A project is taking more effort than anticipated. Which of the following constraints will MOST likely be affected?

Scope defines the deliverables and boundaries of the project; increased effort does not change what is being delivered unless a scope change triggered the additional work.

Time could be a secondary impact if the extra effort causes schedule slippage, but the question specifically states more effort is required - not that the timeline has been extended.

Quality refers to the standard of the deliverables and is not directly altered by the volume of effort expended, assuming the same quality standards are being applied.

Effort represents person-hours of work required to complete project tasks. When actual effort exceeds estimates, additional labor must be paid for, directly inflating the project budget. Cost is therefore the constraint most immediately affected because every unplanned hour of work carries a corresponding financial expense.