Scheduling with activity

time
Detail on
Float (Slack) of an Activity
 Float
• The term “Float” implies “Fluid”, which in turn
implies “Flexibility“. In Project Scheduling,
Float refers to the amount of scheduling
flexibility. Float is also popularly called
“Slack“.
 Float (Slack) of an Activity
• The float or free time is the length of time in
which in non-critical activity and/or of an
event can be delayed or extended without
delaying the total project completion time.
 Slack of an Event
• The slack(s) also called float of an event is the
difference between its latest occurrence time
and its earliest occurrence time. That is

Event float = Li-Ei

If L=E, for certain events, then such events

are called critical events.
 Slack of an Activity
• It is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed
without delaying project completion, it is calculated as
the difference between the latest finish time and the
earliest finish time for the activity. in other words,

• the computation of activity float tell us how long an

activity time may be increased without increasing the
project completion time. mainly 3 types of floats are
defined for each non-critical activity of the project.
 Total Float
• That a schedule activity can be delayed or
extended from its early start date without
delaying the project finish date or violating a
schedule constraint.

• Total float is the amount of time an activity

can be delayed without delaying the project
completion date. This is the type of Float that
is commonly referred to as “Float”.
 Total Float
• Total Float is about flexibility at the project
level. It is about the flexibility that an activity
has in its execution without delaying the
Project finish date.
 Example
• If activity 1 has a duration of 6 days and is
occurring concurrently with activity 2 which
has a duration of 9 days, activity 1 has 3 days
of total float. Meaning, it can be delayed up to
three days without any effect on the project.
– However, if activity 1 is delayed by 5 days, there is
now a negative float situation: -2 days. This
reflects the fact that the project will now take two
days longer than anticipated.
 Total Float
• Total float is calculated by subtracting the
Early Start date of an activity from its Late
Start date (Late Start date (LS) – Early Start
date (ES)), or Early Finish date (EF) from its
Late Finish date (LF) (Late Finish date – Early
Finish date).

Total Float or Float = LS – ES or LF – EF

 Total Float
• The time within which an activity must be scheduled
computed from LS and ES values for each activities start Event
and end event. That is, for each activity (i,j) the total float is
equal to the latest allowable time for the event at the end of
the activity minus the earliest time for an event at the
beginning of the activity minus the activity duration that is

Total Float (TFij) = (Lj – Ei) – tij (late start – early start)
• = Lsij – Esij
• = Lfij- Efij (late finish – early finish)
 Total Float
• The total float is the difference between project
completion date and the total duration of critical
path activities.

• In other words, you have a project to finish in 25

days. Your calculated critical path activities on the
schedule network diagram will take 22 days. So
you have a project float of +3 days. Here you can
see, afloat can be a positive or negative number.
 Free Float
• how much and activities completion time may
be delayed without causing any delay in its
immediate successor activities

• The amount of time – that a schedule activity

can be delayed without delaying the early
start date of any successor or violating a
schedule constraint
 Free Float
• Free Float is about flexibility at the activity
level. It is about the flexibility that an activity
has in its execution without delaying its
successor activity
 Free Float
• consider one activity A, have total duration of
6 days, and its successor activity B is starting 3
days after completing of activity A than the
free float between the activities is 3 .means
there will not be any impact on activity B even
activity A gets delayed by 3 Days.
 Free Float
• Free float is calculated by subtracting the Early
Finish date of current activity from the Early
Start date of its successor activity (ES of
successor Activity – EF of current Activity).

• Free Float = ES (of successor) – EF (of

current)
 Free float
• Free float of a non critical activity is defined as the
time by which the completion of an activity can be
delayed without causing any delay in its immediate
succeeding activities. Free float values for each
activity (i,j) are computed as

– Free Float (FFij) = (Ej-Ei)-tij

 Total Float vs Free float

• While Total Float is how much an activity can

be delayed without affecting the project
Finish date, Free Float is about how much an
activity can be delayed without affecting
its successor activity.
 Float ---Example 1
Activity Predecessors Duration (days)
A - 6
B A 4
C B 7
D A 2
E D 4
F E 10
G - 2
H G 10
I J,H 6
J - 13
K A 9
L C,K 3
M I,L 5
 [13,14]
4
I(6)

J(13) [17,17] [20,20] [25,25]

H(10)
6 L(3) 9
M(5)
10

G(2)
1 3 [0,2] K(9)
0]

A(6) C(7)

F(10)
B(4)
2 5
[6,6] [10,10]

D(2) [8,11]
7 8 [12,15]
E(4)
 [13,14]
4
I(6)

J(13) [17,17] [20,20] [25,25]

H(10)
6 L(3) 9
M(5)
10

G(2)
1 3 [0,2] K(9)
[0,0]

