EC/APR 2010/ECM527

CONFIDENTIAL

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FINAL EXAMINATION

COURSE

ENGINEERING PROJECT AND RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT

COURSE CODE

ECM527

EXAMINATION

APRIL 2010

TIME

3 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1.

This question paper consists of four (4) questions.

2.

Answer ALL questions in the Answer Booklet. Start each answer on a new page.

3.

Do not bring any material into the examination room unless permission is given by the
invigilator.

4.

Please check to make sure that this examination pack consists of:
i)
ii)

the Question Paper

an Answer Booklet - provided by the Faculty

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This examination paper consists of 5 printed pages
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EC/APR 2010/ECM527

QUESTION 1
a)

List the characteristics of a project.

(5 marks)

b)

Briefly describe the services provided by the Project Management Institute.

(10 marks)

c)

According to Archibald (1992), checklists are useful at all stages of a project including
during project closure. Discuss at least FIVE (5) benefits of a check list for project
closure.
(10 marks)

QUESTION 2
a)

Draw an activity network using precedence diagram to represent the project of digging
a well using the information provided in Table Q2-1. The precedence relationships are
all direct finish-to-start relationships with no lag except for the following:
Activity A to B : SS lag 3
Activity B to C : FF
(2 marks)
ACTIVITY
IDENTIFIER

ACTIVITY

PREDECESSORS

DURATION
(DAYS )

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

Clear site
Obtain materials
Obtain pump
Prepare apron
Dig well
Install pump
Train maintainers
Run trials

A,B
D
C,E
C
F,G

1
2
4
2
5
1
2
2

Table Q2-1

SUN

MON

TUES

5
12
19
26

6
13
20
27

7
14
21
28

September 201 0
WED
THURS
2
1
9
8
16
15
23
22
29
30

FRI
3
10
17
24
31

SAT
4
11
18
25

Table Q2-2

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EC/APR 2010/ECM527

Assume the project will start on 1 September 2010, based on the calendar provided in
Table Q2-2. Mondays to Saturdays will be working days, while Sunday will be considered as
non working day. Public holidays will remain as working days. Based on the given
information, answer the following questions:
i)

Generate the values for the earliest and latest start dates: and earliest and latest finish
dates for each activity.
(16 marks)

ii)

Calculate the Free Float values for activity A and B.

(4 marks)

iii)

Differentiate Total Float and Free Float.

(3 marks)

QUESTION 3
a)

Prepare the questions that should be asked by you, as a Project Manager, to the
client and key stakeholders during the Project Definition phase in a project.
(14 marks)

b)

A road construction project is reported as date to be having the progress as follows:

Planned Value (PV) = RM 150, 000
Earned Value (EV)
= RM 170, 000
Actual Cost (AC)
= RM 190, 000
Budget at Completion (BAC) = RM 500, 000
Prepare an Earned Value Analysis for the project based on the information given
above.
(11 marks)

QUESTION 4
a)

List out the middle manager's responsibilities.

(5 marks)

b)

Osman is considering investing some money that he inherited. The following payoff
Table Q4-1 gives the profits that would be realized during the next year for each of
three investment alternatives Osman is considering :
DECISION
ALTERNATIVE
Stock market
Bonds
Do nothing

STATE OF NATURE
POOR ECONOMY
GOOD ECONOMY
RM -20,000.00
RM 80,000.00
RM 20,000.00
RM 30,000.00
RM 23,000.00
RM 23,000.00
Table Q4-1

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i)

EC/APR 2010/ECM527

The Maximax criterion.

(5 marks)

ii)

The Maximin criterion.

(5 marks)

c)

Compare the alternatives of excavating machine shown below on the basis of Present
Worth (PW ) analysis. The cost and benefits of the alternatives are as shown in
Table Q4-2. Calculations can be done using the Table of Interest Factors for Discrete
Compounding of 12%, as given in Table Q4-3.
(10 marks)

First Cost ( RM )
Monthly operating cost ( RM )
Salvage value ( RM )
Life (years)

Machine Y
70,000.00
1,200.00
7,000.00
3

Machine Z
90,000.00
900.00
10,000.00
3

Table Q4-2

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EC/APR

5
Single Payment

Comparand
Amount
Factor
(FSPJJi)

Equal Payment Series

Present
Worth
Factor

Compound
Amount
Factor

Sinking
Fund
Factor

f/VRWI

(F/Ajji)

www

Gradient Scries
Gradient
Present
Worth

Present
Worth
Factor
(P/A,iN)

Capital
Recovery
Factor

(AWJi)

