25+ Free PMP Exam Questions & Answers [2024]

Are you stuck in your project management career, looking for that next big opportunity? 

Or perhaps you're eyeing a promotion, but you know you need something extra to stand out from the competition. 

The PMP (Project Management Professional) certification could be the key to unlocking those doors!

Many professionals find themselves stuck in their careers, struggling to break through to higher-paying roles or more challenging projects. 

Without the right qualifications, it can be hard to show that you can handle challenging projects.

And you know you need something extra to stand out from the competition? 

The PMP (Project Management Professional) certification could be the key to unlocking those doors!

The pressure of passing the PMP exam can be intense. With its complex questions and strict passing criteria, it’s easy to feel lost. But don’t worry—you're in the right place!

To help ease that stress, we've compiled 20+ free PMP exam questions and answers that will not only boost your confidence but also prepare you to tackle the actual test. 

Ready to dive in and ace the exam? Let’s get started!

Q1. A project manager started working for a new organization when they were informed that all of the projects’ expected incremental revenue must exceed their costs by at least 30%. Their current project is anticipated to have a 0.7 BCR (Benefit-Cost Ratio). Taking this into consideration, what can be concluded about this project?

Answer: The project is not profitable, and the BCR does not meet the minimum threshold established by the organization.

A benefit-cost ratio (BCR) is a monetary or qualitative metric representing the relationship between a potential project’s costs and benefits.

If the BCR is greater than 1, its revenue will potentially outweigh its costs, and if it’s less than 1, the costs will outweigh the gains. 

In this situation, a 0.7 BCR means that revenue is 0.7 times the cost. So, this project will not be profitable. The minimum BCR threshold established by the organization is 1.3, and this project does not meet it.

Q2. A project manager is assigned to lead a large project with a cost variance of -$40,000, an actual cost of $200,000, and a planned value of $140,000. Based on these numbers, how much is the project’s Earned Value (EV)?

Answer: Cost Variance (CV) = -$40,000, Actual Cost (AC) = $200,000, and Planned Value (PV) = $140,000. 

The Earned Value (EV) is calculated using the following cost variance formula: 

CV = EV - AC

So, the project’s EV = CV + AC = -$40,000 + $200,000 = $160,000.

Q3. A Scrum Master working in a web agency is managing a co-located team of seven members. The Scrum Master has recently noticed that a senior web developer in their team is not as motivated at work as before. After being asked about what’s been going on with them lately, the team member told the Scrum Master that their partner moved to another city for a 6-month work contract and wanted to join them, but they are not willing to lose their job. What should the Scrum Master do in this case?

Answer: The best option is to let the senior web developer work remotely since they are a valuable team asset, and their tasks can be done anywhere. As a servant leader, the project manager should motivate the developer by allowing them to move to another city with their partner. The developer wants to stay with the company, and hiring someone else may create job insecurity. Using Emotional Intelligence (EI), the project manager can understand and support the developer’s needs, which include self-awareness, social awareness, and motivation. While offering a 6-month unpaid leave could be considered, it requires company approval and might not be practical for the developer’s financial situation. Therefore, allowing remote work is the most suitable solution.

Q4. During the retrospective session, the cross-functional team requested specific training to keep up with the latest technological trends and resolve problems more effectively. How will such training impact the team’s velocity?

Answer: The training will positively affect the team's velocity, although there may be a short-term dip as time will be dedicated to the training sessions. However, in the long run, the enhanced skills and knowledge gained from the training will improve efficiency and productivity.

Q5. A scrum master works in a web agency. Their client, who is unfamiliar with the Scrum framework, asked them who should attend the Sprint Retrospective. What should the scrum master’s answer be?

Answer: The attendees should include the Development Team, Scrum Master, and Product Owner.

Q6. A project manager is leading a project using a hybrid approach. Shortly after acquiring the resources, they discover that their team members are politically very engaged; almost all of their meetings end with a political dispute between team members. The project manager has decided to put an end to this before it deteriorates team members’ relationships, by prohibiting any political discussions. Where should the project manager note this rule?

Answer: The project manager should note this rule in the team charter. The team charter outlines the team's purpose, goals, roles, and guidelines for behavior, including rules about discussions to maintain a productive work environment. By documenting this rule in the team charter, the project manager sets clear expectations for team conduct and helps prevent political disputes from affecting team dynamics and project progress.

Q7. What is the most important characteristic of an Agile team?

Answer: The most important characteristic of an Agile team is its flexibility and adaptability. Agile teams can quickly adjust to changing requirements, priorities, or challenges without losing focus. This ability to adapt ensures that they can continuously deliver value, respond to feedback, and meet evolving project needs efficiently.

Q8. A project manager is leading a software development project using a hybrid approach. During project execution, the sponsor left the project, and a new sponsor was assigned. When the project manager informed the new sponsor that the deliverables were produced using a hybrid project management approach, they asked for proof. How should the project manager address the new sponsor's request?