A(6) C(7)

F(10)
B(4)
2 5
[6,6] [10,10]

D(2) [8,11]
7 8 [12,15]
E(4)
Activity Dura Earliest Time Latest Time Float
I,j tion
Start Finish Start Finish Total Float Free
tij Ei Ei +tij Lj – tij Lj (Lj – tij) - Ei Float
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (Ej -Ei) - tij
(4-2)
(5-1)
1 (i)-3 (j) 2 0 2 2 4 2 0
1-4 13 0 13 1 14 1 0
2-6 9 6 15 8 17 2 2
2-7 2 6 8 9 11 3 0
3-4 10 2 12 4 14 2 1
4-9 6 13 19 14 20 1 1
7-8 4 8 12 11 15 3 0
8-10 10 12 22 15 25 3 3
 Float ---Example 2
Activity Predecessors Duration (days)

A - 2

B A 3

C A 4

D B,C 6

E - 2

F E 8
• Construct a Network Diagram
• Compute the total float, free float for each
activity.
• Find the Critical path and total project
duration.
[13,14]

2 5

1
4 6

3
 [2,2] [6,6]
B
2 5
3

A
D1

D
2
C

6
0
4

1
[0,0] 4 6
[6,6]
[12,12]
E
2 F
8
3
[2,4]
• Using forward pass computations , the earliest time
Ei is calculated for each node as follows:

• Set E1 = 0
• E2 = E1+2 = 0+2 =2
• E3 = E1+2 = 0+2 =2
• E4 = E2+4 = 2+4 =6
• E5 = Max(E2+3, E4+0) = Max (2+3, 6+0) =6
• E6 = Max(E5+6, E3+8) = Max (6+6, 2+8) =12
• Using BACKWARD pass computations , the LATEST
occurrence time Ei is calculated for each node as
follows:
• Set L6 = E6 =12
• L5 = L6 – 6 = 12-6= 6
• L3 = L6 – 8 = 12 -8 = 4
• L4 = L5 – 0 = 6
• L2 = Min (L 5 – 3, L4 -4) = (6-3, 6-4) = 2
• L1 = Min (L2 – 2, L3 -2) = (2-2, 4-2) = 0
Activit Duration Earliest Time Latest Time Float
y
I,j
tij Start Finish Start Finish Total Fre
Ei Ei +tij Lj – tij Lj (Lj – tij) (Ej -Ei) -
- Ei tij

A(1-2) 2 0 2 0 2 0 0
B(2-5) 3 2 5 3 6 1 1
C(2-4) 4 2 6 2 6 0 0
D(5-6) 6 6 12 6 12 0 0
E(1-3) 2 0 2 2 4 0 0
F(3-6) 8 2 10 4 12 2 0
 Early Start, Early Finish
Finding ES and EF involves a forward pass
through the network diagram
Early start (ES)
The earliest time an activity can start
Assumes all preceding activities start as early as possible
– For nodes with one entering arrow
» ES = EF of the entering arrow
– For activities leaving nodes with multiple entering arrows
» ES = the largest of the largest entering EF
Early finish (EF)
The earliest time an activity can finish
– EF = ES + t
 Late Start, Late Finish
Finding LS and LF involves a backward pass through the network
diagram
 Late Start (LS)
 The latest time the activity can start and not delay the project
– The latest starting time for each activity is equal to its latest finishing time minus its
expected duration:
» LS = LF - t
 Late Finish (LF)
 The latest time the activity can finish and not delay the project
– For nodes with one leaving arrow, LF for nodes entering that node equals the LS of the
leaving arrow
– For nodes with multiple leaving arrows, LF for arrows entering node equals the smallest
of the leaving arrows
 Slack and the Critical Path
• Slack can be computed one of two ways:
– Slack = LS – ES
– Slack = LF – EF
• Critical path
– The critical path is indicated by the activities with
zero slack
Floats & Slacks in the AoA network
 Activity and event times
• Activity times:
– ES
– LS
– EF
– LF
• Event times:
– EET
– LET
 Float is for Activity
• Time available for an activity or path in
addition to its duration.
• It can be positive or negative
• It is a property of activities (and available only
at given activities)
• In case of more succeeding activities, the
minimum have to be taken.
• Types of float:
– Total float
– Free float
 The Concept of Float (continued)

• There are two types of float.

