Network Problems:

1. Construct a network for each of the projects whose activities and their precedence
relationships are given below.

Activity A B C D E F G H I J K
Predecesso - - - A B B C D E H,I F,G
r

2. A<C, D, I; B<G, F; D<G, F; F<H, K; G, H<J; I, J, K<E

Ans: Given A<C which means that C cannot be started until A is completed. i.e. A is the preceding
activity to C. The above constraints can be given in the following table.
Activity A B C D E F G H I J K
Predecesso - - A A I,J,K B,D B,D F A G,H F
r
A,B are the starting activity and E is the terminal activity.

3. A,B,C can start simultaneously.

A<D, I; B<G, F; D<G, F; C<E; E<H, K; F<H, K; G,H<J.
Ans: The above constraints can be formatted into a table.
Activity A B C D E F G H I J K
Predecesso - - - A C B,D B,D E,F A G,H E,F
r Activity
Network with Dummy lines:
4.
Activity A B C D E F G H I
Immediate Predecessor - - A,B B B A, F, F,D C,G
B D

5. Construct a network for the project whose activities and their precedence relationships are
as given below.

Activities A B C D E F G H I
Immediate - A A - D B,C,E F D G,H
Predecesso
r

6. A,B,C can start simultaneously.

A<D, I; B<G, F; D<G, F; C<E; E<H, K; F<H, K; G<J.
Ans: The above constraints can be formatted into a table.

Activity A B C D E F G H I J K
Predecesso - - - A C B,D B,D E,F A G E,F
r Activity
 7. Draw the network diagram for the data given below:
Activity A B C D E F G H
Immediate - A A B B, D E F,G
predecessor Activity C

Solution:
The dummy activity 3-4 has been introduced here because activity B and C both precede activity D
and activity C precedes activity E.

8. An assembly is to be made from two parts X and Y. Both parts must be turned on a lathe. Y
must be polished whereas X need not be polished. The sequence of activities, together with
their predecessors, is given below.
Activity Description Predecessor Activity
A Open work order -
B Get material for X A
C Get material for Y A
D Turn X on lathe B
E Turn Y on lathe B,C
F Polish E
G Assemble X and Y D,F
H Pack G

Draw a network diagram of activities for the project.

Solution:

9. Listed in the table are the activities and sequencing necessary for a maintenance job on the
heat exchange in a refinery.
Activity Description Predecessor Activity
A Dismantle pipe connections -
B Dismantle heater, closure, and floating front A
C Remove tube bundle B
 D Clean bolts B
E Clean heater and floating head front B
F Clean tube bundle C
G Clean shell C
H Replace tube bundle F, G
I Prepare shell pressure test D,E,H
J Prepare tube pressure test and reassemble I

Draw a network diagram of activities for the project.

Solution:
The network diagram for the project is shown in fig.

10. Listed in the table are the activities and sequencing necessary for the completion of a
recruitment procedure for management trainees (MT) in an organization.
Activity Description Predecessor Activity
A Asking units for requirement -
B Ascertaining management trainees (MTs) A
requirement for commercial functions
C Ascertaining MTs requirement for Accounts / A
Finance functions
D Formulating advertisement for MT (A/C) C
E Formulating advertisement for MT B
(Commercial)
F Calling applications from the successful C
candidates passing through the Institute of
Charted Accountants (ICA)
G Releasing the advertisement D,E
H Completing applications received G
I Screening of applications against advertisement H
J Screening of applications received from ICA F
K Sending of personal forms I,J
L Issuing interview/regret letters K
M Preliminary interviews L
N Preliminary interview of outstanding candidates J
from ICA
O Final interview M,N
Draw a network diagram of activities for the project.
Solution:
The network diagram for the project is shown in fig

CPM with FF, TF & IT:

11. Draw a network diagram for the activities given below and determine the critical path.

Activit Description of activity Duration if activity Immediate

y (month) Predecessor Activity
A Design Plant 12 -
B Select site 8 A
C Select Vendor 4 A
D Select personnel 3 A
E Prepare site 12 B
F Manufacture Generator 18 C
G Prepare Operations Manual 5 C
H Install Generator 4 E,F
I Train operators 9 D,G
J Obtain Licence 6 H,I
Solution:
The Network diagram (taking into consideration the immediate predecessor activities) and
Critical path the earliest and latest completions of events are calculated by forward pass and
backward pass computations as shown below.