Answer: The project manager should present the project management plan to the new sponsor, highlighting the product development approach used for the project. 

Q9. A project manager is assigned to a predictive marketing project. The client claims that the project manager should take charge of the billboards’ rental cost since billboard advertising is included in the scope section of the contract. However, the project manager argues that it’s out of scope because the renting costs were not mentioned in the pricing section of the contract. After a long discussion without agreeing, what should be the project manager’s next step?

Answer: The project manager should consider pursuing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to address the disagreement with the client. ADR methods, such as mediation or arbitration, provide a structured approach to resolving conflicts without escalating them to legal proceedings. 

Q10.  A project manager is leading a one-year project. Five months into the execution phase, 50% of the project work is completed. What is the project’s SPI and status?

Answer: The Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is 1.2, and the project is ahead of schedule.

EV = % of completed work X BAC (Budget at Completion) = (6/12) X BAC. Since the project manager is 5 months into the project, then the PV = (5/12) X BAC. Doing the math, SPI = EV / PV = 6 / 5 = 1.2. 

You can also conclude that the project is ahead of schedule without doing any math since half of the work is done before reaching half of the project duration. Since the project is ahead of schedule, you should just select the answer where the SPI is greater than 1.

Q11. A project manager was asked to manage an ongoing project using a predictive approach. While reviewing the project status, the project manager discovered that some of the deliverables noted as finished are still in progress. Moreover, contrary to what the sponsor thinks, the project is over budget and behind schedule. What should the project manager do next?

Answer: The project manager should promptly notify the sponsor about the discrepancies uncovered during the project review. It's crucial to provide an honest assessment of the project's current status, including the unfinished deliverables, budget overruns, and delays. Transparency maintains trust and collaboration, allowing the team to realign priorities and make necessary adjustments.

Q12. A project manager works for an NGO, leading a campaign to collect medical supplies for refugees. While contacting pharmaceutical companies to convince them to participate in this campaign, they enumerate the many benefits this partnership can bring them. What are the tangible benefits of participating in this campaign? 

Answer: Participating in the campaign offers pharmaceutical companies the opportunity to generate additional revenue by expanding their reach and tapping into new markets. Moreover, it significantly enhances their brand image and reputation. By contributing to a humanitarian cause, these companies can strengthen their brand, making them more recognizable and positively associated with social responsibility, which can have long-term benefits for customer loyalty and public perception.

Q13. One month after joining their new company, a project manager gets assigned to lead a new project. The project manager is a bit nervous since it’s their first time managing a hybrid project. Plus, they do not get along with the product manager. The project manager has been informed that an external auditor will conduct a quality audit on their project next week. What should the project manager expect from this audit?

Answer: The project manager should expect the audit to check if the project is being executed according to the company's established procedures.

Q14. A project manager works in a financial institution where data security is highly important. They have recently been assigned to a project to investigate all of the organization’s workstations to remove any illegally installed software. 

To successfully implement this project, the project manager must collaborate with all departments. During the project execution, they got support from all department heads except for the head of investments and customer relations. 

The head of investments always claims they didn’t receive the project manager’s emails and thus cannot help them with their requests.

On the other hand, the head of customer relations seems to be constantly busy and never replies to the project manager’s emails. 

However, they respond directly whenever the project manager runs across them in the hallway. 

How should the project manager classify the head of the investments department and the head of the customer relations department in the stakeholder engagement assessment matrix?

Answer: The head of investments should be classified as resistant and the head of customer relations as neutral in the stakeholder engagement assessment matrix.

Q15. A project manager is leading a project using the predictive approach within a functional organization. During the project execution, the project manager encountered an issue that was not identified in the planning phase. To resolve this issue, additional work should be added to the project scope, which will result in an increase in the project cost. To whom should the project manager escalate the need for additional funds to complete this work?

Answer: In a functional organization, the project manager doesn't manage the budget. Thus, they should escalate the need for additional funds to the functional manager.

If the functional manager validates their assessment, they must escalate their request to the project sponsor to approve allocating additional financial resources. 

If the project manager was working in a projectized or strong matrix organization, they wouldn't need to raise their request for more funds to the functional manager. 

Q16. How does a project manager leading a project using an adaptive approach help their team manage Work In Progress (WIP) when they realize that some user stories are unexpectedly delayed midway through the iteration?

Answer: The project manager assists the team by limiting the Work In Progress (WIP) to ensure a more focused and manageable workload. By restricting the number of active tasks, the team can prioritize completing the delayed user stories while preventing new work from being initiated. This approach helps maintain productivity and allows the team to address issues more effectively, fostering collaboration and adaptability in the face of challenges.