– Total Float is the amount by which an activity can be
delayed without delaying the completion of the project.
– An activity with initial node i and terminal node j
• TFij = LFj - ESi – tij
– TF is total float
– LF is latest completion
– ES is earliest start
– t is activity duration

2
The Concept of Float (continued)

– Free Float is the amount by which an activity can

be delayed without delaying the start of at least
one other activity in the network.
– For an activity with initial node i and terminal
node j
FFij = ESj - ESi - tij
– FF is free float
– ES is earliest start
– t is activity duration

3
 Float Calculations
A B C D E=D-B-A F=C-B-A
Activity t(i,j) ES(i) ES(j) LF(j) TF(i,j) FF(i,j)
(0,1) 2
(0,2) 3
(1,3) 2
(2,3) 3
(2,4) 2
(3,4) 0
(3,5) 3
(3,6) 2
(4,5) 7
(4,6) 5
(5,6) 6

5
 Total Float – An Example
• The total float possessed by an activity.
• Calculation for activity j:
Total floatj = LFj – EFj = LSj – ESj
• Identify the activity possessing float below, and calculate the total
float.

5
2 ?
12

a c
0 ?
1 ? 15 8
4 ?
b ? d
3 ?
 Total float – An Example
• The total float possessed by an activity.
• Calculation for activity j:
Total floatj = LSj – ESj = LFj – EFj = LFj – (ESj + Dj)
• Identify the activities possessing float below, and calculate the total
float for each.
Total float =
5 Total float = 23 – (5+12) = 6
= 11 – (0+5) = 6
5
2 c 12
5] ]
11 12 [5,17
0, [11 ]
a[ ,11 ,23
0 5[6 ] 23
1 0 b15
[ 823]
4 23
15[ 0,15] 5 , ]
0,1 15 d[1 5,23
3
5]
8[1
15
 Free Float – An Example
• The float possessed by an activity which, if used, will
not change the float in leater activities.
• Free float, FFij = ESj - ESi – tij
• Free float = Total float - Slack on succeeding node

Free float a= 5 – 0 – 5 = 0 5 Free floatc = 23 – 5 – 12 = 6

2 11
c
[5,
1
5] ] 7]
0, 12
a[ ,11 [11
,23
0 5[6 23
1 4
]

0 b [0
,2 3] 23
15[ ,15] 5 ]
0,1 15 d[1 5,23
3
5]
8[1
15
 Negative float
• If the target time (deadline) for the project (or for a part
of the project) is grater than TPT, than the float will
appear on the critical path or even on some other paths.
• Negative Float = the time by which activities on the path
or paths concerned must be reduced if the TPT is to be
met.
30
• Negative float is a type of the Total Float.

0 10 ? ?
1 ?
a 2 ?
10
c
3 ?
 Negative float
• Float, sometimes called, is the amount of time an activity, network
path, or project can be delayed from the early start without changing
the completion date of the project.

• Total float is the difference between the finish date of the last
activity on the critical path and the project completion date. Any
delay in an activity on the Critical path would reduce the amount
of available on the project. A project can also have negative float,
which means the calculated completion date of the last activity is
later than the targeted completion date established at the beginning of
the project.

• If activities that are not on the have a difference between their and
their late start date, those activities can be delayed without affecting
the project completion date. The float on those activities is
 Negative float
• If the tartget time (deadline) for the project (or for a
part of the project) is grater than TPT, than the float will
appear on the critical path or even on some other paths.
• Nagative float = the time by which activities on the path
or paths concerned must be reduced if the TPT is to be
met.
15
• Negative float is a type of the Total Float.

0 10 10 20
1 -5
a 2 5
10
c
3 15
Total float: -5 Total float: -5
 Slack refers to Events
• Slack Refers to events and not to activities.
• Slack = LET – EET
• Remember: Total floatj = LSj – ESj = LFj – EFj = LFj – (ESj + Dj)
» Free float, FF = TF – Slack on succeeding node
Slack: 6

Total float = 11 – (0+5) = 6 Total float = 23 – (5+12) = 6

5
Free float = 6 – 6 = 0
5
2 11
Free float = 6 – 0 = 6
c 12
5] ] 12 [5,1
0, [11c 7]
a[ ,1a1 ,23
]
0 5[6 23
1 0 b [0
15 823]
4 23
15[ ,15] 5 , ]
0b,1 15 d[1 5d,23
3
5]
8[1
Slack: 0 Slack: 0
15

Slack: 0
 Using Slack Times
Knowledge of slack times provides managers with
information for planning allocation of scarce
resources
Control efforts will be directed toward those activities that
might be most susceptible to delaying the project
Activity slack times are based on the assumption that all
of the activities on the same path will be started as early
as possible and not exceed their expected time
If two activities are on the same path and have the same
slack, this will be the total slack available to both
Problem 3 – Solution:
The critical path is A–C–F–H–J with a completion time
of 27 days.