The critical is the path of activities connecting those having nil slacks. i.e., for events having
the same earliest and latest event times.
In this network the critical path activities are A  C  F  H J
And the project duration time is 12+4+18+4+6+ = 44 months.
 12. A project schedule has the following characteristics.

Activity 1-2 1-3 2-4 3-4 3-5 4-9 5-6 5-7

Time(days 4 1 1 1 6 5 4 8
)
Activity 6-8 7-8 8-10 9-10
Time(days 1 2 5 7
)
From the above information you are required to –
1) Construct a network diagram
2) Compute the earliest event time and latest event time
3) Determine the critical path and total project duration
4) Compute total, free float for each activity.

Ans :
First we construct the network with the given constraints (Here we get just connecting the
event numbers)

The following table gives the critical path, total, free floats calculation.

Activity Normal Earliest Latest TF FF

time Start Finish Start Finish
1-2 4 0 4 5 9 5 5-5=0
1-3 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
2-4 1 4 5 9 10 5 0
3-4 1 1 2 9 10 8 3
3-5 6 1 7 1 7 0 0
4-9 5 5 10 10 15 5 0
5-6 4 7 11 12 16 5 0
5-7 8 7 15 7 15 0 0
6-8 1 11 12 16 17 5 5
7-8 2 15 17 15 17 0 0
8-10 5 17 22 17 22 0 0
9-10 7 10 17 15 22 5 5

Total project duration is 22 days

Critical path 1 3 5 7  8  10

13. A small maintenance project consists of the following jobs whose precedence relationships is
given below.

Job 1-2 1-3 2-3 2-5 3-4 3-6 4-5 4-6 5-6 6-7
Duration(days 15 15 3 5 8 12 1 14 3 14
)
a) Draw an arrow diagram representing the project.
b) Find the total float for each activity.
c) Find the critical path and the total project duration.
Ans:

Activity Normal Earliest Latest Total float

time Start Finish Start Finish LFj-ESj or LFi-ESi
ESi ESj LFi LFj
1-2 15 0 15 0 15 0
1-3 15 0 15 3 18 3
2-3 3 15 18 15 18 0
2-5 5 15 20 32 37 17
3-4 8 18 26 18 26 0
3-6 12 18 30 28 40 10
4-5 1 26 27 36 37 10
4-6 14 26 40 26 40 0
5-6 3 27 30 37 40 10
6-7 14 40 54 40 54 0

From the above table we observe that the activities 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-6, 6-7 are the critical
activities and the critical path is given by, 1-2-3-4-6-7
The total project completion is given by 54 days.

14. The following table shows the jobs of a project with their duration in days. Draw the
network and determine the critical path. Also calculate all the floats.

Jobs 1-2 1-3 1-4 2-5 3-7 4-6 5-7 5-8 6-7
Duratio 10 8 9 8 16 7 7 7 8
n
Jobs 6-9 7-10 8-10 9-10 10-11 11-12
Duratio 5 12 10 15 8 5
n
 Ans:

Activity Normal Earliest Latest Floats

time Start Finish Start Finish TF FF IF
1-2 10 0 10 0 10 0 0 0
1-3 8 0 8 1 9 1 0 0
1-4 9 0 9 1 10 1 0 0
2-5 8 10 18 10 18 0 0 0
3-7 16 8 24 9 25 1 1 0
4-6 7 9 16 10 17 1 0 -1=0
5-7 7 18 25 18 25 0 0 0
5-8 7 18 25 20 27 2 0 0
6-7 8 16 24 17 25 1 1 0
6-9 5 16 21 17 22 1 0 -1=0
7-10 12 25 37 25 37 0 0 0
8-10 10 25 35 27 37 2 2 0
9-10 15 21 36 22 37 1 1 0
10-11 8 37 45 37 45 0 0 0
11-12 5 45 50 45 50 0 0 0

TF=Total float=LS-ES or LF-EF

FF=Free float =TF-Head event slack
IF=Independent float =FF –Tail event slack
From the above calculation we observe that the activity 1-2, 2-5, 5-7, 7-10, 10-11, 11-12 are the
critical
Activities as their total float is 0. Hence, we have the critical path 1-2-5-7-10-11-12 with the total
project duration as 50 days.