PMI PMP Exam Questions 2025

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Our PMP Exam Questions provide authentic, up-to-date content for the PMI Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Each question is reviewed by certified project managers and includes verified answers with clear explanations to strengthen your understanding of project planning, execution, risk management, and agile methodologies. With access to our exam simulator, you can practice in real exam conditions and confidently prepare to pass on your first attempt.

Exam Questions

Question 1

A prefeasibility study for a new renewable energy project is nearing approval. To ensure that the project time lines are maintained, activities associated with the feasibility study must continue while the prefeasibility study is being approved. How should the project manager proceed?
Options
A: Proceed with both the prefeasibility and feasibility studies in parallel while waiting for (he final approvals
B: Include the feasibility activities in the prefeasibility study and apply for a change of scope and budget.
C: Obtain approval to proceed with the feasibility study as a parallel activity while the prefeasibility study is approved
D: Secure approval of the prefeasibility study before proceeding with the feasibility activities.
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Obtain approval to proceed with the feasibility study as a parallel activity while the prefeasibility study is approved
Explanation
The scenario describes a need to perform project phases in parallel that would normally be done in sequence to maintain the timeline. This technique is known as fast-tracking. However, fast-tracking increases risk and requires the commitment of resources for a subsequent phase before the preceding phase is formally approved. Therefore, the project manager must adhere to the project governance framework and obtain explicit approval from the relevant authority (e.g., sponsor, steering committee) before starting the feasibility study activities. This action balances the need for schedule compression with responsible stakeholder management and risk control.
References

1. Project Management Institute. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th ed.).

Section 6.5.2.5, Schedule Compression: Defines fast-tracking as a technique where "activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed in parallel." The scenario directly calls for this technique.

Section 2.4.4.3, Project Governance: States that governance provides the framework for decision-making. Starting a new phase, especially under fast-tracking conditions, is a key decision that requires adherence to this framework, meaning approval must be sought.

2. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (7th ed.).

Section 2.5, Planning Performance Domain: Notes that project life cycles can have "overlapping phases" to "shorten the project life cycle (i.e., fast tracking)." This validates the approach.

Section 2.1, Stakeholder Performance Domain: Emphasizes that effective stakeholder engagement, which includes seeking approvals for key decisions, is critical for project success. Proceeding without approval (Option A) would be poor stakeholder engagement.

3. Shenhar, A. J., & Dvir, D. (2007). Reinventing Project Management: The Diamond Approach to Successful Growth and Innovation. Harvard Business School Press.

This academic text discusses the importance of adapting project management style to the project's context. In time-critical projects, overlapping phases is a common strategy, but it must be a conscious, approved decision made within the project's governance structure to manage the associated risks. This supports seeking approval as the correct professional action.

Question 2

A Scrum team is analyzing the burndown chart on day four of a 15-day sprint. The burndown chart is shown below. What should the team do next?
Options
A: Ask the product owner if some low-priority stories could be cut from the sprint.
B: Continue with the sprint as the progress shows buffers for potential interruptions.
C: Ask the project team to select any additional stories as they have additional capacity than planned.
D: Continue with the sprint work as planned and keep monitoring.
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Continue with the sprint work as planned and keep monitoring.
Explanation
The burndown chart indicates that the team is completing work faster than the ideal rate. However, it is only day four of a 15-day sprint. This early progress could be due to various factors, such as the team tackling easier tasks first. Making a significant change to the sprint scope, such as adding new stories, would be premature. The most appropriate and professional course of action is to continue with the current sprint plan while diligently monitoring the trend in the daily stand-ups. If the trend of being ahead of schedule continues consistently, the team can then discuss with the Product Owner about pulling in more work. This approach aligns with the agile principle of inspect and adapt based on sufficient data, rather than reacting to early, potentially misleading, indicators.
References

1. The Scrum Guide (2020): The purpose of the Daily Scrum is "to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work." This supports the concept of ongoing monitoring and adaptation (Option D) rather than an immediate, major change to the backlog based on an early trend. Schwaber, K., & Sutherland, J. (2020). The Scrum Guide. Scrum.org. p. 10.