Earliest Latest Earliest Latest Total On Critical

Activity Duration Start Start Finish Finish Slack Path?
A 2 0 0 2 2 0 Yes
B 4 2 3 6 7 1 No
C 5 2 2 7 7 0 Yes
D 2 6 15 8 17 9 No
E 1 6 16 7 17 10 No
F 8 7 7 15 15 0 Yes
G 3 8 17 11 20 9 No
H 5 15 15 20 20 0 Yes
I 4 15 16 19 20 1 No
J 7 20 20 27 27 0 Yes

49
 Solved Problem 2

Using the Normal

specified time  path expected time  S  D   23  20 
z     1.52 Distribution, we find that the
path standard time  σP   3.88 
2
probability of completing the
project in 23 weeks or less is
 Time Estimates
• Deterministic
– Time estimates that are fairly certain
• Probabilistic
– Estimates of times that allow for variation
 Computing Algorithm
• Network activities
– ES: earliest start
– EF: earliest finish
– LS: latest start
– LF: latest finish
• Used to determine
– Expected project duration
– Slack time
– Critical path
 Determining the Project Schedule

Perform a Critical Path Analysis

Earliest start (ES) = earliest time at
Activity Description
which an activity can start, assuming Timeall
(weeks)
A Build internal components
predecessors have been completed 2
B ModifyEarliest
roof and floor(EF) =
finish earliest time 3at
C Construct collection
which stack
an activity can be finished 2
D Pour concrete and (LS)
Latest start install frametime at which an
=latest 4
E activity can start so
Build high-temperature as to not delay the 4
burner
F Install completion time of
pollution control the entire project 3
system
G Install Latest finish (LF)
air pollution =
device latest time by5
H Inspectwhich an activity has to be finished so as
and test 2 to
not delay the completion time of the entire
Total Time (weeks)
project 25 3.2
Table
 Computing Slack Time

After computing the ES, EF, LS, and LF times

for all activities, compute the slack or free
time for each activity

 Slack is the length of time an activity can be

delayed without delaying the entire project

Slack = LS – ES or Slack = LF – EF
 Computing Slack Time
Earliest Earliest Latest Latest On
Start Finish Start Finish Slack Critical
Activity ES EF LS LF LS – ES Path

A 0 2 0 2 0 Yes
B 0 3 1 4 1 No
C 2 4 2 4 0 Yes
D 3 7 4 8 1 No
E 4 8 4 8 0 Yes
F 4 7 10 13 6 No
G 8 13 8 13 0 Yes
H 13 15 13 15 0 Yes
 Computing Slack Time
Earliest Earliest Latest Latest On
Start Finish Start Finish Slack Critical
Activity ES EF LS LF LS – ES Path

A 0 6 2 8 2 No
B 0 7 0 7 0 Yes
C 6 9 8 11 2 No
D 6 8 12 14 6 No
E 7 11 7 11 0 Yes
F 7 13 8 14 1 No
G 11 21 11 21 0 Yes
H 13 20 14 21 1 No
 Computing Variance
Most Expected
Optimistic Likely Pessimistic Time Variance
Activity to tm tp t = (to + 4tm + tp)/6 [(tp – to)/6]2

A 1 2 3 2 .11
B 2 3 4 3 .11
C 1 2 3 2 .11
D 2 4 6 4 .44
E 1 4 7 4 1.00
F 1 2 9 3 1.78
G 3 4 11 5 1.78
H 1 2 3 2 .11
Extra Example
 Critical Path Analysis (PERT)
Activity LS ES Slacks Critical ?

a 0 0 0 Yes

b 1 0 1
c 4 0 4
d 20 20 0 Yes
e 25 20 5
f 29 20 9
g 21 20 1
h 14 10 4
i 25 24 1
j 35 35 0 Yes

61
Appendix: PERT Estimation
Technique
 Performing forward pass CP analysis

ES = Maximum EF of predecessor task(s)

EF = ES + duration of task
10 TF 5 days

A 2
5/7 5/11
30 TF 4 days

1 C

5/16 5/19
4
1 20 TF 10 days

B
Key
5/7 5/16 2 3
ID TF DUR
Name
ES EF
LS LF
Performing backward pass CP analysis

LF = Minimum LS of successor task(s)

LS = LF – duration of task
10 TF 5 days

A 3
5/7 5/11
30 TF 4 days
5/12 5/16
C
4 5/16 5/19

4 20 TF 10 days 5/16 5/19 1

B
Key
5/7 5/16

5/7 5/16 3 2 ID TF DUR

Name
ES EF
LS LF
 Calculating float
FF = 6 TF = LF - EF
FF = Minimum ES (successor task) – EF
10 6 days 5 days

5/7 5/11
30 0 days 4 days Critical path
5/12 5/16
C

5/16 5/19

20 0 days 10 days 5/16 5/19

B
Key
5/7 5/16
ID TF DUR
5/7 5/16 Name
ES EF
FF = 0 LS LF