Definition:Critical Path Analysis/Critical Path

Definition

The earliest possible end time of an activity is the earliest possible start time of an activity which cannot be started until that previous activity has been completed.

For some activities, the completion time of the entire project is not affected if those activities are not started at the earliest possible time.

However, there is always a latest time for starting an activity without delaying the completion of the project.

The edges of the network for which the earliest and latest possible start time and end time are equal form the critical path.

Also see

• Definition:Start Time of Activity
• Definition:End Time of Activity

• Results about critical path analysis can be found here.

Sources

• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): critical path analysis (CPA)
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): critical path analysis (CPA)