A permit is obtained on Friday, May 1. Materials are to be delivered May 8 and needed May 11 for 15 days of labor. The crew works every day, including weekends and holidays. The project is scheduled to complete June 8. How many float days are available for the labor?

A permit is obtained on Friday, May 1. Materials are to be delivered May 8 and needed May 11 for 15 days of labor. The crew works every day, including weekends and holidays. The project is scheduled to complete June 8. How many float days are available for the labor?

• A. 13
• B. 0
• C. 5
• D. 7

Answer: (A)

Float days show how long the labor can be delayed without pushing the project’s finish date. Start of labor is May 11, since materials arrive May 8 and are needed May 11. The 15 days of labor run daily, so the earliest finish is May 25. To meet the project finish of June 8, the labor could finish as late as June 7 without delaying the overall project. That gives a window between the earliest finish (May 25) and the latest allowable finish (June 7). Counting the days after May 25 up to and including June 7: May 26–31 (6 days) plus June 1–7 (7 days) equals 13 days. So, 13 float days are available for the labor.

Float days show how long the labor can be delayed without pushing the project’s finish date.

Start of labor is May 11, since materials arrive May 8 and are needed May 11. The 15 days of labor run daily, so the earliest finish is May 25.

To meet the project finish of June 8, the labor could finish as late as June 7 without delaying the overall project. That gives a window between the earliest finish (May 25) and the latest allowable finish (June 7). Counting the days after May 25 up to and including June 7: May 26–31 (6 days) plus June 1–7 (7 days) equals 13 days.

So, 13 float days are available for the labor.