2. Agile Practice Guide (PMI): This guide describes burndown charts as a key tool for monitoring iteration progress. "Teams use this chart to track their progress and to see if they are on track to complete the work by the end of the iteration." A deviation from the ideal line is an indicator that requires the team's attention and continued monitoring to understand the trend before taking corrective or adaptive action. Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide. Section 5.2.4, "Measurements in Agile Projects," pp. 63-64.

3. University Courseware: In courses on Agile Development, it is taught that burndown charts are informational radiators that provide a forecast. A team's response to the data should be contextual. An early lead might not be sustainable, and the prudent action is to observe the trend over several days before altering the sprint commitment. This prevents thrashing and maintains focus on the original sprint goal. (e.g., concepts taught in courses like MIT's 6.893, "Engineering Interactive Technologies").

Question 3

DRAG DROP A company has created a cross-functional team to drive the digital transformation project for the business. The team is expected to deliver the minimum viable product (MVP) that addresses market need in the shortest possible time. Match the roles for the team on the left to their corresponding responsibilities on the right. PMI PMP exam question

Show Answer
Correct Answer:

PRODUCT OWNER: DETERMINE THE VERSION OF THE PRODUCT THAT CAN BE RELEASED TO THE MARKET.

DEVELOPMENT TEAM: DETERMINE HOW TO ORGANIZE AND CARRY OUT WORK TO COMPLETE THE MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT (MVP).

PROJECT MANAGER/SCRUM MASTER: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REMOVING BLOCKERS THAT AFFECT THE TEAM'S PRODUCTIVITY.

Explanation

In the Scrum framework, roles are defined by their core responsibilities. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and manages the Product Backlog, which includes making the final decision on what constitutes a releasable product version. The Development Team (referred to as Developers in the 2020 Scrum Guide) is a self-managing unit that has the autonomy to decide how to convert Product Backlog items into a finished increment. The Scrum Master acts as a servant-leader whose duties include removing impediments or "blockers" that hinder the Development Team's progress, thereby protecting their productivity.

References

Schwaber, K., & Sutherland, J. (2020). The Scrum Guide. Scrum.org.

Product Owner: "The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team... For Product Owners to succeed, the entire organization must respect their decisions." (p. 6)

Development Team (Developers): "They are self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how." (p. 7)

Scrum Master: "The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in several ways, including: ... Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress." (p. 8)

Sutherland, J., & Schwaber, K. (2013). The Scrum Papers: Nuts, Bolts, and Origins of an Agile Process. The Agile Software Development Series.

This collection reinforces the foundational roles, stating the ScrumMaster is "responsible for removing impediments to the team’s progress" and the Development Team is "self-organizing" and determines how to accomplish work.

MIT OpenCourseWare. (2013). 6.170 Software Studio, Lecture 5: Development Methods. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The course materials on Agile and Scrum outline these distinct roles, describing the Product Owner's responsibility for the product backlog and release decisions, the team's ownership of the implementation plan, and the Scrum Master's role in resolving obstacles.

Question 4

During execution of an agile project, a project manager realizes the budget is almost completely used, but the project is not close to being completed. What should the project manager do to address this concern?
Options
A: Review the project time line and find opportunities to reduce the project schedule.
B: Review the budget with the project sponsor and ask for an increase to the budget
C: Review the backlog and find opportunities to reprioritize the work and reduce the project scope
D: Review the resource management plan and find opportunities to reduce project costs.
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Review the backlog and find opportunities to reprioritize the work and reduce the project scope
Explanation
In agile projects, scope is the primary variable that is adjusted to meet fixed constraints like budget and time. The product backlog is the ordered list of all work deemed necessary for the project. When the budget is nearly exhausted, the most appropriate agile practice is to work with the product owner and stakeholders to review the remaining items in the backlog. This allows the team to re-prioritize the work, focusing on delivering the highest-value features possible within the remaining budget. This may involve de-scoping lower-priority items to ensure a viable product is delivered, which aligns with the agile principle of maximizing value.
References

1. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition.

Section 2.8.4, Planning Performance Domain, p. 99: "In adaptive approaches, the scope is defined and redefined throughout the project. The overall scope is decomposed into a set of requirements and work to be performed, which is sometimes referred to as a product backlog." This establishes the backlog as the primary tool for managing and adjusting scope.

2. Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide.

Section 5.2.3, The Iron Triangle in Agile Projects, p. 19: This section explains that in agile projects, cost and schedule are often fixed, while scope is variable. The guide states, "The team decides what can be done in the given time box... The scope is variable." This directly supports adjusting scope (the backlog) when a constraint like budget is hit.

Section 4.2.2, Backlog Refinement, p. 52: "The product owner is responsible for prioritizing the backlog to maximize the value of the product... This includes adding, removing, and reprioritizing items." This confirms that re-prioritizing the backlog is the correct mechanism for managing the work.

3. Serrador, P., & Pinto, J. K. (2015). Does Agile work?—A quantitative analysis of agile project success. International Journal of Project Management, 33(5), 1040-1051.

p. 1048: The study finds that agile planning, which includes iterative scope adjustment and prioritization, is a significant predictor of project success, particularly in managing budget and stakeholder satisfaction. This reinforces the idea that flexible scope management is a key control for budget adherence. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2015.01.006)

Question 5

A project team is struggling to obtain the required data for a complex project in order to proceed to the next stage. What should the project manager do?
Options
A: Set up a meeting with the team to discuss and determine the project's challenges.
B: Propose a revised project schedule to the sponsor as the delays have affected the time lines.
C: Schedule a meeting with the sponsor to express the team's frustrations about the data.
D: Meet with the data suppliers to explain the critical timing requirements of the project.
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Meet with the data suppliers to explain the critical timing requirements of the project.
Explanation
The project manager's primary responsibility is to proactively identify and remove impediments that are blocking the project team's progress. The core issue is the failure to obtain necessary data, which is a critical dependency. The most effective and direct course of action is to engage with the source of the dependency—the data suppliers. By meeting with them, the project manager can communicate the urgency, clarify requirements, and collaborate on a solution to resolve the data delivery issue, thereby removing the blocker for the team.
References

1. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition.

Section 2.8, Project Work Performance Domain: This domain addresses "managing impediments, obstacles, and blockers." The guide states, "The project manager and project team facilitate the proactive management of impediments, risks, and issues to keep the project on track." (p. 91). Meeting the supplier is a proactive action to manage an impediment.

2. Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide.

Section 5.2.4, Servant Leadership Empowers the Team: This section emphasizes the leader's role in problem-solving. "Servant leaders facilitate problem-solving... by opening up communication channels and by helping people to collaborate... They remove impediments, obstacles, and blockers." (p. 35). The lack of data is a blocker, and engaging the supplier is a direct attempt to remove it.

3. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition.

Section 2.3, Stakeholder Performance Domain: This domain covers working with stakeholders to maintain alignment. Data suppliers are key stakeholders. The guide notes, "Effective stakeholder engagement involves implementing strategies and actions to promote the productive involvement of stakeholders." (p. 67). Meeting with the suppliers is a direct engagement strategy.

Question 6

A company initiated a project to introduce a new product to the market. The product must undergo the industry's regulatory process prior to approval and launch However, the company sees a great demand for this product and wants it to launch as soon as possible. What should the project manager do to realize this opportunity?
Options
A: Communicate with the industry's regulatory authority to grant the company an exception
B: Escalate the issue to the company's CEO who has experience with the regulations.
C: Comply with the regulatory requirements and work to compress the project schedule.
D: Hire a third party who is an expert on the industry's regulations to work out the details.
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Comply with the regulatory requirements and work to compress the project schedule.
Explanation
The project manager's primary responsibility is to deliver the project within its defined constraints, which include mandatory legal and regulatory requirements. Compliance is non-negotiable. To address the business need for an accelerated launch, the project manager should employ schedule management techniques. Schedule compression, which includes methods like crashing (adding resources) or fast-tracking (performing activities in parallel), allows the project team to shorten the overall project duration while still completing all necessary steps, including the full regulatory process. This approach directly addresses both the compliance constraint and the time-to-market opportunity.
References

1. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition. Section 2.4, Planning Performance Domain. This domain addresses the activities needed to organize and coordinate the project work. It includes developing a schedule, which can be optimized using techniques like schedule compression to meet time constraints.

