, K with total length 28 weeks | M1 | Identifying critical path length and need to reduce it |
| G can be reduced by up to 3 weeks (min 5); reduce G by 3 weeks at cost £6000/week | A1 | Justification: G is on critical path; reduction of 3 weeks |
| F is on path A, C, F, J, K (length = 5+3+7+9+4 = 28); reducing G also requires checking this path | M1 | Recognising other paths become critical |
| F must also be reduced by 3 weeks (down to 4, its minimum); cost £7000/week | A1 | Justified by F path also being length 28 |
| E: path through E = 9+6+5+4 = 24; not critical after reductions, so E need not be reduced | A1 |
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
| Revised minimum completion time = 25 weeks | B1 ft | Follow through from (c)(i) |
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
| G reduced by 3 weeks: \(3 \times £6000 = £18000\) | M1 | |
| F reduced by 3 weeks: \(3 \times £7000 = £21000\) | ||
| Total additional cost = \(£18000 + £21000 = £\mathbf{39000}\) | A1 | cao |
# Question 8:
## Part (a):
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| $x = 4$ (since D has earliest start 5, duration $x$, and latest finish 9, so $x = 9 - 5 = 4$) | B1 | |
| $z = 17$ (latest finish for G; earliest start 9, duration 8, so earliest finish = 17, hence $z = 17$) | B1 | Accept correct values seen on diagram |
| $y = 19$ (latest finish for H minus duration 5 = 24 - 5 = 19) | (implied) | $x$, $y$, $z$ — two values correct for B1B1 |
**Award: B1 for $x = 4$, B1 for $z = 17$ (and $y = 19$ implied)**
---
## Part (b):
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| B, D, G, I, K | B1 | Must be a path; all activities stated |
---
## Part (c)(i):
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| The critical path is B, D, G, I, K with total length 28 weeks | M1 | Identifying critical path length and need to reduce it |
| G can be reduced by up to 3 weeks (min 5); reduce G by 3 weeks at cost £6000/week | A1 | Justification: G is on critical path; reduction of 3 weeks |
| F is on path A, C, F, J, K (length = 5+3+7+9+4 = 28); reducing G also requires checking this path | M1 | Recognising other paths become critical |
| F must also be reduced by 3 weeks (down to 4, its minimum); cost £7000/week | A1 | Justified by F path also being length 28 |
| E: path through E = 9+6+5+4 = 24; not critical after reductions, so E need not be reduced | A1 | |
---
## Part (c)(ii):
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| Revised minimum completion time = **25 weeks** | B1 ft | Follow through from (c)(i) |
---
## Part (c)(iii):
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| G reduced by 3 weeks: $3 \times £6000 = £18000$ | M1 | |
| F reduced by 3 weeks: $3 \times £7000 = £21000$ | | |
| Total additional cost = $£18000 + £21000 = £\mathbf{39000}$ | A1 | cao |
8 An activity diagram for a project is shown below. The duration of each activity is given in weeks. The earliest start time and the latest finish time for each activity are shown on the diagram.\\
\includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{c2b62fee-d320-4701-a5bb-b2e4b8cc0952-22_640_1626_475_209}
\begin{enumerate}[label=(\alph*)]
\item Find the values of $x , y$ and $z$.
\item State the critical path.
\item Some of the activities can be speeded up at an additional cost. The following table lists the activities that can be speeded up together with the minimum possible duration of these activities. The table also shows the additional cost of reducing the duration of each of these activities by one week.
\end{enumerate}
\hfill \mbox{\textit{AQA D2 2014 Q8 [10]}}