[Coventry University logo] FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING

Spreadsheet Models for Critical Path Analysis by B. M. Baker

These spreadsheets are for computer-aided learning and assessment of critical path analysis (cpa).
File names indicate activity-on-arrow (aoa) or activity-on-node (aon), and whether the spreadsheet
is intended for computer-aided learning (cal) including feedback to students, or whether it is
intended for assessment only (test) including no feedback to students, but some coded information
to assist with the marking process.
aoa_test1 asks for total floats to be entered, whereas aoa_test2 asks for total, free and independent floats.
This provides a choice between a short and simple test, or a longer and more difficult test, as appropriate for the
group of students and the circumstances.
aoa_draw provides a simple test of whether a student can produce a network that satisfies a given table of predecessors.
The computer on which these spreadsheets were developed was tested for viruses and found to be clean.

Do not try to open any of these spreadsheets within your browser.
It is essential that you download them to your computer before opening them.
The spreadsheets will not work if opened within an Internet browser.

In return for free access to these spreadsheets, I would appreciate receiving an e-mail from anyone
who uses them, giving a brief statement of where and what kind and number of students were involved.
aon_draw and aon_test2 last updated: March 17, 2006; others last updated: June, 2005.

Instructions.pdf

aoa_cal.xls

aoa_test1.xls

aoa_test2.xls

aoa_draw.xls

aon_cal.xls

aon_test.xls

aon_tut.xls

aon_draw.xls

aon_test2.xls

Refer to Discuss notes on cpa for a description of the notation and how to perform cpa.

Go to spreadsheet modelling preamble for a list of other spreadsheet models available. Click here to mail me.

Technical note: If a computer is accidentally switched off while any of these spreadsheets is open then the menu
may not be restored and, the next time Excel is started, the menu and title bar may not be visible.
In this case, it is always possible to close Excel using Ctrl Alt Del and selecting Excel from the Task List.
(You do not need to re-start your computer.)
Alternatively, if the Task Bar is visible, right click on Excel in the Task Bar and select Close.
Then, from either Windows Explorer or My Computer, double click to open any of the spreadsheets
except aon_tut. Just click on the Quit button and this will activate the routine to restore the menu, so that it
will be visible next time Excel is started.

Disclaimer: These spreadsheets have been used by more than 1000 students at Coventry University
with no problems. Nevertheless, no liability can be accepted by B. M. Baker or Coventry University
if the spreadsheets fail to function as described, or if they have any unexpected or undesirable effects
on anyone's computer.
If anyone finds a problem with any of these spreadsheets, please e-mail me. If I am able to reproduce the problem,
I will endeavour to fix it whenever time permits. Updated versions of the spreadsheets may be placed on this
site in the future.