2. Project Management Institute. (2021). The Standard for Project Management (ANSI/PMI 99-001-2021). Section 3.5, Tailoring. This section explains that the project manager must tailor the project approach based on various factors, including "compliance requirements." The standard emphasizes that projects operate within internal and external environments, and compliance with regulations is a key external factor that cannot be ignored.

3. Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (12th ed.). Wiley. Chapter 12, "Scheduling," discusses schedule compression techniques such as crashing and fast-tracking as standard methods for shortening a project schedule when faced with time constraints, while still adhering to project scope and quality requirements.

Question 7

A project manager is working on an agile project. The organization decided to implement the Scrum framework. The project manager organized a workshop to explain the differences between traditional project artifacts and the Scrum approach. The most frequent question raised is what artifact will replace the project schedule. What should be me project manager's response?
Options
A: Sprint plan and product roadmap
B: Product roadmap and sprint backlog
C: Product backlog and scrum board
D: Sprint backlog and scrum board
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Sprint plan and product roadmap
Explanation
In Scrum the function of a traditional project schedule is conveyed at two time-horizons. • Product roadmap (or release roadmap) gives the long-range, calendar-oriented view of when major features or releases are expected. • Sprint plan (the outcome of Sprint Planning) provides the short-range, iteration-level forecast of work that the team commits to complete in the current time-box. Together they fulfil the same purpose as a predictive schedule—establishing both overall timeline and near-term tasks—while maintaining agility.
References

1. PMI – Agile Practice Guide, 1st ed., 2017:

• §3.4.1 “Product Roadmap”, p. 44 – defines roadmap as a high-level time-based view replacing traditional schedules.

• §3.4.3 “Iteration (Sprint) Plan”, p. 45 – identifies sprint plan as the short-term scheduling mechanism.

2. PMI – PMBOK® Guide, 7th ed., 2021:

• §4.3 “Planning Performance Domain”, p. 59 – notes that agile teams use roadmaps and iteration plans instead of detailed schedules.

3. Rubin, K. S., “Essential Scrum”, Addison-Wesley, 2012:

• Ch. 14 “The Product Roadmap”, pp. 273-275 – describes roadmap as Scrum’s long-range schedule.

• Ch. 17 “Sprint Planning”, p. 320 – positions the sprint plan as the detailed schedule for a single iteration.

Question 8

A telecommunications project consists of departments spread across several countries with different cultures. The project team rarely meets in person, and each team member works independently using online reporting tools. What should the project manager do to ensure team members are committed to project success?
Options
A: Control and follow the project's mam goals, budget, and schedule
B: Plan regular virtual meetings to motivate and support the team.
C: Meet in small groups and share information by email with the rest of the team
D: Create a monthly report so everyone will be informed of the current status.
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Plan regular virtual meetings to motivate and support the team.
Explanation
In a geographically dispersed and culturally diverse virtual team, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose is critical for commitment. Regular virtual meetings provide a forum for two-way communication, which is essential for building relationships, clarifying goals, resolving misunderstandings, and providing mutual support. This proactive engagement helps overcome the isolation inherent in virtual work, motivating team members and aligning them toward project success. This aligns with the project manager's role as a leader in developing and managing the project team.
References

1. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition. Project Management Institute.

Section 2.4, Team Performance Domain (p. 72): This section emphasizes that for virtual teams, "establishing regular and effective communication is critical." It highlights that leadership activities, including facilitating team development and communication, are key to creating a cohesive and high-performing team. Option B directly implements this principle.

2. Project Management Institute. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition. Project Management Institute.

Section 10.1.2.4, Communication Methods (p. 374): This section distinguishes between interactive communication (like meetings), push communication (like reports), and pull communication. It states that interactive communication is the most effective way to ensure a common understanding, which is fundamental to team commitment. Option B uses an interactive method, whereas Option D uses a less effective push method.

3. Hertel, G., Geister, S., & Konradt, U. (2005). Managing virtual teams: A review of current empirical research. Human Resource Management Review, 15(1), 69-95.

