What is the term for the sequence of activities that determines the project duration?

• A. Critical Path
• B. Slack Path
• C. Parallel Path
• D. Float Path

Answer: (A)

The critical path. This is the sequence of activities in the project network whose total duration is the longest, and it sets the earliest possible project completion date. Because it is the longest chain, any delay in an activity on this path directly extends the finish date, so the critical path has zero total float. Activities not on this path can have slack or float, meaning they can be delayed without necessarily delaying the project finish. Focus on the critical path helps identify where schedule risk matters most and where to apply time-saving efforts.