Gradient
Uniform
Series
<AXl,iJi>

1.0000
0.4717
0.2963
0.2092
0.1574

0.8929
1.6901
2.4018
3.0373
3.6048

1.1200
0.5917
0.4163
0.3292
0.2774

0.0000
0.4717
0.9246
1.3589
1.7746

0.0000
0.7972
2.2208
4.1273
6.3970

8
9
10

(mttiv)

JV

1
2
3
4
5

1.1200
1.2544
1.4049
1.5735
1.762 J

0.8929
0.7972
0.7118
0.6355
0.5674

1.0000
2.1200
3.3744
4.7793
6.3528

6
7
8
9
10

1.9738
2.2107

8.1152
IO.O890
12.2997
14.7757
17.5487

0.1232
0.0991
0.0813
0.0677
0.0570

4.1114
4.5638
4.9676
5.3282
5.6502

0.2432
0.2191

2.1720
2.5515

2.4760
2.7731
3.1058

0.5066
0.4523
0.4039
0.3606
0.3220

0.2013
0.1877
0.1770

2.9131
3.2574
3.5847

8.9302
11.6443
14.4714
17.3563
20.2541

11
12
13
14
15

3.4785
3.8960
4.3635
4.8871
5.4736

0.2875
0.2567
0.2292
0.2046
0.1827

20.6546
24.1331
28.0291
32.3926
37.2797

0.0484
0.0414
0.0357
0.0309
0.0268

5.9377
6.1944
6.4235
6.6282
6.8109

0.1684
0.1614
0.1557
0.1509
0.1468

3.8953
4.1897
4.4683
4.7317
4.9803

23.1288
25.9523
28.7024
31.3624
33.92021

II
12
13
14
15

16
17
18
19

6.1304
6.8660
7.6900
8.6128

20

9.6463

0.1631
0.1456
0.1300
0.1161
0.1037

42.7533
48.8837
55.7497
63.4397
72.0524

0.0234
O.02O5
0.0179
0.0158
0.0139

6.9740
7.1196
7.2497
7.3658
7.4694

0.1434
0.1405
0.1379
0.1358
0.1339

5.2147
5.4353
5.6427
5.8375
6.0202

36.3670
38.6973
40.9080
42.9979
44.9676

16
17
SI
19
20

21
22
23
24
25

10.8038
12.1003
13.5523
15.1786
17.0001

0.0926
0.0826
0.0738
0.0659
0.0588

81.6987
92.5026
104.6029
118.1552
133.3339

0.0122
0.0108
0.0096
0.0085
0.0075

7.5620
7.6446
7.7184
7.7843
7.8431

0.1322
0.1308
0.1296
0.1285
0.1275

6.1913
6.3514
6.5010
6.6406
6.7708

46.8188
48.5543
50.1776
51.6929
53.1046

21
22
23
24
25

26
27
28
29
30

19.0401
21.3249
23.8839
26.7499
29.9599

0.0525
0.0469
0.O419
0.0374
0.0334

150.3339
169.3740
190.6989
214.5828
241.3327

0.0067
0.0059
0.0052
0.0047
0.0041

7.8957
7.9426
7.9844
8.0218
8.0552

0.1267
0.1259
0.1252
0.1247
0.1241

6.8921
7.0049
7.1098
7.2071
7.2974

54.4177
55.6369
56.7674
57,8141
58.7821

26
27
28
29
30

31

33.5551
37.5817

271.2926
304.8477
342.4294
384.5210
431.6635

0.0037
0.0033
0.0029
0.0026
0.0023

8.0850
8.1116
8.1354
8.1566
8.1755

0.1237
0.1233
0.1229
0.1226
0.1223

7.3811
7.4586
7.5302
7.5965
7.6577

59.6761
60.5010
61.2612
61.9612
62.6052

31
32
33
34
35

767.0914
1358.2300
2400.0182
4236.0050
7471.6411

0.0013
0.0007
0.0004
0.0002
0.0001

8.2438
8.2825
8.3045
8.3170
8.3240

0.1213
0.1207
0.1204
0.1202
0.1201

7.8988
8.0572
8.1597
8.2251
8.2664

65.1159
66.7342
67.7624
68.4082
68.8100

40
45
50
55
60

32
33
34
35

42.0915
47.1425
52.7996

0.0298
0.0266
0.0238
0.0212
0.0189

40
45
50
55
60

93.05IO
163.9876
289.0022
509.3206
897.5969

0.0107
0.0061
0.0035
0.0020
0.0011

Table Q4-3

1
T

3
4
5
6
7

Interest Factors for Discrete Compunding of 12%

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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