Q17. To build a web application, a project manager referred to a freelancing platform to hire a remote team composed of a designer, a front-end developer, and a back-end developer. One week after becoming acquainted, the conflicts dramatically intensified between the two developers to the point that the project manager decided to terminate their contracts, and they have been both replaced. What is the current development stage of the team?

Answer: In the Tuckman model of team development, the "Storming" stage occurs when team members are getting acquainted and starting to understand their roles. This is the stage where differences of opinion take place. 

Although conflicts have intensified between the front-end and back-end developers, it is important to recognize that this behavior often arises as individuals begin to navigate their interactions and establish their working relationships. 

The project manager's decision to terminate their contracts suggests that the team has not yet fully transitioned to the "Norming" stage, where conflicts are typically addressed and resolved. Instead, they are still in the initial phase of forming a cohesive team.

Q18. A project manager is assigned to a project that follows an adaptive approach. After gathering all requirements, the project manager previewed 3 to 5 releases to achieve the project goal. They intend to define the details of each release progressively when they get more insight and feedback from key stakeholders. What should the project manager do, considering the project has a fixed budget that cannot be exceeded?

Answer: The project manager should work with stakeholders to prioritize work for each release until running out of budget

Q29. While a project manager was meeting with the organization’s CEO, they got a call from one of their project team members asking for a four-day leave to attend a religious celebration. 

The project manager immediately refused the team member’s request since the project was already behind schedule and was approaching its deadline. 

The CEO, who was listening to the conversation, intervened to discuss the matter with the team member. 

After a long call, the CEO decided to allow the team member to only get a two-day leave. What type of conflict management technique did the project manager use in this situation?

Answer: The project manager used the forcing conflict management technique in this scenario. By immediately refusing the team member's request for a four-day leave, the project manager prioritized project timelines over the individual's needs. 

Q20. A project manager is leading a 3D modeling project of a castle that will be built near a river. Halfway through execution, the sponsor requests the termination of the project since a dam will be built nearby, making the castle’s location not appealing anymore. What should the project manager do?

Answer: The project manager should follow the sponsor's request and begin the process of terminating the project. This includes closing out all ongoing tasks, ensuring proper documentation, and communicating the decision to relevant stakeholders. The project manager should also assess any remaining contractual or financial obligations and ensure the project’s closure is handled smoothly and in compliance with organizational procedures.

Q21. At the beginning of the first sprint of their new project, the scrum master had an important business meeting at the same time as the daily standup meeting. What should the scrum master do in this situation?

Answer: In this scenario, the Scrum Master should prioritize attending the important business meeting. However, it's crucial to inform the team in advance about the conflict and encourage them to proceed with the stand-up without them.

Q22. Before a demonstration meeting with the client, a team member discovered a defective component that could be either repaired or replaced. The cost of both options is negligible, they’re both risk-free, and the whole operation will require less than 1 hour. However, the team spent 15 minutes discussing the two options without reaching an agreement. What should the project manager do in this case?

Answer: The project manager should call for a vote to quickly decide whether to repair or replace the defective component. Since both options are low-risk and the cost is minimal, a voting process will help the team decide efficiently and prevent further delays. 

Q23. A data science project manager is used to implement projects using the hybrid approach. Their organization owns two servers for manipulating big data, with one server being more performant than the other. 

After a meeting with a potential client, the project manager informed their superiors that if this project is approved, they would like to use the organization’s performant server and have the senior developer, Adam, as part of their team. 

Does the project manager have the right to make such a request?

Answer: Yes, the project manager can request specific resources, like the high-performing server and a senior developer, if they believe it's necessary for the project’s success.

Q24. After a discussion with the development team, the scrum master decided to label backlog items as short-term, mid-term, and long-term. Soon after, the scrum master got an email from the product owner asking them to remove those labels, without giving any clear explanation. What should the scrum master do next?

Answer: The scrum master should Remove the labels since the Product Owner is ultimately accountable for managing the backlog. 

Q25. During the sprint planning, the development team estimated a task to be worth “8” story points, while the product owner’s estimation for the same task was “3” story points. Therefore, the scrum master decided to assign this task “5” story points to bridge the gap between the two estimations. What did the scrum master do wrong in this scenario?

Answer: The scrum master made a mistake by assigning "5" story points to the task; in Scrum, the development team is solely responsible for estimating the effort required for tasks since they have the technical knowledge. The scrum master should have respected the team's estimate of "8" story points instead of trying to compromise the two estimates.

Q26.   A project manager attended a leadership training workshop. The trainer listed the characteristics of servant leaders and then mentioned some examples of a servant leader’s behavioral traits. What could those examples be?

Answer: Examples of servant leader behaviors include helping a team member draft a professional email to a stakeholder to gather important information and showing care by checking in on a team member who has withdrawn socially to understand their concerns. These actions demonstrate support, empathy, and a commitment to the well-being and development of the team, which are core to servant leadership.