Section 3.1, Communication (p. 79): This peer-reviewed article synthesizes research on virtual teams and concludes that the frequency and quality of communication are significant predictors of team performance and cohesion. Regular meetings (Option B) directly increase the frequency and potential quality of team interaction. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2005.01.007)

Question 9

A healthcare organization hired a new compliance specialist to ensure that the healthcare compliance needs are met. The feedback about the new compliance specialist from the team was average. What should the project manager do to help the new compliance specialist improve?
Options
A: Escalate this situation to the manager of the area for a possible solution.
B: Provide time for the specialist to adjust to the pace of the project.
C: Coordinate a one-to-one meeting with the specialist to assess the situation.
D: Contact the human resources (HR) manager about the team's feedback.
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Coordinate a one-to-one meeting with the specialist to assess the situation.
Explanation
The project manager's role includes team leadership and development. The most appropriate initial action when receiving performance feedback is to engage directly and privately with the team member. A one-to-one meeting allows the project manager to assess the situation from the specialist's perspective, understand any challenges they may be facing, provide constructive feedback, and collaboratively determine the best path for improvement. This approach is proactive, supportive, and aligns with the principles of servant leadership, focusing on enabling team members to succeed. Escalating the issue to functional management or HR before a direct conversation is premature and can undermine trust.
References

1. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition.

Section 2.4, Team Performance Domain, p. 43: This domain emphasizes that "Project team development is the process of improving the competencies, team member interaction, and overall team environment to enhance project performance." Directly meeting with the specialist is a core activity in team development.

Section 2.4.3, Leadership Skills, p. 45: Effective leaders "look for opportunities to serve others" and "demonstrate empathy." Assessing the situation in a one-to-one meeting is a direct application of these servant leadership skills.

2. Project Management Institute. (2017). Agile Practice Guide.

Section 5.1.1, Servant Leadership, p. 34: Servant leaders "help the team with problem identification and problem solving." The project manager should first seek to understand the problem by speaking with the specialist before taking other actions.

3. Müller, R., & Turner, J. R. (2010). Leadership competency profiles of successful project managers. International Journal of Project Management, 28(5), 437-448.

p. 443: The study identifies "engaging communication" and "developing others" as key competencies for successful project managers. Coordinating a one-to-one meeting to assess a situation and help an employee improve is a direct application of these competencies. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2009.09.003)

Question 10

A project manager is closing a project and preparing to hand it over to the operations team. During handover, a delayed invoice was submitted with a higher-than-planned cost against the project work. Consequently, project handover was delayed and the project's reported completion costs were increased. What should the project manager have done to avoid this situation?
Options
A: Captured and reviewed all of the project work and related costs regularly
B: Notified all vendors about the invoicing and nonpayment deadlines
C: Reviewed the total committed cost against the cost invoiced at project closing
D: Involved the finance team and discussed the issue with the vendor
Show Answer
Correct Answer:
Captured and reviewed all of the project work and related costs regularly
Explanation
The core issue is a failure in the ongoing monitoring and control processes. The Control Costs process requires the project manager to regularly monitor project status, compare actual costs to the baseline, and manage changes. By "capturing and reviewed all of the project work and related costs regularly," the project manager would have maintained an accurate picture of financial commitments and expenditures. This proactive, continuous oversight would have identified the outstanding invoice and the potential cost variance long before the closing phase, allowing for timely corrective action and preventing the last-minute surprise that delayed the project handover.
References

1. Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition.

Section 2.7, Measurement Performance Domain: This domain emphasizes assessing project performance and taking appropriate actions. It states, "Effective execution of this performance domain includes the continual evaluation of project performance for cost..." (p. 99). This supports the need for regular review as described in option A.

2. Project Management Institute. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition.

Section 7.4, Control Costs: This process is defined as "monitoring the status of the project to update the project costs and managing changes to the cost baseline." A key benefit is that it "provides the means to recognize variance from the plan in order to take corrective action and minimize risk." This directly aligns with the preventative action in option A.

3. Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (12th ed.). Wiley.

Chapter 15, Cost Control: This chapter details that a primary objective of a cost control system is the "early identification of problems" (p. 535). It emphasizes that cost control is a continuous process of comparing actual costs with planned costs and reporting variances in a timely manner to allow for corrective action. This principle directly supports the regular review mentioned in option A.

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